Artist of the Week: Ann Peterson	by Lauren N. Maynard

(photo: Rose Mattrey)

Why you should know who she is: Photographer and teacher Ann Peterson has been taking photos since she was five, when she spent an entire hour and a roll of film shooting one small frog near a forest stream. Since then she has captured the world with her lens several times over. A well-seasoned traveler and currently a Spanish teacher at Canisius High School, Peterson has spent years on a student visa bouncing between Buffalo and Europe, Central America, and the UK. She has visited, lived or taught in places like Costa Rica, Spain, Cuba, Central America, Ireland and, most recently, the Galapagos Islands. She photographs landscapes and cities in a way that “captures the essence of the country. I like to find that simple moment that reflects the culture, like the light, the people, the colors,” she says. Peterson will be on hand to discuss her most recent work, photos of and about Buffalo, this Sunday from 1 to 5 pm at the Burchfield-Penney Art Center as part of the Museum Store’s Fall Artist Showcase. The series features a different artist and his or her work every Sunday through December 18.

Hometown: Buffalo

Education: Mt. St. Joe’s Academy in Buffalo; a double major in Spanish and studio art with a concentration in photography from Nazareth College; master’s in Spanish language and literature from Bowling Green University; study abroad in Spain.

Current project: A portfolio of Buffalo photographs. “One of my students asked me, ‘You make other countries look so nice, could you make Buffalo look as nice?’ And I really liked that idea.”

How is photographing Buffalo different from your travel photography? “It’s been challenging because I like the new—new places, new experiences. But so far it’s been fun, trying to shoot locations like the parks and cemeteries in an original way.”

How many rolls do you go through a day? “It’s funny, when I was a student, I was so broke I had to make a choice: film or food (and I always went with the film). Especially in Austria, where my batteries ran out and cost $17 to replace, which was the cost of food and lodging.”

Pet peeve: “People looking at my work and then asking me, ‘That’s a beautiful photograph. What kind of camera do you use?’”

Well, um, do you use film or digital? “I just started using digital for a year now, it’s easier and the quality is actually wonderful. But I spent 15 years in the darkroom, and I miss the smell of the chemicals, the smell of the paper. So I still try to buy a roll once in a while just so I can smell it. Recently I shot 350 digital pictures in Cuba and lost them all, which wouldn’t have happened if it were film.”

Where have you shown your work? “I just started a few years ago, when I moved back to Buffalo. I did a couple of shows at College Street Gallery, with two other women at El Buen Amigo, and I was chosen to be the Colby artist at Buffalo Seminary last year, where I showed my Cuba exhibit. I also had a show at the North American Costa Rican Cultural Center, which was interesting.”

Favorite travel experience: “I’d have to say Cuba was the most extraordinary for me. It had incredible colors, the people were wonderful, there was music everywhere… it was so full of life. I was swept up in this other world. But I spent years living in Spain and Costa Rica, so they’re the closest to my heart.”

Who do you come home to? Her husband and two cats, Clarence and Lucy.

Why did you move back to Buffalo? “I missed my friends and family, but I also just ran out of money. I had to pay student loans, had no health benefits and was living paycheck to paycheck. Plus, Buffalo is a wonderful place to live. I’m a Buffalo booster and think the people with the most negativity are those who’ve never left. I’ve lived in lots of other countries and cities and yet I love the day-to-day life here. Because I grew up here, but also because I love the four seasons, the lifestyle, the people.”

Famous relatives: Her grandmother, Helen Neville, was a popular Buffalo radio and TV personality in the 1950s and 60s, and was a member of the first class inducted into the Western New York Broadcasting Hall of Fame. “She was another real Buffalo booster,” says Peterson.

Ever try photojournalism? Peterson once freelanced for Ande magazine in Spain, where she photographed parties, plays and other celebrity events that raised money for handicapped children.

Best show: “The Cuban show at the Buffalo Seminary. We had lots of mojitos and then I went out with my Latino friends to see Lance Diamond.”