Pittsburgh's Fire Arts Festival, Pyrotopia returns in October with paid admission charge.

I had lots of hopes for this event, which is the brain child of CMU robotics geek, performance artist and musician Eric Singer. Eric himself told me, his goal was to create the largest east coast festival of all things fire and light related- ala- "Burning-Man."

The reality, I saw a few years ago at the Pump House grounds in Homestead was pretty amazing, but far short of that goal. Most contributors, Phat Man Dee, local fire dancers and CMU artists like Singer were local. The logistics of the free festival were daunting with traffic backed up and people walking a mile or more to the site. While the site was inspiring, large crowds, small spaces and fire breathing robots don't always mix well.

This time they are trying a different site and a fairly steep $25 admission charge. ($35 at the gate)

 The second annual PYROTOPIA Festival of Fire Arts will be held on Saturday, October 12 at Westfield Park in Munhall Borough. The one-day event includes children’s activities and artist demonstrations in the afternoon, and fire performances, art installations and other fire and light acts after dark.

 PYROTOPIA showcases the majesty of fire, light and electricity in the arts, bringing together such diverse practices as fire dancing, blacksmithing, glass art, and LED installations.

Over 4000 people attended the first festival in April 2012. This year, the event moves to a larger venue with bleacher seating near the Waterfront. “Westfield Park is a great space that will offer festival patrons an amazing experience,” said PYROTOPIA founder Eric Singer. “The large field offers plenty of room for a variety of acts and spectacles which attendees will be able to experience up close.”

 Festival installations will include Flaming Simon, a fire-driven version of the electronic game "Simon" created by Singer that was the hit of last year’s festival. Stage performers include local talents Apex (fire hooping) and Steel Town Fire (fire dancing). Phoenix Fire Productions from Indianapolis will also return.

The evening will be co-hosted by jazz chanteuse Phat Man Dee and performance artist Andrew the Impaled. DJ Zombo will play special sets of fire-themed music throughout the night.

On Saturday afternoon, free make-and-take activities for children will be led by Assemble, a community space for arts and technology based in Garfield’s Penn Avenue arts district.

I am very glad they are trying to continue with this difficult, ambitious festival.

Unblurred - July on the Avenue

Small Press Pop Up, Karen Lillis and Laura Zurowski

So, so much fun at this month's Unblurred.

I love this time of year on Penn. On top of the regular gallery venues, the are tons of street things happening. There were a couple buskers, and several artists had tables set up, or were just sitting on stoops, selling zines and sketches. There was a terrific one-man percussion performer near the corner of Penn and Winebiddle. A half block away was a guy with a ukelele. Hmm. Funny stuff, there.

I stopped by the Irma Freeman Center and saw the series of copper foil portraits by Irma Freeman (1950's - 70's). This was a really nice exhibit. I'm sorry to say that I got there late to the party; Friday was the closing reception. But the portraits were really wonderful. There's a great shot at the link, and also a good one in the below gallery.

JR Holtz had a table of his retro paintings on glass set up near Most Wanted Fine Art. Mr. Holtz has shown his work at several of the Penn Avenue venues, as well as points across the city. He can also be found most Saturdays in the Strip District. Window on Penn Ave

Small Press Pittsburgh had a pop-up near the Clay Penn.This is a new venture, I believe. The next one will be during the Cultural District Gallery Crawl, on Friday, July 12 at the Toonseum. It's a great opportunity to pick up some cool local lit and zines. I picked up a copy of Weave, which I am thoroughly enjoying. Karen Lillis was on hand, along with Laura Zurowski and Sarah LaPonte. So, these kinds of pop up events are also a good time to meet some of the artists involved in the Pittsburgh Lit scene.

Most Wanted Fine Art played host to Graham Shearing and Associated Artists of Pittsburgh for the exhibit Conversations: 5:10. It was a nice little show. I think this is the first time that AAP has had a venture on Penn Ave. One really fun piece was taking place in the back corner: Jo-Ann Bates' American - Straight, Wave and Weave. A hybrid of installation, performance and formal representational art, it struck me as witty and conversational.

