Kristen Peterson

Las Vegas Weekly Staff Writer

Kristen Peterson joined the Las Vegas Sun in 1998 as a general assignment reporter. In 2003, she turned her focus to the visual and performing arts and is now a staff writer for the Las Vegas Weekly. She's won six first place awards through the Nevada Press Association: Best Entertainment Writing in 2012, 2010, 2007 and 2005. Best Feature Story in 2011 and Journalist of Merit in 2003.

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Story Archive

Michael Barrett, Performance Artist: Thursday, Jan. 10, 2013; Performance artist is convinced Las Vegas will become a new voice in contemporary art.
You don't want to miss 5th Wall Gallery's anniversary show: Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013; Artifacts from previous shows, blended with new works, come together seamlessly, reminding us that 5th Wall is a great space.
Artist John Bissonette reconfigures symbols of a broken economy in 'Closeout': Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013; This is why we love him.
Best of 2012: Arts News and Art Exhibits: Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012; Smith Center, LVAM, Warhol and five kick-ass exhibits.
A new multimedia platform invites Las Vegans to tell it like it is: Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012; Outsiders finally get a look at Las Vegas life from the local perspective.
Local architecture-inspired jewelry arrives at Trifecta: Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012; Local artist fueled by Mid-mod designs of early Las Vegas neighborhoods.
Artist Juan Muniz getting some sugar on the Las Vegas Strip: Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012; Life is getting sweet for artist Juan Muniz.
New York artist Ellen Harvey trades her luck for your good fortune at Cosmo's P3 Studio: Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012; The artist's work is on display at Cosmo's P3 Studio.
Erik Beehn's 'Nothing Stays Here' reflects Las Vegas' transitory nature and harsh climate: Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012; A new exhibit at CAC is anchored by an image of the Huntridge printed on 480 Post-It notes.
Nevada Ballet Theatre gives 'The Nutcracker' a Smith Center makeover: Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012; With a new set, new costumes and more, this is a whole new Nutcracker.
Las Vegas artist Brent Sommerhauser on using homes as subject matter and medium: Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012; Artist Brent Sommerhauser has had a career of making the familiar strange and the strange familiar.
Preserve Nevada considers alternatives to demolishing Downtown buildings: Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012; The group aims to bring professional discourse on rehabbing to the Valley.
Artist Brent Holmes' 'Crass' take on commercialism: Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012; “This is the same exact thing we’d use to sell somebody underwear or toothpaste,”
Holidays in Vegas: Performances for even the Christmas song weary: Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012; Nutcracker, anyone?
Artist Eloise Fornieles and her sea of pennies in the desert: Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012; VAST space projects' new artist residency site gives Cosmo's recent artist-in-residence a place to continue the story.
Local artist marrying Edward Cullen cutout (go ahead and hate): MFA student Lauren Adkins really wants to hear your criticisms; Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012; Comments on the artist have ranged from "mental slut" and "freak” to "twisted silly girl."
Artist Jevijoe Vitug offers a satirical handbook for living in Las Vegas: Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012; Vitug plays the role of visual DJ in this exhibit, remixing visual styles to come up with a new language.
Three exhibits to see at Emergency Arts this month: Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012; Hyperrealist portraits of kitsch, contemporary minimalism and narrative figurative works -- how could you go wrong?
Aaron Copland's patriotic American music comes with a history of partisan discomfort: Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012; Copland was openly gay, Jewish, and known for his leftist leanings.
We are everybody in 'Relative Perspectives" exhibit featuring Javier Sanchez and Marlene Siu: Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012; There is no “I” when looking at the headshots placed side by side, some enlarged and segmented so they’re viewed through a portrait to more images behind.
Shannon Eakins, Marc Dombrosky and Cerberus (yes, Cerberus) at Fifth Wall Gallery: Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012; The artifacts offer a meditative response to the more visceral alarm across the hall.
Clay Arts Vegas acknowledges genocide tragedy with One Million Bones contribution: Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012; The national project is designed to help fight poverty in Africa.
The Neon Museum’s Bill Marion on his favorite signs and preserving Vegas’ past: Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012; Local historian and museum board chair discusses Vegas' past.
Mixing art and politics: Vast space projects delivers an 'October Surprise': Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012; Venice Beach artists Alexis Smith, Scott Grieger, Burton Machen and Mark Farina visit the swing state of Nevada
Art and politics unite: Hammargren rally meets VAST gallery opening: Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012; The Board of Regents candidate is a local legend.
Lebowitz and Rich on voter suppression, replacement refs and the Wynn's 'no stroller' policy: Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012; “The local political ads here, I was riveted. I couldn’t wait for the news to break to a commercial.”
