Peter Ursem graduated in Literature from the University of Utrecht and later in drawing, painting and printmaking from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague. In 1998 he moved to England. 

Living and working in Dorset until 2011, Peter was quite entranced by the English hills and skies, the landscape gradually became the main subject matter in his work. However, his fascination with language and words was ever-present, with a particular interest in the graphic form of text.

In 2000 Peter received an Arts Council 'Year of the Artist' Award for Reflections, a Book of Woodcuts of the River Stour. Following this he immersed himself in exploring the three relief printing techniques; lino, woodcut and wood engraving. The purchase of a Victorian Cope & Hopkinson Albion Press enabled him to further develop colour printing works, mainly using the lino print reduction technique. 

In 2011 Peter moved to the Tamar Valley, this landscape soon became the new focus for his work. His distinctive views of the lanes, fields and hills of Devon conjure up the essence of this green county.