Lots more happening, and I'll be putting up a couple more posts over the next few days. In the meantime, enjoy the slideshow!

Zoetic Walls Project Invites Global Street Artists To Cleveland

Just came across this urban mural project on walls all over the Waterloo Arts district in East Cleveland's Collinwood neighborhood. Hopefully, I can there to see them sometime.

From the ArtsCollinwood website.

"The finest street artists from around the world are bringing the walls of the Waterloo District to life.

Zoetic Walls Cleveland is the first organized street art project to hit the walls of Cleveland. This public art mural project, co-curated by Waterloo Arts (Cleveland) and Pawn Works (Chicago), embraces the street art movement, which has been minimally represented in Cleveland.  This art form is sweeping like wild fire across other parts of the world and transforming cities into outdoor museums. Nick Marzullo and Seth Mooney (Pawn Works), both Cleveland natives, took notice of our emerging neighborhood and approached us to do a street art project, we welcomed them home and got to work. This wall project includes up to six murals and is a testament to the vibrant art scene of the Waterloo Arts and Entertainment District neighborhood that will be an ongoing display for many to enjoy. Imagine the walls, the alleyways, and all the nooks and crannies of the district as a canvas for the finest street artists around the world to create on. Giving artists the freedom to create work without the constraints of design committees, result in dynamic, inspired paintings that beautify the neighborhood and engage the community in thought and discussion."

The project seems to have been put together by two ex Clevelander's,  Nick Marzullo and Seth Mooney, who run a Chicago gallery called Pawn Works.

"Often, we fly in highly regarded artists from the international street-art scene to paint on Chicago’s buildings. We consider ourselves independent curators of public art in the true sense of the word."

Check out the Zoetic Walls Facebook page.

A post about GAIA's Cleveland Mural on BSA

The project got some grant sponsorship, but I can't help noticing the relative lack of local coverage from power players like The Cleveland Plain Dealer or even Freshwater Cleveland. My guess is that "street art" is still something the establishment doesn't like. 

Doug Aitken's Art Train Tour to stop in Pittsburgh

Yet another grand spectacle put together by a famous "art star".
Still, the concept of a train of artists, musicians putting together a traveling multi media spectacular is also filled with too much promise to ignore. The project is also billed as a moving workspace.

Interestingly, some of the 10 nationwide stops are obscure stations.

September 6, 2013      New York, New York                                                                      
September 8, 2013      Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania           
September 12, 2013    Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota                               
September 14, 2013    Chicago, Illinois                                                       
September 16, 2013    Kansas City, Missouri                                              
September 20, 2013    Lamy/Santa Fe, New Mexico
September 22, 2013    Winslow, Arizona                                                             
September 24, 2013    Barstow, California                                                              
September 26, 2013    Los Angeles, California                                
September 28, 2013    Oakland/San Francisco, California

Pittsburgh Magazine's post

Somebody, Anybody… Everybody: the last hurrah

I went to the closing reception for Somebody, Anybody… Everybody last Friday at ModernFormations. Both of the artists, David Grim and Mark Panza, were there. What a lovely evening! I'm so glad I had a chance to go, since I wasn't able to attend the opening reception.

The atmosphere was very relaxed, with a manageable group sitting around talking about the things artists talk about: art they've seen, art they're making, art business, and technique. There was room to really see the work. Everybody took advantage of the artists to ask for detailed answers about specific works, something that can be difficult during opening receptions.

Thanks, ModernFormations, for hosting these awesome events.

Joshua Hogan at BoxHeart

Joshua Hogan Innocence and Arrogance

Do you think that verbalizing about visual arts is applicable in every instance and for every artist? I don't, and I think Joshua Hogan's work is a good example of when speculating on philosophical content falls short.

These are paintings about life, in an experiential interaction that inserts itself sideways into your mind. Do you know what I mean? His paintings reflect the fullness of life, without a narrative and with a diversity of points of view. Mr. Hogan's work leaves narrative in favor of a fullness of exploration.

