Inside Our 17th Annual First Friday Art Show: Meet the Artists
We are excited to welcome you to MJ Peterson’s 17th Annual First Friday Art Show, taking place on Friday, December 5, 2025, from 6:00–9:00 p.m. at 431 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, NY 14202. This event brings together a diverse group of talented artists across Western New York and beyond. Below, you’ll find a full overview of this year’s featured artists and a glimpse into their creative practices.
Monet Alyssa
Monet Alyssa is a Buffalo-based illustrator whose work blends digital and traditional media to create vibrant, dreamlike compositions. A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, her art has been featured in the Society of Illustrators exhibitions and Communication Arts Annual. She has collaborated with Adult Swim, the Burchfield Penney, the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Harper Collins, Macmillan Publishing, and more. Her work is inspired by women, fashion, music, and nature, and often explores themes of human connection and technology.
Karen Carlton
Karen Carlton is a classically trained painter and active member of the Roycroft Craftsmen & Artisans Guild, the Ontario County Arts Council, and the WNY Artists Group. Her work is represented in several juried exhibitions throughout Western New York and will appear in the 2025 Buffalo Junior League Decorator Showhouse in the Art Loft. Carlton’s training at the University of Connecticut School of Fine Arts and her continued involvement in plein air studies inform her expressive and thoughtful approach to painting.
Peter Fowler
Peter Fowler is a Buffalo-based visual artist with a background that spans Boston, San Francisco, and a decade spent living and painting in Seville, Spain. His exposure to the rich artistic heritage of Europe deeply influenced his work. In Buffalo, he founded Kepa3 Gallery, where he maintains his studio practice. Fowler’s paintings are part of international corporate and private collections, including ADUANA and MatriSur (Spain), Christopher Hyland Design (New York City), and several notable Western New York institutions.
Marie Hassett
Marie Hassett creates artist quilts, art books, and mixed media collage, often incorporating images of birds and the natural world. Based in Buffalo, her work explores environmental themes and symbolism, drawing attention to endangered species and ecological loss. Hassett uses her art to reflect on the complexities of humanity’s relationship with nature and the narratives contained within the natural world.
Philip Kuznicki
Printmaker, illustrator, and art book designer Philip Kuznicki began his artistic career in California, where he assisted notable artists including Ulysses Pagliari, Zaha Hadid, and Michael Graves. Now based in Buffalo, Kuznicki’s work has been exhibited locally at Anna Kaplan Contemporary and is included in major collections such as the U.S. Library of Congress, UCLA Library, and Stanford University Library.
Howard Miller
Howard Miller brings a long career in woodworking and craftsmanship into his photography practice. His work focuses on detailed images of natural and industrial environments, which he refines through digital photo management to highlight form, texture, and structure.
Michael Mulley
Michael Mulley is a photographer and gallerist known for founding College Street Gallery in Allentown (1997–2015) and later The Queen City Gallery in Buffalo’s Historic Market Arcade. His work centers on Buffalo’s architecture and community spaces, and he has published multiple photography books through his imprint, Queen City Press. Mulley has also curated long-standing photography projects at the Broadway Market and taught photography at The Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology.
Ann Peterson
Ann Peterson is a photographer whose work is shaped by her experiences living in Spain, Ireland, England, and Costa Rica. In 2007, she founded MUNDO IMAGES, an eco-friendly greeting card company featuring her photography. Her images have been exhibited across the U.S. and internationally, and she is an exhibiting member of the Buffalo Society of Artists. Peterson’s work often incorporates intentional camera movement and multiple exposures to convey the emotion and atmosphere of a scene.
Susan Plys
Susan Plys began her artistic journey as a child and later earned her B.S. in Art Education from Buffalo State College. After a long career in public service, she returned to full-time artmaking and is now a Juried Artist with the Roycroft Arts & Craftsmen Guild, an Exhibiting Member of the Buffalo Society of Artists, and a Signature Member of the Niagara Frontier Watercolor Society. Her work spans multiple media and reflects decades of dedication to artistic craft.
Juan Luis Quintana
Spanish artist Juan Luis Quintana divides his time between Buffalo and Barcelona. His work includes watercolor landscapes painted on site, as well as vibrant posters of cities including Buffalo, Toronto, New York, and Barcelona. Trained at the University of Barcelona with a degree in Fine Arts, Quintana regularly exhibits in both the United States and Spain. His pieces are influenced by impressionism, classical training, and the natural environments that inspire his travels.
We Look Forward to Seeing You!
We hope you’ll join us for an evening celebrating local artists, creativity, and community at the 17th Annual First Friday Art Show. Stop by anytime between 6:00–9:00 p.m. on Friday, December 5th at our City Office 431 Delaware Ave to enjoy the work of these talented artists and connect with colleagues and guests.
