Allegheny Township artist featured at Murrysville library art gallery

Allegheny Township artist Peter Cehily prefers putting his art directly on paper, usually with a paintbrush.

But over the past decade, he’s also discovered the joy of digital photography, particularly through the use of his iPhone.

“It has become my photo companion, accompanying me on my daily trips and errands and documenting life as it happens,” he said. “It’s a great and useful tool for documenting life.”

Cehily’s photos are on display through November at the East Suburban Artist League’s gallery in the Murrysville Community Library, 4130 Sardis Road.

Cehily, 60, spoke with TribLive about expanding his artistic palette. This interview has been edited for length.

Q: Your primary form of artistic expression has been painting. What got you interested in photography and how did having an iPhone boost that interest?

A: My interest in photography started with the purchase of my first iPhone in 2013. Prior to that, I only took photos occasionally with my BlackBerry, flip phone or 35mm camera. The iPhone made it very easy to take good quality photos very fast as you stumbled upon subject matter, and you could see the results instantaneously.

Q: Do you find yourself drawn to the same types of subjects with photography as you do with painting?

A: I actually am drawn to a greater variety of subjects with photography that include various types of landscapes, city scenes, events, people, animals, still life and abstracting various subject matter. With painting, my subjects are mainly abstracts, figurative, some landscapes and the rare still-life and some mixed media.

Q: What are some of the ways you’ve manipulated photos you’ve shot with your iPhone? Does that play into your creative drive as a painter?

A: I have manipulated my photos in various ways on my iPhone and computer. However, I have stopped short of using Photoshop thus far. I have enhanced the color, or reduced color, abstracted subjects by cropping the photos and changing the colors, brightness, saturation or sharpness. I feel it’s enhanced my painting skills, especially with my abstract painting. Abstracting photos on the computer provides new ideas for ways of looking at subjects that lead to new ideas and new methods for my abstract paintings especially.

Q: What do you enjoy about photography versus painting?

A: With photography, you see the results instantaneously and you can change and manipulate the results on your iPhone or computer. So it feels faster and offers more instant gratification than painting.

Q: What do you find most challenging when you’re trying to capture a photo of something?

A: Getting a good, clear balanced shot that brings out the best in the subject or something unique in the subject, and trying to capture its uniqueness.