With all of that said, I reacted strongly to Innocence and Arrogance (above). It's quite striking, for all that the palette has been limited. At first sight, from a distance where your vision encompasses the entire work, there is a sense of pattern and rhythm. Close inspection brings a different reward, with a rich surface texture. While the saturated dashes of color play across the canvases rhythms in a sweet counterpoint from a distance, they become a main player at closer scrutiny with subtle marks and detailed line.

I know I've focused a lot on this one work. The entire show is of the same quality,and is well worth giving yourself some time to really see the exhibit in its entirety. You can view installation images, or Mr. Hogan's portfolio, for a full scope of the exhibit.

The Way and The Wayfarers: Paintings by: Joshua Hogan
June 25th - July 20th, 2013
Public Reception: Saturday, June 29th: 5 - 8pm
BoxHeart
4523 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15224

Indie Lit Book Table at Polish Hill Arts Fest

Larchmere PorchFest in Cleveland this Saturday Transforms Porches into Stages

The best events in Cleveland share the same kind of unpretentious neighborhood feel of many of Pittsburgh's best.

Larchmont is a neighborhood in Cleveland, close to Shaker Heights and University Circle. For five years they have invited people to turn their porches and front yards into into low key music venues. Walk around, breath the summer air and move from concert to concert. Even if all the bands suck, chances are this is gonna be fun. Did I mention that many of Cleveland's awesome food trucks will be out there too?

More Info on Larchmere

Event website: Larchmere PorchFest, with schedule, map and all other details

Somebody, Anybody… Everybody

Grim and Panza at Modernformations

I am so glad that Modernformations has a closing reception for Somebody, Anybody… Everybody. I was unable to attend the opening, and have been pretty occupied this month. The work is documented on Modernformation's site, so I am anticipating a really smashing exhibit.

David Grim

Both of the artists in the exhibit attend drop-in model sessions in the Pittsburgh area. David Grim is continuing with his work on telephone book pages, but has moved into full color, a real change from his previous works of black marker in his Book of Life series.

Mark Panza

Mark Panza's work for the exhibit is manipulated digital prints and light sculptures. The examples on Modernformation's site look pretty fantastic. Mr. Panza's work is also figure based. Presented together, the exhibit explores the contemporary paths that are pursued by artists that continue the formal aesthetics of figure based work.

So, with much anticipation, I am looking forward to attending the closing reception.

Closing reception
Friday June 21: 6-8PM

Somebody, Anybody… Everybody
New work by David Grim and Mark Panza
Modern Formations
Runs to June 26th
Thursdays 7pm - 9pm
Saturdays 1pm - 4pm
Private appointments are available by request
4919 Penn Avenue. Pittsburgh PA 15224. 412.362.0274

George Nama: Fleeting Images: A Survey @ Shepherd W&K Galleries in NY

I know, this is a Pittsburgh art blog mostly but as usual on my last NY trip I came across several shows of local artists or people with strong ties to the city.

George Nama was my favorite teacher at Pratt Institute; I knew he was from Pittsburgh and attended Carnegie Tech. As great as he was as a teacher, the truth is he rarely showed us much of his own personal work, preferring that we find our own paths.

I had to pop in when I saw his name on an uptown, NY gallery not far from The Met. The show turned out to be a mini retrospective tilted towards very early works from his Homestead youth in the 1950's. Even the smallest and earliest works shown seen to have a quiet poetic power and often strangeness. He is very sensitive to nuance, texture and line.

Check out the catalog and if you are in NYC, check out the show which includes several large drawings and watercolors picturing Homestead in the late 1950's.

George Nama: Fleeting Images: A Survey
June 4th
through July 26th, 2013

Shepherd  W & K  Galleries
58 East 79th Street
New York, New York 10075 USA
Tel: (212) 861-4050

Tuesday through Saturday 10 am until 6 pm or by appointment.

Knit the Bridge: just keep on stitching

Yarn bombing began to surface several years ago, as a form of urban grafitti. The examples that I have seen on the internet range in scale from intimate coverings on park benches and trees up to large-scale works that cover the steps of a cathedral.

