Pittsburgh's One Of The Strongest Housing Markets: But How Long Can It Last?

First the good news.

Business Week has ranked Pittsburgh as the nation's sixth strongest housing market.

"Methodology: The metros are ranked by the share of homes with rising values in the second quarter compared with the second quarter of 2008. The annual change is the year-over-year change in median values for the metro in Q2 compared with the same period last year. The quarterly change compares the second quarter with the first quarter. The ranking is based on Zillow.com's Q2 Home Value Index, which is the median "Zestimate" for a given geography for a given time period. The Zestimate™ is Zillow's estimated market value of a home. This figure is computed by taking many different data points from public records and entering them in a proprietary formula."

Obviously, this is a game of relative performance since many of these markets also have modestly declining prices.

1 Boulder, Colorado
2 Spartanburg, South Carolina
3 New Orleans, Louisiana
4 Binghamton, New York
5 Fayetteville, North Carolina
6 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
7 Little Rock, Arkansas
8 Gainesville, Georgia
9 Burlington, North Carolina
10 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

The first thing that stands out is that very few of these are major metropolitan areas, which gives one some idea how broad and damaging the housing bubble was. Another feature common to most is that two of them, Oklahoma City and Little Rock are State Capitals and colleges and universities play a big role in their economies. The Fayetteville, North Carolina area is home to Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force base as well as three colleges.

One thing we should have all learned from the bubble was that trends that look like they can't go on forever, usually don't.





As, to the Meds side, things might look even worse.

There are many, many positive things to report about Pittsburgh and many great opportunities here which I will try to touch on in another post. Even so, we need to be aware of our real position.

Visionary Arts Pictures Coming Soon

I promise to post my meager supply of shots from The Pittsburgh Visionary Arts Festival when I can get around to getting them off my camera.

The really great piece of news/rumor is that there are plans to keep this thing going, most likely as a biennial event.

Plans For The Arts Take Shape In Greensburg

In spite of it being home to the important Westmoreland Museum; I'm gonna have to fess up to never having spent time in Greensburg. On each train trip to NYC, I look out the window and think-- wow-pretty town there!(that's gonna change)

Finally, Greensburg is getting it together and using a number of planned and existing arts and educational assets to create a low key but thriving downtown.

Yesterday, the press conference officially announcing the details of LECOM at Seton Hill was held at the University. How exciting this is! The nation's largest medical school has partnered with SHU! This means we will be seeing Seton Hill evolving in many exciting ways. I have lived in the Greensburg area all my life. I remember shopping "Downtown Greensburg" at Troutman's and Royer's with my Grandmother. Since those days,businesses would close one by one as the malls and other large developments would draw business away from town. It was only about 10 years ago that I walked through town and unless you were an attorney or working at the courthouse; downtown was pretty much a ghost town. Recently, under the vision of Barb Ciampini, Greensburg City Planning Director, Karl Eisaman, Mayor , Steve Gifford of GCDC (click to read Steve's vision for Greensburg) and other city officials and committees, there has been a major upswing. A little over a year ago, I looked around at the beginning transformation of the city and predicted that someday soon it would be a extraordinary cultural and arts center. Already home to DV8 Espress Bar and Gallery, Stage Right School and Theater Company, Westmoreland Museum of American Art , Pottery Playhouse, St. Clair Concerts in the Park, and so much more. In addition, the new $21 Million Seton Hill Performing Arts Center will be opening 2009 right in the heart of the Greensburg Cultural District. Due to the increased enrollment in Seton Hill's outstanding art program, Seton Hill will house the art department's painting studio in the Troutman's building. So...this all leads to a renaissance of Downtown Greensburg and Seton Hill University. Who knows...maybe someday, we will refer to "Upper Campus" and "Lower Campus" as we grow and are widely recognized for our exemplary medical programs with our Physician's Assistant Program and LECOM's Medical School, as well as our paramount performing and visual arts programs!

August Unblurred

Good news! A few of the venues on Penn Ave are extending their regular gallery hours. Modern Formations has had gallery hours practically since its inception. Artica, who opened a year ago, has regular hours. Joining them this month is Most Wanted Fine Arts. That's a lot of action in two short blocks. The Pittsburgh Glass Center, which sits on the border of the Penn Ave corridor, has regular hours, too. So-ooo, it's nice to know that you can catch shows during the month instead of just on first Fridays!

Currently, Most Wanted Fine Arts has a photography group show with Kimberly Metcho, Jason Furda and Chris Sauer (from left to right below; click on thumbnails for a larger image).



Modern Formations is exhibiting --

“The Mr. Gerald Scoops Show” by Thad Dachille, portrays his imaginary cartoons coming to life. These new works, completed over the last year, continue to represent his interest in rendering imaginary cartoons with strange and sometimes vulgar personalities. More information on their site

The following work, Excited, is pretty representative of the works in the exhibit. Mr. Dachille has a great installation/assembly work in the back room. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a clear shot during the opening reception.



Artica is exhibiting --

AHA-Moments By Christine, a one-woman exhibition featuring the work of ARTica Gallery Director, Christine McCray-Bethea, who will showcase quirky, funky but always friendly salvage and fiber art from her African(American) Mask and Religion-at-glance series as well as her quilts and works on paper. More information here

Two samples of Ms. Bethea's engaging salvage work (click on thumbnails for details images) --



Really, these are worth going to see. Artica is an eclectic blend of art and collectibles, so be prepared to spend some time poking around!Ms. Bethea consistently exhibits work from local artistsat Artica in addition to her feature. You never know what you will run into.

This was an August Unblurred, so several artists studios as well as other venues typically open were not exhibiting this month. With tha said, I was pleasantly surprised to see the works in all of the venues. Again, most venues are only open for Unblurred, but most are happy to make an appoingment with you.

Garfield Artworks is exhibiting --

GRRLS GRRLS GRRLS!

A collaborative installation presented by Emily Laychak, Stephanie Woods and girlfriends, expressing a visual commentary on the state of girlhood. More information on their site

I really like the above work. Unfortunately, i cannot credit the artist since I couldn't locate an identifying tag. If it helps at all, Once I was wheeless, but then I found my wheels, was posted in proximity to this grouping. These very whimsical works were among the best at Garfield Artworks.

Imagebox had a great show this month, featuring another salvage artist, Robert Pfister. His work is very urban decay with all of the textures and color associated with the deterioration of abandoned metal (click on thumbnails for detailed images).



