Peter Schifrin (born January 5, 1958) is an American Olympic epee fencer and sculptor.

Peter Schifrin
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1958-01-05) January 5, 1958 (age 66)
Los Angeles, California, United States
Height6-2.5 (190 cm)
Weight185 lb (84 kg)
Sport
CountryUnited States
SportFencing
Eventepee
College teamSan Jose State University (BA
Boston University (MFA)
ClubFencing Center of San Jose[1]
Medal record
Representing  United States
NCAA Fencing Championships
Gold medal – first place 1982 South Bend Épée

Early and personal life edit

Schifrin was born in Los Angeles, California, lived in Santa Rosa, California, and is Jewish.[1][2][3] His father was a professional artist.[4] After attending San Jose State University, where he earned a BA as a fine arts major, he earned a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from Boston University.[1][2][5]

Fencing career edit

Schifrin began fencing at age 13.[6] While in high school he won the Junior National Epee Championship in both 1976 and 1977.[2]

He attended and fenced for San Jose State University on a fencing scholarship from 1979 through 1982.[7][1][2][6] There, Schifrin was a four-time All-American, and had a 266-35 win-loss record.[2] He won the 1982 NCAA Epee National Championship—thereby becoming the university's first and only NCAA champion in men's fencing.[1][2]

Schifrin represented the United States at the 1979 Pan American Games team, winning a gold medal, and competed at the 1979 Summer Universiade and the 1981 Summer Universiade.[1][2] He won a silver medal in epee at the 1981 Maccabiah Games.[1]

He competed in the team épée event at the 1984 Summer Olympics.[1]

Schifrin was inducted into the San Jose State University Sports Hall of Fame, in the Class of 2005.[2]

Art career edit

Schifrin became a poet and an artist, trained in figurative and portrait sculpture, and began making textured works in both metal and clay.[8][6] He has had multiple commissioned works in California: he designed and executed a bronze firefighter in San Ramon, a bronze "Wounded Man" for San Mateo's Performing Arts Center, and a set of bronze coyotes for downtown San Jose.[1][9] Schifrin also created "Wings," a series of three sculptures installed on Martha's Vineyard.[1] Schifrin and another sculptor, David Duskin, created "J-Line," which was commissioned by another fencing Olympian, Stephen Trevor, a private equity manager.[1] He has works on display with the Art of the Olympians.[10][11][12]

Schifrin also teaches as an instructor at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.[1][6] He was voted into the National Sculpture Society in 2011.[13]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Peter Schifrin Olympic Results". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "A SELL OUT - 2005 San Jose State University Sports Hall of Fame ceremonies". Retrieved February 10, 2018.
  3. ^ "Jewish Post 6 July 1979". newspapers.library.in.gov. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
  4. ^ "An Interview with Peter Schifrin: Artist, Poet, Olympian," Varnish Fine Art.
  5. ^ "Peter Schifrin; Fencing/Sculpture," Art of the Olympians.
  6. ^ a b c d Silva, Elda (March 31, 2014). "Olympian athelete [sic] portrays still life". San Antonio Express-News. Hearst. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
  7. ^ "Peter Schifrin 1984 Olympic Team". January 16, 2015. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
  8. ^ "peter schifrin". www.mudpoet.com. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
  9. ^ "Olympian Art; Olympians are quite an artistic bunch. See some artwork for past Olympic athletes," The Wall Street Journal.
  10. ^ "Art of the Olympians | Peter Schifrin". artoftheolympians.org. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  11. ^ "the sculpture of peter schifrin". www.mudpoet.com. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  12. ^ "Varnish Fine Art: An Interview with Peter Schifrin: Artist, Poet, Olympian". Varnish Fine Art. January 5, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  13. ^ "U.S. Olympian Peter Schifrin visits NVC". theranger.org. February 28, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2018.

External links edit