Peter Shaw, graduate of University of Canterbury, was a secondary school teacher for 11 years. From 1983 to 1991 he was a full-time arts writer contributing articles on architectural history, music and theatre, and the fine arts to Art New Zealand, Music in New Zealand, House and Building and Architecture New Zealand. In 1981 he wrote the first Lively Arts column in Metro, continuing in this role until 1996. He is the author of Art Deco Napier: Styles Of The Thirties (1987., 4th edition 1998) and A Hostory Of NZ Architecture (1991., 2nd edition 1997) among others.