All in all, it was a very enjoyable evening. The Penn Ave venues are really putting on some good exhibits. Hopefully we'll see more galleries and venues with regular gallery hours.

BikeFest 09 Fundraiser

BikeFest is here! Because I am lazy, almost all of this post was copied from Bike Pittsburgh.



First-- there's a big fundraiser- so they can exist please attend or support them if you can, in any way you can.

Come to our party and help make Pittsburgh a safer place to ride! The BikeFest Fundraiser Party is known as one of the best parties in Pittsburgh — great people, food, drinks, music and fun! Please mark your calendar now and save the date.

When: August 14th // large donor event 6:30pm - 8:00pm // main event from 8:00pm-12am

Where: Pittsburgh Opera // 2425 Liberty Avenue // Pittsburgh, PA 15222 [map]
Why: To raise money for BikePGH (and to have a great time while doing it)
How much: $30 General Admission, $55 Ticket + BikePGH membership, $100 VIP Stimulus ticket, or $10 Recession Special. Click here to purchase


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More about the fundraiser here.

Daniel Bolick: RESURRECTED @ The Westmoreland Mueum

Drew Whitley – Sentenced to life imprisonment for a murder he did not commit. Exonerated after 18 years, 78 x 56 inches, acrylic and latex

Daniel Bolick: RESURRECTED
Sunday June 14, 2009 - Sunday September 06, 2009

People who regularly read this blog know that, I personally am a Libertarian or more accurately a "Classical Liberal", who believes the government's only proper role in society is to protect individuals from force, theft, fraud and other criminal acts; run a court system for civil disputes and protect our nation from military attack.

Ironically today, the sacred absolute right all people should have to a speedy trial and serious deliberate defence when accused of a crime is not taken seriously at all.The entire concept of "plea bargaining" is meant to save time and money and police departments often lack the resources and training to investigate crimes; the result is that, many completely innocent people are sitting in jail or occasionally even executed for crimes they did not commit.

Artist's Statement

"The ten men depicted in these paintings and drawings have served a total of 164 years in prison – 71 of those years on death row – for crimes they did not commit. When innocent men are released from death row or long term incarceration, they emerge as broken human beings. They are not eligible for services to help them re-enter society, such as education, counseling and job training – services meant for guilty offenders only, not the wrongly convicted. There is nothing to aid these men (and women in some cases). There is a great reluctance to even acknowledge that a mistake has been made. There are no official apologies and, for most of these men, no compensation.

I hope that this exhibition will raise awareness about the failings of the criminal justice system. Wrongful convictions are not isolated, rare events. Innocent people languishing in prison or worse—being put to death for crimes they did not commit—should be intolerable to everyone."

Daniel Bolick was born and raised in Pittsburgh, attended Kent State and worked for thirty four years in the Pittsburgh Public School System.

Regional Art Recap

Western PA

Erie Art Museum



Eden Revisited: The Ceramic Art of Kurt Weiser


"Weiser has become one of the leading practitioners of this genre. His surreal, lushly painted porcelains build on the great traditions of both Europe and Asia. Articulating his post modernism while paying homage to his ceramic forebears makes Weiser’s work appealing and awe-inspiring. Weiser’s virtuosity as a painter is immediately evident. Closer examination of his work is even more rewarding. Lush beauty gives way to darker undertones leaving viewers plenty of room for interpretation. Kurt Weiser is an unassuming genius. He pursues dream, memory, and desire in a centuries-old medium with a 21st century sensibility."

The Hoyt Institute Of Fine Arts

The Story Of Harness Racing By Currier & Ives



Title: Coming to Trot, lithograph by Currier & Ives
Credits: Courtesty of the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame

Johnstown

SAMA JOHNSTOWN EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS PERMANENT COLLECTION

SAMA Ligonier

John Ritter August 14th--November 7th

The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Ligonier Valley is pleased to announce the opening of its latest exhibition, Popular Culture: A Retrospective of Published Illustrations by John Ritter. The exhibition features more than 30 images by Ritter, whose American post pop compositions incorporate vibrant colors and photo collage while revealing a unique interpretation of contemporary politics, youth culture and media, and how each affects our interpretation of reality. The exhibition opens August 14 and will remain on view through November 7.

Greensburg

Westmoreland Museum Of American Art

Modern Masters from the Smithsonian American Art MuseumSunday June 14, 2009 - Sunday September 06, 2009



"This exhibition examines the complex and heterogeneous nature of American art in the mid-twentieth century. Featuring thirty-one of the most celebrated artists who came to maturity in the 1950s, the exhibition traces the history of this epochal period through forty-three key paintings and sculpture selected from the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection. The exhibition is organized according to three broad themes. Grand Gestures explores the autographic mark, executed in sweeping strokes of brilliant color which became the expressive vehicle for Franz Kline, Hans Hofmann, Sam Francis, Joan Mitchell and others. Optics and Order highlights the work of Josef Albers, his exploration of mathematical proportion and carefully balanced color, and the artists who built on his ideas including Ilya Bolotowsky, Ad Reinhardt, and Louise Nevelson, among others. New Images of Man includes the work of Romare Bearden, Larry Rivers, Jim Dine, and Grace Hartigan, and others, who searched their surroundings and personal lives for vignettes of larger, universal concerns."


Cleveland And Northeast Ohio

Cleveland Museum

50 masterworks on view from CMA’s renowned collection of Asian art acquired during Dr. Lee’s tenure as a curator and director. till August 24th

Museum Of Contemporary Art: Cleveland

There Goes the Neighborhood:

explores the evolution of communities here and abroad. The exhibition focuses on how architecture and landscape embody a neighborhood's past, present, and potential future. The work on view examines places amid growth or decline, sites that hover somewhere between construction, deterioration, and renewal. The artists reveal how physical sites symbolize the human experience of change, whether simple or complex, invited or forced. Linking actual and anticipated shifts in communities across the globe, There Goes the Neighborhood emphasizes the evolving structures and compositions of neighborhoods in the twenty-first century.

Also

Maos and Cows : Selections from the Marjorie and Anselm Talalay Collection
On view June 5th, 2009 through August 16th, 2009

Cleveland Institute Of Art

The Warhol Show-- through August 16th

The Cleveland Institute of Art is proud to announce a rare opportunity to view a private collection of prints created by the famed Andy Warhol this summer, in “Andy Warhol Prints: 1974 – 1986, Works from the Cochran Collection.”

