Like inscribed vinyl, Shanna Petersen captures sound in moments of time- forever to be experienced at any given second. An artist of images, Shanna's work falls in the visual realm, but as a music photographer she plays an active role in recording Seattle's music community. Her photography will be on display in the Musicquarium for the month of February.
Shanna has a background in print media, but recently has focused her creativity on photography. She credits her experience as an editorial and advertising designer to her ability to see and photograph compelling angles to tell a story. We interviewed Shanna to take a snapshot of her story.
The Triple Door: If you could have a drink with any visual artist, living or dead, who would it be? What would you ask him/her?
Shanna Petersen: I thought about trying to answer this in some sort of artsy and sophisticated way and then I was like, no.... It would be Andy Warhol- not for the educational aspects, but because he would be fun to hang out with.
TD: What is your favorite historical artistic movement? Why?
SP: I've never stopped being fascinated by the connection of history, politics and photography. Our National Parks, social services, wars... so much of the past century and a half has been influenced by photography. John Muir, Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange... they changed all of our lives by documenting moments or places and sharing what they witnessed.
TD: What are some of your other artistic outlets?
SP: I'm always a photographer. I feel very uneasy without my camera, and almost always have it with me. For fun and money, I'm frequently a graphic artist and sometimes a painter, but that comes in waves. I also write... I have a blog, which is my space to be creative in whatever way I feel compelled.
TD: What's the crazies thing you've ever done to get the best shot?
SP: I've done a lot of acrobatics involving driftwood and rocks. And when I was photographing petroglyphs in Utah, I had a geologist friend texting me directions to undisclosed locations that included things like: "you'll have to drive through a waterway... I think you should make it." But, I think the craziest thing is probably all the photos I've taken while driving. Some of my favorite Montana pictures were taken on 1-90 at 75 mph.
TD: Describe your photography is three words:
SP: Hopefully... compelling and honest.
TD: Photos capture moments in time- for us to remember. Take an imaginary photo of 10 years from now, describe it.
SP: My daughters are 11. Since before they were born, I've had this vision of the three of us - as adults- on a picnic blanket at the bottom of a waterfall in Tennessee. I'd love to set up a self-timer and take that shot after a long hike, when they are 21.
Join us for our First Thursday Art Opening with Shanna Petersen on February 7, from 5-7PM, in the Musicquarium. RSVP here >>
Quiet Observations: New Photography from Cameron Nagashima will be showing for the month of September, with an opening night rendezvous on Thursday, September 6 from 5pm-8pm in the Musicquarium Lounge. Join us!
We had the pleasure of sitting down with Cameron Nagashima, Seattle photographer and overall delight, to briefly see the world through his lenses.
The Triple Door: Where do you find inspiration for your art?
Cameron Nagashima: I am inspired by what I see. Time, place, light, subject, and mood, all have an effect on why I take any given picture. Also, the creative people around me keep me inspired to continue taking pictures. Their motivation motivates me and I like to believe it is the same for them.
TD: If you could have a drink with any visual artist, living or dead, who would it be? What would you ask him/her?
CN: Dali or Robert and Shauna Parke-Harrison. I'd rather enjoy the drink and ask how they are, and then see how the conversation evolved. Especially would love to hear about the Parke-Harrison's process, such a rustic elegance to their surrealism. I'd also love to go backpacking through Europe with Henri Cartier-Bresson.
TD: Who is your favorite artist?
CN: Visually, Gustav Klimt takes the cake as far as subject and composition. But, I do love the work of Robert Frank, Andre Kertesz specifically Distortions, Sally Mann's opinion on critics, and Connie Imboden's Reflections. I'm also a huge fan of local artists such as Redd Walitzki, Carl Faulkner, and Jeff "Weirdo".
TD: What is your favorite historical artistic movement?
CN: Hard to say, there are so many with such great art from each. I love surrealism, but my favorite has to be our generation. Call it the Contemporary Renaissance.
TD: What are some of your other artistic outlets?
CN: Drawing, dancing, painting, Sushi
TD: Do you listen to music while you create? If so, who do you listen to?
CN: During my post-production and most of the day, while creating or relaxing, I am listening to music. I enjoy electronic music while working the most. It allows my mind to move freely through my work as I find patterns in my pictures. Some of my favorites are Amon Tobin, Trenemoller, Bonobo, Deru, and Diagrams of a Suburban Chaos. I don't listen to headphones while out in the city though. I like hearing the beat and orchestral compositions created by my surroundings and some sounds will draw my attention or push me down a different path.
TD: Describe Seattle's art scene in three words:
CN: Small, Growing, Original
TD: Your work conveys a parallel between nature and the human condition. Can you elaborate?
CN: That notion is a consistent theme in my photography and is hard to avoid while living in the Northwest. With trees and parks, mountains and oceans, we in Seattle have a beautiful connection to nature. As much as I am for the preservation of Earth, I'm not making a statement on the relationship of man and nature, but I am observing that it exists and documenting my observations.
TD: Let's chat more about your artistic background. When was the first time you realized your love for photography?
CN: I was drawn to photography at an early age. When we would visit our grandparents in Kirkland, Wa from Spokane, I loved looking through their slides of old images of my family with the slide viewer. Years worth of photos never printed. I would hide under the stairs, like Harry Potter, and look at them for hours. The idea of time and place, and the captured moment of my family standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon, or wherever, was interesting. It was a visual family history and I liked that.
TD: What is your favorite color?
CN: Plaid
Find more information on, and RSVP for, Quiet Observations: New Photography from Cameron Nagashima here>>
