Peterson Contemporary Art Gallery is the foremost CONTEMPORARY art gallery in the heart of Bend, Oregon located in the Franklin Crossing Building on the corner of Bond Street and Franklin Avenue. We strive to cultivate a welcoming environment and to connect artists and the public. The gallery is a modern dream, encouraging the creative development of artists through all different kinds of mediums and influences.  We currently have almost forty artists located locally as well as all over the country, Japan and Italy to help us achieve this goal of creative cohesiveness.

Tracy Knish, Art Consultant

I have a passion for fine art & fine food. My art career began in Maui, while working at the Lahaina Galleries. After relocating to Bend in 2006, I worked as an art consultant while pursuing a degree in the culinary arts from Cascade Culinary Institute. Working at Mockingbird and Peterson Contemporary Galleries gives me the good fortune to share my love of art on a daily basis and my love of food for First Fridays and special events.

Nancy French, Art Consultant

I have a rich and varied career spanning several fields, including roles as a Disc Jockey, TV News Reporter, and Regional Sales & Business Development Director. My entrepreneurial spirit led me to create and develop my own corporate gift business. Throughout my professional journey, my enduring passion for art has remained a constant. I actively supported the arts through corporate sponsorships and trade marketing, and have cherished moments spent learning and creating art with my children.

I hail from the Southeast and am an Auburn University alumna with a degree in Mass Communications, complemented by minors in Theater and Spanish from the University of Madrid. After spending 23 years in Roswell, Georgia, I now call Bend home, where I continue to embrace my love for art and lifelong learning. I am enthusiastic about my work at PCA and Mockingbird. I find joy in these beautiful galleries and the vibrant community of Bend.

Krissy Sonniksen, Office Manager

I have been surrounded by art for as long as I can remember and I have always been a sponge ready to absorb and engage. My uncle is a fine artist, and the gallery scene has been a familiar place since I was a young child. I received a B.A. in Art History from the University of Oregon and postgraduate degree in Art History, Theory and Display from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Alongside the art world, I was a competitive runner for 23 years and ran collegiate cross country and track at U of O and the University of East Anglia. The last 5 years I’ve been working in the historical museum field but happy to get back to my roots and spend lovely days in the gallery space.  I look forward to sharing the great talent that is exhibited at both PCA and Mockingbird and helping others to enjoy the wonder that is a great work of art.

Jim and Nathalie Peterson, Owners

Jim and Nathalie have been active in the art industry for over 30 years. Their ceaseless passion and dedication has cultivated a uniquely fantastic collection of artists. Resting on their laurels has never been their style, and they're constantly striving to make Peterson Contemporary Art an inviting artistic experience that challenges itself to be better.