Kent State (Kent Ohio) till September 6th

Cary Mcdougall Sculpture

Akron

University Park Art FairRegional and local artists will be exhibiting works at the University Park Art Fair at Grace Park on Saturday, Aug. 15

Youngstown

Butler Institute Of American Art

Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009): A Tribute (Youngstown) EXTENDED till August 24th
This special exhibition, drawn from the Butler collection and private holdings, pays tribute to the Wyeth Heritage and includes works by the late Andrew Wyeth and his son, Jamie Wyeth. Andrew Wyeth

Also

Annual National Juried Show: 73rd National Midyear Exhibition till August 24th
National Midyear Exhibition (Youngstown) This annual juried exhibition is open to artists over 18 years of age who reside within the United States and/or its territories. Seventy-two works were selected by this year's juror, New York gallery owner and art historian George Adams.

Upcoming-- Pittsburgh Artist, Dennis Marisco- September 20th-December 27th

Dennis Marsico: Face Value (Flad Gallery, Youngstown)
This new work by a cutting-edge Pittsburgh photographer integrates images of currency engravings with "invisible" letterpress communique

Anyway- a bit half assed but it nmight give you some ideas

Go See Pittsburgh Visionary Arts Festival

No time to do a better post but YOU Really, Really, Really are missing out on a lot if you dont experience the Visionary Arts Festival at Schenly Plaza in Oakland.


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Video About Future Tenant

Thanks again to Bittersweet Harvest, and of course Future Tenant for putting together this nice video about what their space is about and how it is run.

For many years CMU has been a leading school in areas like technology, art and arts management-- but only very recently have their been a lot of active attempts to integrate fully with the city.

Other CMU related projects include the Waffle Shop.

Hanging at the Pittsburgh Visionary Arts Festival

In lieu of writing my weekly art events post (which I apologize for skipping last week), I figured I'd do my first live blog post. This is the premiere of the Pittsburgh Visionary Arts Fest (hereby to be referred to as VAF). The event was organized by young, talented artist Alberto Almarza, and showcases a more non-traditional, "outsider" brand of artists doing edgier work than you would find at a typical summer arts festival.

There are about fifty tents down here at Schenley Plaza, and the scope and quality represented is remarkable. It doesn't hurt that the location is smack dab in the center of Oakland- a hub of activity with multiple hospitals and universities. Folks seem to be pleasantly surprised to encounter this type of aesthetic madness during their lunch hours.

Site coordinator Sarah Bauer (Almarza's better half) seems to be relishing the day. In between running around with waiver forms, she had a chance to sit down for a few seconds at our Unicorn Mountain tent. Says Bauer, "It's cool to showcase the diversity of the progressive arts scene of Pittsburgh. People have been so receptive... they're not like, 'who are these freaky wierdos'."

Maybe it helps that the audience is unfamiliar with the odd brand of individual who would agree to sit in a ten-by-ten foot enclosed space for 27 hours over a three-day weekend. The VAF runs all weekend from noon until 9PM each day. I'll be sitting here during much of that time hawking my own photos, as well as work by other artists in our collective, books and t-shirts. Perhaps I'll even get a chance to say hi to the other creators... if I ever get the chance to leave this tent.

Happy Birthday, Andy

Ok, so I'm one day late.

Feds Upset At Funny Money Surge-- So Is China

As folks face hard times,many are turning to modern printing technologies to just create counterfeit money out of thin air to purchase the things they need and want.

"The evidence is only anecdotal at this point, but law enforcement officials and business owners across the country say they have seen a significant spike in the circulation of counterfeit currency since the economy started to sour more than a year and a half ago:

More than $1,500 in counterfeit bills found its way into the cash registers of businesses in South Strabane Township, Pa., last weekend.
A counterfeiting ring passed at least 10 fake $100 bills in Collier County, Fla., before three people were arrested last month.
At least 17 victims were swindled with counterfeit bills over the Fourth of July weekend in Elkhart, Ind., where police recovered roughly $1,500 in fake cash. One of the victims was the City of Elkhart itself, which took in at least 200 phony dollars at municipal installations."

The combination of a poor economy and ever more sophisticated and cheap computer technology fueling the surge.

Warning--------- Printing Fake Money Out Of Thin Air Is A Destructive Form Of Theft Best Handled By Experts. You can't just print money cause you need it and want to spend more than you are producing.

That's Ben Bernanke's Job

Little Flea Craft Market In Lawrenceville

Lawrenceville is getting an outdoor marketplace – Lawrenceville Little Flea!

Located in a high-traffic area at 36th and Butler, the Lawrenceville Little Flea will provide a rotating variety of flea, food and craft in Pittsburgh’s most up-and-coming shopping and dining district. Come join us!

Where: 3601 Butler St. (Corner of 36th + Butler St.)
When: Saturday, August 8, 10 am – 5 pm

Vendors Needed
Got cool stuff to sell? We still have a few spots available for Saturday, August 8. If you’re interested in joining us, contact lawrencevillelittleflea@gmail.com for a vendor application.

Participation Fee: $15 ($10 / 2+ Saturdays)

Ghost Bikes

"Ghost Bikes are small and somber memorials for bicyclists who are killed or hit on the street. A bicycle is painted all white and locked to a street sign near the crash site, accompanied by a small plaque. They serve as reminders of the tragedy that took place on an otherwise anonymous street corner, and as quiet statements in support of cyclists' right to safe travel.

The first ghost bikes were created in St. Louis, Missouri in 2003, and they have since appeared in over 80 cities throughout the world. For those who create and install the memorials, the death of a fellow bicyclist hits home. We all travel the same unsafe streets and face the same risks; it could just as easily be any one of us. Each time we say we hope to never have to do it again -- but we remain committed to making these memorials as long as they are needed."

Pittsburgh was the second city in which Ghost Bikes began to appear.

NYC Ghost Bikes Ride, January 2008 from Paula Froke on Vimeo.

not sure if people w/out facebook can see the info:

Date:
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Time:
8:30pm - 9:30pm
Location:
Intersection of Meyran Ave. and Louisa St. In Central Oakland
Street:
Meyran Ave. and Louisa St.
City/Town:
Pittsburgh, PA

and the info: At dusk, Wednesday, August 5, 2009 , we will be locking up a "ghost bike" to memorialize Ruihui Gin who was killed earlier this week by a currently unknown driver who fled the scene.

