Local photographer makes debut display at library

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Strathmore Municipal Library is featuring local photographer, Carmen Peccie as the as the artist on display for the month of March. 

Peccie explained she engages with photography as a hobby as opposed to as a professional, and has not been formally trained.

“Growing up, my dad would take me to the mountains and he had a lot of photography equipment. We were always stopping to get the perfect shot at Lake Louise and that type of thing,” she said. “I think being exposed to that growing up, I really just got into it and I just really enjoy making pictures.”

Peccie enjoys capturing images in nature, from animals and flowers to mountain landscapes. For her display in the library this month, being her first, she has chosen to showcase 32 images. 

She said she is drawn to capturing wildlife imagery due to the unpredictability of what she will find on each of her excursions. 

“You never know what you are going to see. I do a lot of camping and so I often take the backroads … I will often go the way that nobody else goes to the different campgrounds,” she said. “I have entered photographs in local fairs and that type of thing just for fun, so they have been on display but other than that, I have not displayed them … this is the first time.”

Peccie added she was inspired to reach out to the library by an article in the Strathmore Times featuring other local photographers who chose to showcase their work with the facility. 

“I did not realize that photographers were included in the artist group. I had gone to the gallery many times when I go to the library. I will go see the different artwork that is being displayed and I have really enjoyed it in the past,” she said. “When I realized photographers could display their work there, I thought ‘I could do that, so why not?’ Why not share all the different pictures that I have taken?”

She added the library has been an extremely welcoming space for her to display her work, and the community who has come to see her photos has been extremely encouraging. 

Peccie described herself as a ‘purist’ in terms of her work, preferring to not edit her images, instead presenting them exactly as she observed them and wanting the audience to share in that experience.

All of the images on display in the library this month are for sale and will be up until the end of the month.