Locally, there haven't been too many in-the-wild yarn bombings. You'll see the occasional bike rack or street pole with a touch of colorful yarn, but nothing more ambitious. I could be wrong; if you know about larger projects I'd love to hear about them! Purely as an appreciator; I love looking sometimes, it's the voyeur in me.

However, Pittsburgh has an extremely large and exceptionally ambitious project that will completely cover the Andy Warhol Bridge. If memory serves, the project was launched the better part of a year ago by the Fiber Arts Guild of Pittsburgh. I made a point of stopping by the Knit the Bridge booth at Three Rivers Arts Festival this week. Kitty Spangler, who has been working with the group from the start, was at the booth with a couple volunteers. She tells me that most of the blanket sections are complete but that they are still looking to make the black framing sections that will serve as a unifying element in this crazy quilt of a project.

The project is very complex, with multiple neighborhood coordinators enlisting the help of residents in making the panels and representatives from the project on hand at most community gatherings and street fairs. The project's statement about knitting a bridge between Pittsburgh communities is very apt.

There are several ways that you can help support this project. Knit the Bridge recently launched an IndiGoGo campaign to support the project. The funds raised will go to support installation costs, which is no small feat. If you want to get involved in making the panels, there are several drop-in sessions every week where you can go. They'll even show you how to knit or crochet and the company is wonderful. Or you can make a panel while you watch The Newsroom, and drop them off.

TRAF - Juried Visual Art Exhibit

The three Rivers Arts Festival certainly warrants more time this year than I have been able to give it. I spent Friday afternoon at the Artists Market, and Tuesday I stopped in at the Cultural Trust's Education Center to see the Juried Visual Art Exhibit.

This is, by far, the best edition of this series that I've seen. Comprised of only fifty works in a generous space gives each piece breathing room, allowing contemplation without distraction. The installation really did justice to the work. There are more than several good works in the exhibit. For personal reasons, a handful really stood out for me.

Matty Davis

I would be very interested in seeing the above work by Matty Davis in strong and changing light. Not a rapidly changing light, but the natural light over the course of the day and the season. The potential for depth and the interplay of shadow is intriguing; I could see myself living with this piece, shifting it throughout my home and contemplating the changes of light that are possible from a deceptively static work. The layers of fingerprints are complex, with the vagaries of coverage from opaque to slightly faded, couple with expanses of completely clear glass. In the diffuse light of the gallery, the main interest of the work was in its subtle shifts of depth.

Seth Clark

Seth Clark creates his collages from found papers, as well as other media. The works are rich in surface texture and intricate in their observation of decay. The contrast between the floating constructions of dilapidated structures and the very clean expanse of the ground creates a dreamlike floating quality. The effect is disorienting, with uncertainty underpinning the perspective because there is no sure horizon or point of physical orientation.

Stephanie Armbruster

From the artist's site:

Stephanie Armbruster works primarily as an encaustic painter, creating luminous, translucent surfaces by suspending pigment, drawings and ephemera between layers of molten wax.

Ms. Armbruster's work is simply beautiful. The layers hold light just below the surface and color blooms across the substrate in gentle shadings, contrasting with stronger concentrations of pigment that provide a map across the surface. Definitely a work that would grow and transcend through multiple viewings.

Thomas Bigatel

There is a lot of controlled energy in Thomas Bigatel's work. Three of Mr. Bigatel's works are included in the exhibit on canvases that run from medium to large. The expansive gestures of the artist absolutely require the space. I got the feeling that the gestures extended way beyond the confines of the substrate, and that what I was viewing was a fraction of the full spectrum of the piece. The work is a balance blend of impulse and consideration.

The exhibit will be gone in a flash, in place only for the duration of the festival. Fortunately, the venue is open until 8PM for the festival. Please note that the above images are courtesy of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

EDIT: Replaced a couple images. 

Juried Visual Art Exhibit
Through June 16, 2013
Trust Arts Education Center
805 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Opening day – TRAF 2013

A friend of mine was in town over the last week and wanted to go to the Three Rivers Arts Festival during her stay. So on Friday, we met Downtown and spent the afternoon leisurely strolling through the Artists Market.