We will meet at the intersection where the accident happened, and lock up the ghost bike, light candles and lay flowers for our fellow cyclist and Pittsburgh.

Come to memorialize Ruihui Gin, and show your support for safer roads for ALL users in Pittsburgh.

"The victim, Rui Hui Lin had became a U.S. citizen in a ceremony a year ago on the South Side.

He died Monday night after he was struck by a pickup truck struck while riding his bicycle to deliver food for a Chinese restaurant. Mr. Lin, 38, was pronounced dead at 8:40 p.m. at UPMC Presbyterian."

Fallingwater Lego Set

Want to try to build Frank Loyd Wright's iconic masterpiece, Fallingwater?

"Mr. Tucker's company, Brickstructures Inc., teamed with the LEGO Group to produce the new Fallingwater set. Retailing for $99.99, the kit also includes a 100-plus-page spiral-bound book with assembly instructions as well as drawings, photographs and a history of the Fayette County house that Frank Lloyd Wright designed in 1935 for Edgar and Liliane Kaufmann.

Mr. Tucker was at Fallingwater yesterday to promote the model, which debuted at Manhattan's Guggenheim Museum in May, along with his LEGO replica of that Wright building. The release coincided with the museum's current exhibit of Wright's work, marking the Guggenheim's 50th anniversary."

I actually missed seeing the Frank Loyd Wright show at the Guggenheim and I now really regret it. From what I can tell they pulled out all the stops in terms of creating large scale models of not only many of the buildings he built but also of many of the fantastic designs for projects he wasn't able to execute.

Swoon @ Opening Of New Carnegie Library Silk-screen Studio

Sorry for the late heads up. Swoon, the legendary roving street artist with a love of Pittsburgh, will be speaking about her work and talking up the new screenprinting studio at the Carnegie Library in Braddock tonight. She will likely also fill us in on progress on the former church in North Braddock being turned into a community arts center called The Tranformazium.

There will also be a screenprinting open studio with demos and the ceramics studio housed in the building will also be open.

From what I can tell on the poster-- the screenprinting and ceramics open studio runs from 5:30-7:30 and the Swoon artist's talk will start at 7:30.

More info on the Transformazium and how to support it can be found @ Transformazium.org

"Efforts to use the arts to grow Braddock continue with the grand opening of the Neighborhood Silk Screen Studio, a community resource facilitated by the artist collective known as Transformazium. The collective is based in an old church it's renovating as an art center, but the silk-screen studio is in the ever-more-bustling Braddock Carnegie Library. At tonight's reception, enjoy silk-screening demos, an open house at the library's ceramic studio, and a conversation about art in the neighborhood featuring Transformazium's Swoon. A renowned, New York-based street artist, Swoon's beautiful life-sized portraits graced underused Pittsburgh buildings for months after an exhibit she did in Braddock a couple years back."

Pittsburgh Weekend Art Events: 7/24-25/09.

We're really smack-dab in the middle of Summer now. Embrace the opportunity to get out and about while the gettin's good. Here are a few ideas for your weekend plans...

Friday:

Take a trip to Fun Land: The Art of Pinball! The Warhol Museum is hosting a reception (7-10PM, free admission) for the launch of two pinball machines designed and created by local artists Mike Budai and Brian Holderman. The shindig is sponsored by art-collective Unicorn Mountain and the Professional Amateur Pinball Association (PAPA). I've seen these functional art pieces in promo shots, and I'm confident that they'll be absolutely stunning in person. You may have to wait in line a long time to play them, but there will also be twelve more vintage games to stick your quarters in. See what the kids of today are missing.

Guest curator Katherine Talcott has put together the 13th Gestures Show over at the Mattress Factory (1414 Monterey St., 7:30-9:30, $10). Included within is John Riegert's Sublet, a "gallery-within-a-gallery". These exhibitions are always worth seeing, if only to have a look at the individual aesthetic of a single art-world personality. I've seen some I've liked better than others, but they are invariably interesting (and very crowded... so get there early if you want to take some time with the work).

And if you have the time to stroll by Future Tenant starting on Friday, you can see a window installation called Planet Dragulon! by Scott Andrew and Michael McParlane. If you want to know what it's all about, there will be an artist Q & A from 9-10PM.

Saturday

All you really need to know is that Slim Cessna's Auto Club is playing at the 31st St Pub. Although Cessna himself has called the 'Burgh his home for more than five years, the rest of the band lives in Denver, and so their appearances in town are limited to 1-2 events annually. If you haven't yet had the honor to attend a performance of this Tent Revivalist stream of energy, spirit, and sound- by all means show up around 10PM and prepared to be altered forever. You may not get the chance to be told again.

Youngstown Ohio Ranked By Entrepreneur Magazine As A Top City For Entrepreneurs

This post falls in to the "chaos" section of topics and is not directly about art.

Pittsburgh has been getting a lot of buzz from clueless national media who have "discovered" the city because of the G20 summit.

Hello-- Pittsburgh has had-- major leading universities
Leading medical institutions
Nationally known cultural institutions
A large number Of major corporate headquarters (once number three in the nation)
Lot's Of major charitable foundations
Many wonderful parks
A very historic and beautiful housing stock
A major airport

So, It's hardly news that Pittsburgh is now finally doing sort of OK--- the real question is what the hell took it so long. Few small cities have combined assets like these with poor economic growth.

Now, if you want to talk about a place left with a bag of lemons, it's Youngstown Ohio.

No national airport
Little known
Never home to many major corporate headquarters (and almost all of them are long dead)
Horrific industrial brownfield issues
No major foundation money
No major research universities
In state with poor political and economic climate

NO Pittsburgh Steelers!

So it's news that-- little Youngstown is on the map for it's small but thriving mix of business start ups.

"But in the last decade, something special has happened in this northeast Ohio city. Jim Cossler and his innovative Youngstown Business Incubator, which offers fledgling B2B software companies mentors, networking and services like office space and bandwidth for free or at a deferred cost, are taking Youngstown’s business future into their own hands. The incubator concept was revolutionary enough to help ignite a renaissance in this small city. “Youngstown fell so far, traditional community leaders threw up their hands and told the younger generation, ‘You guys try,’” Cossler says. “The new generation is envisioning things we wouldn’t have talked about 10 years ago.”

