Team
Peter Lovisek, Founder and Gallery Director
Peter Lovisek is a natural history entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in fossils, minerals, and meteorites. At 17, he founded Fossil Realm, transforming it into a respected gallery and consultancy specializing in the curation of world-class specimens, collections management, and investment advisory. One of Peter’s notable achievements includes brokering the unrestored bones of “Willard,” a massive Triceratops skeleton that was later assembled and displayed at the Hong Kong Science Museum. He has also played a key role in assisting the development of leading private collections, helping collectors acquire rare, museum-quality specimens.
Peter’s passion for the natural world began with family fossil-collecting trips, sparking a lifelong fascination with paleontology and earth sciences. Over the years, he has contributed to collections at institutions like the CosmoCaixa Science Museum in Barcelona, the Museo delle Culture in Lugano, and the University of Waterloo Earth Sciences Museum. Dedicated to education and outreach, he has donated hundreds of fossils to schools across North America and supports organizations like Penn Dixie Fossil Park. He is also a patron of the Royal Ontario Museum and the Canadian Museum of Nature.
With a B.Sc. in Psychology from the University of Toronto, Peter takes an interdisciplinary approach to his work, combining scientific thinking with a keen eye for aesthetics and a passion for storytelling. His consultancy services include expert valuations and investment guidance, where he combines market insights with a deep understanding of the historical and artistic significance of the specimens. Through his partnership with Konvi, Peter is helping to pioneer fractional ownership in the natural history market, broadening access to rare and valuable pieces.
Originally from Toronto, Peter now lives in Ottawa with his wife, Hélène, and their two young sons. Outside of work, he enjoys long-distance running and has completed more than ten marathons. Peter’s commitment to excellence and education has made him a trusted figure in the natural history community, inspiring others to appreciate and preserve the wonders of the natural world.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
- AAPS - Association of Applied Paleontological Sciences
- IMCA - International Meteorite Collectors Association (Member No. 4875)
Jim Lovisek, Scientific Advisor (Former)
Jim's role as scientific advisor and business mentor was indispensable in the early years of Fossil Realm. His enthusiasm for the natural sciences was singular and his eagerness to converse about animals (alive or extinct) was memorable.
Jim's professional life was coloured by a fascination for the natural world and an adventurous entrepreneurial spirit. In addition to a decades-long involvement in commercial paleontology, he worked as a herpetologist, nature camp director, and animal wrangler in the entertainment industry.
After graduating from university in the mid-1970's, Jim spent several years researching wildlife in the Amazon rainforest, including the Yacare Caiman and the Amazonian manatee. Upon his return from South America, Jim was hired as a research associate at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.
Educating the public was a high priority for Jim. For 16 years he co-directed the Toronto Nature Centre Summer Camp with his wife, Liz Komisar. During this period he also presented hundreds of hands-on wildlife talks across the nation, including “Dinosaurs Alive!”.
Photo Credit: Nick Iwanyshyn / York Region Media Group
Liz Komisar, Acquisitions Advisor
Liz brings a wealth of practical experience to the development and marketing of the collections. After graduating from The University of Toronto, she headed Media Relations at The Royal Ontario Museum where she promoted displays, behind-the-scenes museum collections and significant research. She mounted hundreds of tropical insects and designed their display for The Ontario Science Centre’s Jungles Alive Show.
Liz co-founded The Toronto Nature Centre Summer Camp with her husband Jim Lovisek. The camp introduced life and earth sciences through hands on workshops, field trips and daily sessions with live animals. During the 16 year run of the camp, Liz created fossil and mineral teaching units for several Boards of Education in Ontario. For several years in the late nineties, she also presented a weekly series of science workshops for the Institute of Child Studies (associated with the University of Toronto).
After the closure of the nature camp, she acquired a Bachelor of Education at The University of Toronto and started teaching full time. Throughout the operation of The Toronto Nature Centre and with the subsequent establishment of Fossil Realm (after Jim’s passing), Liz has enjoyed an active role in the development, marketing and sales of collections. She currently contributes to Fossil Realm operations by advising on acquisitions. In her free time, she enjoys painting and writing.