As any Pittsburgher knows, the festival not only brings art in its various forms to downtown, it also heralds a week of rain. It didn't matter one little bit to me that the weather forecast said the chance of rain was a paltry 30%. I have experience with this festival and it always rains. So, with a sense of smugness, I packed up my umbrella, made sure my camera was sufficiently protected, and off I went.

It didn't rain, at all. And my companion and I thoroughly enjoyed the day.

Now, I just went the first day, so the artists that I saw may not be in their booths when you elect to roam the Artists Market since the booths rotate among a couple artists over the course of the festival. It's one of the nice features of the festival, and a very good reason to plan for several visits. You can preview the exhibitors for any session and plan your visit that way.

Seth Clark

There were so many great booths in the Artists Market this very first day of the festival. All of it was first rate, and spanned the spectrum from personal adornment to fine art and craft. Some were truly fun and appealing, and some were presenting works that spoke to personal vision. Seth Clark is a standout for me. I find his mixed media to be an interesting take on urban landscapes, surprisingly accurate in spirit to many of the less popular Pittsburgh neighborhoods and small municipalities in this region. Mr. Clark's work is also included in the Juried Visual Arts exhibit, a must-see show.

Daniel Baxter's Kreepy Doll Factory

   Highly recommended for FUN! Daniel Baxter's Kreepy Doll Factory is anything but creepy, with it's display of colorful dolls. Each doll is individually named, it's written right on the tag. No two dolls are alike, at all. Really, just tons of variety.

Sherry Rusinack

Sherry Rusinack is one of the festival's emerging artists. This is a "Scholarship program helping regional artists produce their first booth in an outdoor show" bringing artists into the market that might never have considered participating. Ms. Rusinack's work is deceptive, with its bright colors giving it a playful appeal. There is a definite feeling of walking into a world in motion, intensely personal and visionary.

Santiago "Chago" Gutierrez

 I believe I have the correct artist from the Nica Ceramic Art collective in crediting the above work. It was absolutely stunning, and I was intrigued by the process the artist used to create the effects.

Aimee Manion

Look at that sweet piece, isn't it lovely? There were several painters representing in the Art Market, but I found these to be very fresh-looking works. Aimee Manion's work has this dreamlike quality about it. I love her use of color, really bold but still clear and pure. Kind of like the sound of glass ringing, except on your eyes.

Hugh Hayden, American Hero #4

This piece by Hugh Hayden was installed next to the Wyndham Grand Hotel. My first take on this piece was that it was illustrating the demise of Detroit and the car industry. Sort of. This was the first conclusion that I reached since from a distance, the black stripes seemed to be the torn treads of tires. Closer examination, however, revealed that they were braided synthetic hair. The following explanation was provided at the site:

Hugh Hayden, American Hero 4

To be clear, I didn't find the piece compelling even when I was operating under my own interpretation. The explanation just left me cold. It is not just an apparent lack of connection between the presented work and the intention, but the entire dialog that is missing from this work makes it deliberately obtuse. There just isn't a way to map the intention from the presented work. (There are additional images in the gallery.) By contrast I found Chang-Jin Lee's Floating Echo appealing and quite beautiful.

Chang-Jin Lee, Floating Echo

Right? Isn't that just so peaceful? The work is located in Point State Park, beside the pedestrian walkway. I was soothed visually by this work. It was well placed, working well within its site. So, a theme of harmony, but maybe a new harmony implying a path of balance between nature and man-made intrusion.

The installation works remain in place for the duration of the festival. There are several, scattered throughout the downtown area, most of which I didn't get to see. It's a shame, really, that the festival isn't longer, or that some of it couldn't remain in place longer than the Artists Market.

Please, take a look through the gallery for additional pictures, especially of the folks that I haven't mentioned.