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2009/august/202666-9.html#ixzz0M7qNTJPw

By the way-- one could have guessed that something special was going on there by the proliferation of local blogs eager to Shout About Youngstown.

Joanne Mattera & Brent Burkett Walk The High Line

Photo By Joanne Mattera

Two other bloggers I like Joanne Mattera and Brent Burkett did posts that give a fuller record of the magical space the High Line is becoming. I hope very, very much,Joanne doesn't mind me lifting this one image from her blog.

I put this stuff up here because while Pittsburgh and NYC are very different, both share the post industrial waterfronts. Spaces like the High Line shows that there sensitive ways to get the benefits of both an urban and park experience in the same place because it's not just the nice views or nice park that make the High Line special,it's the energy and people of the city around it.(will do another post about that)

Joanne's post

Brent's Post, Brent's other post about Spencer Finch's work on the High Line

"The High Line is online, and it's pretty damn exceptional. The architects do a masterful job of marrying the previous to the present. The tracks and overgrowth comfortably share their space with newly manufactured lines and resting places. The future even gets a nod if only in the hope one can find in the competence, thoughtfulness, and vision exhibited on this elevated plane. Yes, this town has more to offer to its inhabitants than the Nets Arena."

Scribble Fest Video

Connie Cantor and some freinds did a great job of documenting the extreme drawing event at the close of her Moxie Dadda show.

Drawing as contact sport-Scribblers Vs. Erasers

Drawing as Dance Form

Drawing as Fashion Show

Connie will be behind some more scribbling and art events around town in the future.

Missed this event too cause of an allergy attack.

Objectified@ Harris Theater

Thanks again to Bittersweet Harvest for the heads up on the opening of a documentary about the process of designing the stuff that makes up our daily existence from the maker of the cult favorite film about a typface, Helvetica at Pittsburgh Filmakers.

Consultants' free-form brainstorming leads from a bristle-replaceable toothbrush to every conceivable variation on dental care. A computer designer waxes poetic on the multifunctionality of a plastic keyboard grid. A car engineer likens automobile models to classical sculptures while, to another, they symbolize drivers' visions of themselves.

But the biggest sea change in the nature of design comes from ecology and accompanying problems of recycling and disposal. As the camera roves the streets of Hoboken, N.J., past rows of discarded appliances half-covered in snow, Hustwit's film shows how artistic, sentimental, environmental and commercial priorities struggle for pre-eminence amid concerns for planetary survival.

Objectified runs July 19th-23rd @ The Harris Theater, Downtown Pittsburgh

A Look @ NY's High Line

One of the highlights of my NY trip was seeing the High Line close up.

While I'm a big fan of the so called "new urbanism" and it's interest in defending the age old interface of street design that has worked for thousands of years; I also always thought that new innovative design concepts and interfaces in cities did not always have to mean the destruction of the city's history, street life or human scale.

The High Line shows how coincidence and sensitivity can lead people to see a new use for something considered worthless. A lot of New Yorker's favored the creation of a large waterfront NY park, while other's including myself saw the value of weaving the area back into the fabric of the city, through more residential and mixed use development. Few realised that an awesome interesting natural park had been forming for years on an abandoned stretch of rail that threaded through the neighborhood which might offer the best of both worlds.



Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Some more videos on the High Line's history which shows the natural state only a brave few broke in to see.







Obviously, Pittsburgh is not New York and the perfect storm of pent up real estate market, prime location and all star support that made what one sees here happen isn't here.

However--- stunning spaces and good designs can create big support quickly. I'm sure most of the High Line's original big supporters thought the idea was crazy-- until they saw and experienced the space themselves.

Some more photos. The project is being done in stages with only the section fron 13th to 19th St open.

Just to set the scene here-- You are in a [park which is above the streets and walking through and under buildings. Pretty amazing.

Herb And Dorothy

HERB & DOROTHY Trailer from Herb & Dorothy on Vimeo.

A new doccumentary is out about the librarian and postal worker who amassed one of the most important collections of minimal and conceptual art back when few people or major institutions showed an active interest in the work. Mostly they bought from artists who were glad that someone was interested in their work.Nut jobs like them make the world go around.

The saddest aspect of the current art market is the revelation of just how thin and shallow the real interest of most buyers seems to have been, particularly in the contemporary art market.

Pittsburgh Small Press Festival Schedule

Thought I would just post the full schedule for The Pittsburgh Small Press Festival as it's posted on their website.

I guess I have two questions which may be out of line-

The first is why an event like this would be scheduled for the summer, a time when a lot of the college students and energy is missing?

The second is why at least a few regional small presses from places like Ohio and West Virginia are not included. Wouldn't it help gain a wider audience and buzz as well as wider opportunities for contacts?

I really love Open Thread Publications Tri-State Chap Book Contest. One almost never sees any attempts to link outside a narrow definition of the Pittsburgh Region.

SPF Expo 2009

The Expo is the crowning event of SPF. It will feature two floors tables of small presses and vendors, as well as a full day of workshops, panels and readings.

The Expo will run from 12-6pm on Saturday, July 18th and Sunday, July 19th. The calendar of events is listed below.

Entrance to the main Expo is free, and a weekend ticket for events can be purchased for only $5!
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SATURDAY, JULY 18th

1pm
Small Press, Big Impact?* (followed by Karen Lillis' presentation on the smallpresspittsburgh wiki)
Panelists: Adam Atkinson (Open Thread), Hattie Fletcher (Creative Nonfiction), Savannah Guz (author), Karen Lillis (LDP Distro, smallpresspittsburgh, Words Like Kudzu, author), and Scott Silsbe (The New Yinzer)

2pm
Starting a Small Press or Literary Organization
Panelists: Adam Atkinson (Open Thread), Kris Collins (The New Yinzer), Sue Rumbaugh (The Diner Divas), and Edward Simon (Thirty First Bird Review and Press)

3pm
Publication Design 101
Panelists: Scott Andrew (Open Thread), Stephen Knezovich (Creative Nonfiction), Deanna Mulye (LPPACS, BatCat Press), and a representative from Encyclopedia Destructica

4pm - 6pm
Bookmaking Workshop
Led by Deanna Mulye and her Bookbinding students from LPPACS