Neon Museum opens its doors with powerful stories and spellbinding artifacts: Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012; It’s a lovely Saturday morning in Downtown Las Vegas, and we’re in the Neon Museum’s Boneyard, standing before the Moulin Rouge sign’s beautifully scripted font as our tour guide discusses the racial segregation of Las Vegas’ past. We’ve already learned about the 1905 land auction that gave birth to Downtown Las Vegas, and that a mere 90 years later, the fantastic lighted and neon signs that came to define the city were being collected by a local arts organization as the only souvenirs of a quickly vanishing past.
Evan Dent’s 'Supporting Recollection' delivers mixed-media memories: Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012; The hands, chosen for their expressive nature and high profile in video games, read as a sort of secret sign language.
Jana Cruder photographs Barbie idealism with real-world complications: Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012; Plenty of people have photographed Barbie, the actual doll, in real-world settings using adult themes, but Cruder uses live models, special lighting and a discerning eye to create a complex Barbie world.
LA artists exhibit comes with a political bent and a Lonnie Hammargren rally: Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012; Get your culture and civic participation on this weekend!
Balanchine’s abstract ballet 'Jewels' leaps into the Smith Center: Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012; Jewels represents different historical styles of dance, complete with costumes.
Fran Lebowitz talks politics with Frank Rich at the Smith Center: Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012; We don’t need publicly funded Muppets when we’ve got the more adorable and cuddle-worthy Fran Lebowitz.
The Neon Museum's having a swank party -- and you're invited: Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012; As a big thank you to the community for all its support and love, the Neon Museum is hosting “First Night,” a vintage-themed party on the eve of the museum’s official opening.
Documentary by local teen looks at history of atomic testing in Nevada, Kazakhstan: Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012; “Everybody in the United States from New York to California should know more about the testing here.” No matter where you stand on the ...
Welcome to Doom Town: Stories and scars from under the cloud of a nuclear Nevada: The mushroom clouds are gone, but memories and questions remain; Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012; “We used to get up in the morning, drive out to the highway and watch the blast. There was a regular caravan of cars going out. We’d park on the side of the road, wait until it was all over, go home, have breakfast, get the kids off to school and then go to work.” That’s how Gail Andress remembers the nuclear testing 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas in the early 1950s.
From art walk to street festival: A look back at ten years of First Friday: Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012; Weekly arts writer Kristen Peterson highlights moments from the fest's first ten years. In March 2006 a wood carver named Sydney Waithe was grilling chicken ...
Local artist Su Limbert brings dreamy new work to Blackbird: Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012; "Into the Wild" picks up where the "All Is Full of Love" installation left off.
Does the El Cortez deserve historic designation?: Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012; The Downtown hotel opened in 1941.
Will one of the LV Philharmonic's guest conductors become David Itkin's permanent replacement?: Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012; Who will fill David Itkin's shoes? Time will tell.
Danny 'The Count' Koker on reality show fame and a ride ‘so pimpy, it’s disgusting’: Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012; He's traveled with a Christian singing group. He's played a vampire Elvis. Now The Count talks to Weekly.
The Las Vegas Art Museum's collection comes back 'Into the Light': Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012; The Barrick Museum is hosting a large chunk of LVAM's permanent collection, right now.
Cultural Corridor 2.0: no longer the forgotten hub: Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012; What had been envisioned—promised, even—by city leaders two decades ago fell by the wayside.
Las Vegas art dealer Jack Solomon dies at age 83: Monday, Aug. 20, 2012; “Whether his position was about his business or his position was about community, it was still about art,” says Patrick Duffy, art collector and board president of the Las Vegas Art Museum.
Fran Lebowitz, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and Anita Baker on Smith Center's fall lineup: Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012; Objectively speaking, there is no one funnier on the planet than Fran Lebowitz.
The revamped Barrick readies for its reopening with an exhibit of Las Vegas Art Museum works: Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012; come September 18, when UNLV’s Barrick Museum opens anew, the community will get a look at what’s been sitting in LVAM’s back room since its doors shut in 2009.
Sinatra and handcuffs: Pia Zadora talks to the Weekly: Wednesday, July 25, 2012; Now a Las Vegas resident, Zadora takes the stage at Cabaret Jazz.
Las Vegas artists selected to help rehabilitate foreclosed homes: Tuesday, July 24, 2012; The project is part of the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program, designed to restore neighborhoods blighted or emptied by the foreclosure crisis. Using federal funds, the county purchases homes that are foreclosed or vacant, then rehabilitates them
Artist Philip Denker takes on new materials with impressive results: Wednesday, July 18, 2012; Once again, Denker delivers a clean, mathematical aesthetic through laborious work, this time using craft material to create slick abstract pieces that appear digitally created.
Monkeys, pancakes, bird ladies, oh my: Las Vegas artists create a London Biennale in Henderson: Wednesday, July 18, 2012; For a second year, Las Vegas artist Jevijoe Vitug has organized a performance art event in conjunction with David Medalla’s DIY event in London.
UNLV grads go to work on Project Neon's Downtown gateway: Wednesday, July 18, 2012; COLAB crew commissioned for Project Neon's Downtown gateway.