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SUNDAY, JULY 19th

1pm
Tri-State Chapbook Reading and Signing
The winners of Open Thread and Encyclopedia Destructica's Tri-State Chapbook Contest read from their chapbooks, launched at the expo: "Cloud Shaped Room" by Matt Anserello (WV), "Life as a Crossword Puzzle" by Noah Falck (OH), and "Aleph in the Cellar" by Colin C. Post

3pm
Art & Small Press
Panelists: Scott Andrew (Open Thread), Curt Gettman (Unicorn Mountain), Julia Stein (Juliacks), and a representative from Encyclopedia Destructica

4pm
Women in Publishing
Panelists: Nikki Allen (poet), Margaret Bashaar and Laura Davis (Weave Magazine), and Mary Biddinger (Barn Owl Review)

5pm
Weave Magazine Writing Workshop
During this workshop we will discuss poetry and flash fiction (under 1000 words). Participants are asked to bring at least 5 copies of their work for feedback from Weave editors and other workshop participants. If you have never been to a workshop before, we will review our workshop format and flow, as well as etiquette. This is a great way to meet other writers in Pittsburgh and get meaningful feedback in a safe setting.

Update-- I can see from the website that publishers from outside Pittsburgh were allowed. Hopefully this will attract more of them in the future.

Pittsburgh Weekend Art Events: 7/17-19/09.

Once again I have to apologize for being largely absent here at the blog this summer. Things are hectic, but I'm trying to keep up.

There is A LOT to do around town this weekend, and I'm sure to miss a lot. Here are some highlights:

Friday

If you have a functioning heart, you may want to consider stopping by Imagebox (4933 Penn, 7-10:30 PM) for a benefit for artist David Flynn. A pittance of 5 lousy bucks gets you beer, cookies, vegan pasta salad, and the chance to say that you are not wholly without compassion. Apparently Mr. Flynn has lots of hospital bills to pay, and is in desperate need of a replacement used laptop to replace one that was stolen. Bring your checkbook, as you wil have the opportunity to purchase some of his art as well.

The seasonal downtown gallery crawl is also happening Friday starting at 5:30PM. If you really want to find out what most of the folks in the region consider the "Cultural District" of the city, head for the smells and the traffic tie-ups of the Golden Triangle.

Meanwhile, at 8PM there will be hundreds of people walking around like zombies. But unlike every other weekend in the South Side, these will be in even scarier make-up. Celebrate the tradition of local legend Romero and shamble down Carson St. It's high satire, and there's supposed to be some party after the mass hike. Tell the entire drinking population of South Hills I said "Hi", and ensure that they continue to revel on the other side of town.

Saturday

Here's a shout-out to one of the 'Burgh's most unusual couples- whether considered separately or (most appropriately) together... Phat Mandee and Tommy Amoeba's Traveling Variety Show is jumping off at the New Hazlett Theater at 10:30 PM. I can only guess about the strange and wonderful sights they have for the lucky ones that show up for this event.

Saturday and Sunday

The SPF EXPO, for Pittsburgh's pre-eminent small press festival, is happening this weekend. There are two floors of vendors, workshops, panels, entertainment, and food. It's $5 for a weekend pass. If you just want to walk around aimlessly without participating in any cool stuff, there is no cover. Venture forth to the Regina Gouger Miller Gallery at CMU's Purnell Center for the Arts (5000 Penn Avenue). Best of all, you can watch me making a fool out of myself on Sunday afternoon, trying to moderate my first panel. What do I know about "art books"?! Here's the detailed schedule for the Expo.

Sunday

Head up Polish Hill (to the crossing of Brereton and Dobson Streets) for the 2nd Annual Art What You Got (Noon-8PM). Along with an artist and handicrafter's marketplace, you'll find ethnic grub like kielbasa and pierogies. Plus you can see some local bands, including one of my favorites- Timbeleza, a Brazillian drumming and samba outfit that got me moving one night over at Your Inner Vagabond. The organizers are convinced that they can avoid the hurricane winds that blew tents over at last year's gig. Go find out if they are prescient or merely plagued by hubris.

James Howard Kunstler On Suburbia

Rust Wire posted this extended rant about Suburbia by James Howard Kunstler. Our recent economic troubles, focused on our real estate markets have everything to do with the nature of the spaces we have been creating; places that stand very little chance of having any value over any extended period of time.

How can anyone looking at the very typical spaces he shows think that a city made up of them could be either socially or economically viable?

Chalkbot Robot Prints @ The Tour de France

Pittsburgher's love of cycling,robots and conceptual art have combined to print hopeful messages on the roads of France during this years tour.

"The idea behind Chalkbot is simple. Anyone in the world can send a text message to the robot, and it will spray the message in yellow on the course of the Tour de France. Since it’s part of Livestrong’s “It’s About You” awareness campaign, the messages are supposed to be for hope and inspiration to riders and survivors of cancer.

Nathan Martin, CEO of Deeplocal and proud Pittsburgher, never halts at promoting his hometown. Even Chalkbot’s euro license plate says “made in pittsburgh.”

Heads up thanks to Bittersweet Harvest.

Artist shared studio space available in the Strip District

This is an interesting proposition. A building owner in the Strip District is turning a first floor flex space over to a group of artists. The space is in the Guardian Storage building on Liberty Ave @ 28th Street, which is a great location.

Richard Wierzbowski is leading the effort. At this point, nothing is cut in stone, although some things came out of the first meeting that make sense. The artists at the first meeting voiced concerns about the need for stationary storage. Other issues that were brought up made it clear that the space would be best for related disciplines.

Richard is very open to input from artists that might want to be involved in the space, to the degree that he has held one meeting and plans to hold another to learn about needs and concerns that would make this a successful venture. The next meeting is --

Thursday, July 23 at 4:00 PM
Guardian Storage
2839 Liberty Avenue inside the ground floor unit.
A representative of the developer may be present.

To RSVP please email Richard Wierzbowski at rwierz@hotmail.com
A description of the space follows --

Available in the Strip District at 2839 Liberty Avenue near 28th Street.
Artists' studio and exhibition space for those working on paintings, mixed media , fiber, collages or sculptures of an intermediate scale. Commercial photography is not suited to this space because of space constraints. We will be in the space on August 1, 2009.

Newly renovated by the developer, Guardian Storage Warehouse, with freshly painted ceiling and three of the walls. The fourth wall is done in silver toned industrial metal. 12 feet high ceilings and free off street lighted parking with onsite security. Wooden floor and a new slate gray tiled bathroom with new fixtures. 2200 square foot with heat and air conditioning, exterior and interior lighting, electrical outlets, and a ventilation system for $50 per month, (utilities included in the rental fee) $100 security deposit with a 1 year lease. This offering is limited to 30 people. Indoor loading dock, ground floor space, great light and 24 hour security card access.

Art What You Got

July 19 marks the return of the Art What You Got festival in Polish Hill. This community festival is going to be a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon, especially with the mild weather we are having this July.


The festival has something for everybody. Music, food, art to look at, food, music, food, art to do and did I mention food? That's right, folks, I travel on my stomach. This year the festival includes the usual fair food as well as it's own specialties, like pickles on a stick. Unlike last year, this year will include ice cream as well as vegan treats.

I'm not going to go over the full roster of visual artists that will be at the festival this year, the list is pretty extensive. You can find it on the festival MySpace page along with links to the artists works. Following is a short list of some of my favorites from the list.

Maura Doern Danko .:Link:.
painting/cutouts/small jewelry made from paintings
Joseph Holtz Jr./Hands of Holtz
mixed media on glass
Yelena Lamm/Yelena Lamm Design .:Link:.
original paintings and drawings, limited edition art prints and notecards
Garick Tai-Lee and Augustin Pionati
ceramics
Lauren Toohey .:Link:.
acrylic paintings and face painting

Art to do? Yep, there will definitely be some hands-on projects for all ages. The Andy Warhol Museum, The Mattress Factory, Project 53, Fossil Free Fuels and Carnegie Library will all be on hand with button-making, printing and all kinds of fun stuff to do. Carley Parrish will be doing a sign project too. One of the coolest projects in Polish Hill is the Harmar Garden. This lot was taken over by volunteers from the neighborhood and from the SCA. They will be having a couple of hands-on projects at the garden, ongoing throughout the day. Watch for the signs!

I did say music, didn't I? Following is the bands playing for the festival. The entertainment will be going all day. Links to the bands pages are provided on the Art What You Got MySpace page.

Joy Ike (singer/songwriter and band)
Ar Eigean Gael (tradiional Irish music)
Stan Szymanski (solo bass guitar praise and worship)
Chet Vincent and the Big Bend (rock, roots)
Joy Toujours (acoustic, kids)
Timbeleza (Brazilian drumming and samba)
The Incline (folk/rock)

Most important information --

Art What You Got
Sunday, July 19, 2009
12:00pm - 8:00pm
Polish Hill
3060 Brereton St
Pittsburgh, PA

4126811950
phcapgh@gmail.com

Claes Oldenburg @ The Whitney

Finally back in NYC for a week of gallery and museum visits.
One highlight has been the Claes Oldenburg show at The Whitney Museum, an artist who in my opinion gets only a fraction of the recognition he deserves for being not only influential but also really,really good.

The show had a number of original objects from "The Store" and a full room of projected videos of early "Happenings".



The large moving sculpture, Ice Bag- Scale C was also on view with several related drawings.

July Unblurred

Well, it was a holiday weekend. Some of the regular venues, like Imagebox and Modern Formations, were closed during the July Unblurred. Garfield Artworks was open, but they had this sign in their door that declared that Garfield Artworks was not a Shadyside Gallery. Huh, I thought. Penn Avenue? Check. First Friday? Check. Broken sidewalks and decapitated parking meters? Check and check. Well, I knew where I was. But, since I was dressed for work, I thought I'd better not stick my head in; I didn't want anybody to feel uncomfortable, right?

The good news was that Artica and Most Wanted Fine Art were open. Hot dog! Lots of people gravitated to Artica on Friday evening. Artica looked great, as always, with its eclectic mix of antiques, collectibles and fine art pieces.





LaVerne Kemp, one of the Less is More artists.



Jason Sauer and JR Holtz


Carolyn Wenning and Sam Thorpe were sharing the space at Most Wanted Fine Art. Below, Wennings Linger. I apologize for the glare. It obviously doesn't do the work any favors. This is such a nice evolution for Wennings work. Her palette has shifted into these blues. Also, I am struck by how much more narrative these two pieces are than the work I have previously seen.



Below, Sam Thorp's precious pieces. There is something oddly disturbing about these pieces. Also, thre is a lot of implied texture in the works.



Want to know more about Sam Thorp's work? Check out this short video --

Bob Ziller Blooms Birmingham Bridge

I was surprised early Sunday morning to get a call from my friend Bob Ziller, as virtually everyone I know would expect to hear back from me late in the afternoon rather than actually get me on the phone at that time. For some reason I was awake, and that was fortunate. I don't really enjoy documenting other folks' projects, but for Bob I'm usually willing to see what he's up to. So I pulled myself together and drove down to the Hive to find out what he had in mind. I quickly learned that it involved ladders, and secretly began to regret my decision. But when I found out what we were going to do, I got excited.

Bordering Fitzpatrick Street in the Hill District (a stone's throw from the house where Andy Warhol was born), there is this abandoned building that greets everyone at the end of the Birmingham Bridge. Bob decided to make some neighborhood improvements, and he wanted me along for the ride.

While I helped schlep some stuff back and forth (and manipulate some ridiculously unwieldy ladders), I discovered that Bob was perfectly capable of installing his work himself. That left me free to shoot a series of shots that ended up being pretty fun. Here I've included the before and after shots of the property. I can't imagine anyone would have any serious objection to this particular brand of public art. Bob plans to continue this activity, so please keep a look out for the next entry in the series.

In the meantime make it a point to travel northward over the Birmingham Bridge (from the South Side) sometime soon, because there is no guarantee this is going to last and it is really best experienced in person.

Photo Credit: David Grim 2009

A Very Furry Fourth

I think this was fourth year Pittsburgh has hosted the largest convention of people with an um interest in animals; animal cartoons, animal games, Sci fi animals, stuffed animals and even a lot of folks who like dressing up as animals.Why? Best not to know probably, but one has to admit that they make a very nice picture. A lot of these suits are very fine and I think many of these characters and costumes are personal inventions. Some for example had invented sports team logos.

I finally got to see a little of this in person and me and my girlfriend got these shots of A Furry outside the hotel, a big furry drinking party outside of Tonic and a Furry Bunny on the Convention Center Walkway. (I will post that when I can)

The NY Mets who have been struggling with injuries were and were in town to do a make up game with the Pirates on July 2nd had the misfortune of spending a long night in the Furry Hotel. Broadcaster and former Met star, Keith Hernandez had this exchange with his broadcast mate the next day.

Hernandez: What are they called..?

Cohen: …wolves…

Hernandez: Ferriers..? All’s I know is I got in the elevator with four of them and the odor was horrific. [Camera shows the Pirate Parrot again.]

Cohen: Not the Pirate Parrot. He’s a natural mascot.

Hernandez: I had to get off. I’m not lyin’. I was on the 17th floor, goin’ down. I had to jump off on the 10th floor. I almost passed out.

Cohen: Guess those costumes don’t breathe very well. But it was, it was something, we walked into the hotel last night, comin’ from Milwaukee, and there was a, a, person in a wolf’s costume. And another person in a dog costume.

Hernandez: I saw a guy with, with his pet beaver. He had his hand, he was stroking it, he was petting it. [Long pause.] I’m serious! It was a, like a stuffed animal, and he was comforting it. Very bizarre.

Cohen: It’s a different world.

For the record-- all the furries I saw seemed very clean, from a safe distance and were all very happy to be photographed.

Jean McClung took most of these shots.

Wear and Tear @ Unsmoke Systems

It's too late to see this show. I was lucky enough to be in Braddock the night that Wear and Tear closed at UnSmoke Systems. I was there to see Braddock's bread oven in operation, which was really cool. Iwish I could get out there more often. It was a great space with a very active arts community.

But, back to Wear and Tear. Gavin Kenyon and Heather Powell were setting up an iron pour for the closing. There was a group behind the building breaking up old radiators behind the school, in preparation for the pour. Watching this was interesting. I don't think learned anything. I just really enjoyed the spectacle. Check it out; near the end there's a great sparkly flare.



Powell's work ranged across a lot of mediums and themes. I love that, yanno? It shows a mind that is always questing. The work below, Snow Angel; Compose Energy, Refine Matter, presented more mysteries than resolutions. I very easily lost myself in its contours.



Leap the Boundless, Complete the Space, also by Powell. For as massive as this piece is, there was something sort of whimsical about it.



This two-panel piece by Kenyon was just so very violent. Titled Slash, the work oozed entrails all over red velvet. One of the people attending the exhibit mentioned that the work seemed vaginal. Yep, I thought. But still, Gavin Kenyon's work is generally violent, with a plethora of sharp objects. It was very disturbing.



Sorry about the glare in this image. Also by Kenyon.



Powell and Kenyon are very active artists, there will be other opportunities to see their work. So, if you missed Wear and Tear, keep your ears to the ground.

Thad Mosley Talks About His Work

One of the coolest things in the two floor Thad Mosley Show at the Mattress Factory was the long film interview with him in which he talks a lot about his life as an artist and his work. I can't find anything but a few clips of it online but I thought the most interesting part was his thoughts on the connection between his art and music.

Thad is a "process oriented artist", which I think means that his work is not thought out before hand in any conceptual way, but builds out of the process of making with each piece feeding and riffing off the others as well as on the outside world- All the more so since many of his works involve the combining separate components.

His work also calls into question the weird relic of defining artists as "insider or outsider. Thad majored in I think, English Lit, and shows in the interview a knowledge of both visual art and extensive knowledge of Jazz music.He also talks a lot about issues of skill, chops and craft in a way musicians often do.

Please see this show which now has been extended till August 2nd.

Pittsburgh Weekend Happenings: 7/3-4/09

The great spectacle of the summer is upon us this weekend, and folks are finalizing their plans. I've asked myself what level of engagement I want with the outside world, and I've decided to make sure all of the signal lights on my car work. That being said, there is enough going on right here in the 'Burgh to compel me to stay close to home... so we'll see.

Friday

Do you want to know how the L-Ville got hip? Soul City Tours aims to tell you in their own walking tour of the Design Zone. Check out the upholstery store and the cupcake shop. Find 0ut what they consider a "Turkish Harem". And take a moment to spill a bit of brew for the long lost businesses that helped the neighborhood get where it is today (the Digging Pitt, Culpeppers, Ray's, La Vie, etc.). Make sure your guides show you where the ER Room is. You locals know what I'm talkin' about. The tour gets underway at 1PM. Call (412) 508-2942.

Contrary to my expectations, there IS a scaled-down version of First Friday Unblurred on Penn this month. And there is a handful of "must-sees". ARTica (5110 Penn) has Susan Constance, Michelle Gregio and a host of others. Garfield Artworks has Katie Jarrett, Jesse Best, and Masha Vereshchenko (etc.). And a definite highlight will be Through the Window with Sam Thorp and Carolyn Wenning at Most Wanted Fine Art (5015 Penn). Most of these events occur between 6 and 10PM, but show up at 7PM just to be safe.

Speaking of safe, Shadyside has their art walk Friday as well. I still can't understand why we can't stagger these monthly events instead of indulging in a pissing contest between hoods. WTF? Anyway, the Mendelson Gallery is featuring an opening for work by Ben Matthews & Alberto J. Almarza. There are some great promo images and a write-up at Bittersweet Harvest (a new blog dedicated to emerging artists in Pittsburgh- YAY!!). Also, you must stop in Gallerie Chiz (6-9PM, 5831 Ellsworth St.) for Laura Jean McLaughlin's Schlumpy Funk show. I feel like enough of an authority on the matter to say that she best embodies the virtues and attitudes as described in the manifesto of the same name.

Maybe a dance party is more your style. Brillobox has been bringing the good people Pandemic for several years, and for my money it's the most eclectic and interesting booty shake you'll find in town. Gypsy music, Brazillian Funk, and a whole lot of other stuff that will have you movin' even if you've never heard it before. Check it aht at 9:30.

The Big Butler Fair begins this weekend, and yes, it does have a demolition derby. See the link for details.


Saturday

Also, the Regatta is going on- but it sucks, so don't feel bad about pretending it's not happening. I blame it for the historical atrocities that happened at the Point during the last couple years. Find someone with a deck on the South Side slopes, and watch the fireworks from there instead. If you really need to see Three Dog Night in 2009, then I really can't help you anyway.

If you must give in to cliché and head to Mt. Washinton, I implore you to take a stroll down Shiloh Street and peep the "Art Marketplace". I don't know who is participating, but at least you'll be shopping local. It runs from Noon to Five (Sunday too), and includes bands.