Korean Food Bazaar tomorrow in Shadyside

                                      

10:30 to 4:00 at the Korean Central Church of Pittsburgh 

The Korean Central Church of Pittsburgh 
821 S. Aiken Ave.
 Shadyside, Pa 15232 412-687-7775

Some of Pittsburgh's food festivals seem overhyped but I grew up in areas of Queens with huge Korean populations and rarely had food this good! Homemade kimchi, rice cakes, pancakes, dumplings, Korean barbeque and all kinds of other great things. Also, quality packaged foods like jarred kimchi. Get there early, cause they run out of many dishes.

 Also enjoy the beauty of this church and the neighborhood around it.

Art All Night 2013 Highlights

Events included Live painting all night, Drawing from model, Cartooning all Night, Music & Dance Performances



Art All Night Parade




Perhaps more amazing and certainly more packed with work than I have ever seen it. These are just some of the things that caught my eye, that I was able to photograph.

More about Art All Night here:
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/ae/art-architecture/anything-goes-at-lawrencevilles-art-all-night-684862/

Highlights from Gallery Four 2013 Salon

I was hoping for a floor to gallery crammed floor to ceiling with works, but there was plenty of quality and excitement in this show, which also included at least two artists from Philly.

We still don't know who "won" the Gallery Four solo, but Alessandra Sulpy will have the next solo, filling an unexpected opening. Her painting of naked figures suggested a strange religious ritual. More than enough mystery there to make me eager to see more.

Hope very much they do this again.

More Info: http://www.thegallery4.us/

Another Great Show closing this week: Salon Show 2013 @ Gallery 4 in Shadyside

I actually haven't seen this show yet. Gallery Four has a clear aesthetic, tending towards highly skilled "hipster", street art, but within that range, many of the shows are pretty amazing.

This is their first Salon type show.

"The Gallery 4 has entered it's 3rd year of business and we are so pleased to have been able to work with so many talented artists. In keeping with this tradition, The Gallery 4 has hosted a salon style competition to search for up and coming artists. Artists whose pieces reflect the gallery's particular aesthetic were selected to take part in a juried group exhibition. Artists will then be appointed and presented with the opportunity to hold their own exhibition at The Gallery 4. Selection was determined at the The Gallery4 's discretion and dependent on skill level, design sense, originality, polish, and personal taste. After reviewing hundreds of works from talented artists (both local and afar) skilled in a broad spectrum of disciplines, The Gallery 4 is proud to exhibit these pieces in a unique exposition which celebrates our 3rd Anniversary. The Gallery 4 presents The 2013 Salon Show."

You may recognize a lot of the artists, like   Richard Claraval, Ryder Henry & Lauren Toohey. Gallery Four regulars like Brian Holderman also contributed works.

Show Ends, Saturday, April 27th,

Gallery Four
206 s. highland ave
pittsburgh, pa 15206
map & directions

hours:
tues - sat
2pm - 8pm

More Info

Four Suites: You're invited!

Opening night, April 5, 2013
I have been looking forward to working with the other artists in the Four Suites exhibit for months. Obviously, the others have too. The installation took a considerable amount of time, and showed a lot of detailed thought and sensitivity to the ModernFormation space.

Static images don't really do justice to the atmosphere of the exhibit. Each artists' work stands very well alone, while showing a sensitivity to the space as well as the works of the the others. I must say, the show blends very well.

I hope that doesn't sound too overly self congratulatory. I'm sure it sounds at least a little bit.

Jean McClung installed several of her light sculptures in the back room of MoernFormations. The works play well in the darkened space, providing a white light focus along one wall. Laurie Trok installed two cut paper pieces, in the front and back rooms, emphasizing a subtle shadowy calligraphy. John Morris composed interludes of his small medium-based work along one wall in the front room. My work? Oh, it was composed of works from my Earths and Detritus series of collages.

Did you miss the opening of Four Suites? You're in luck! There is a closing reception on Friday April 26, from 7-9PM.

Four Suites closing reception
Modernformations
4919 Penn Avenue. Pittsburgh PA 15224
412.362.0274


Four Suites Installation
Four Suites, installation (back room at ModernFormations)
Four Suites, installation (front room at ModernFormations)

Highlights from Four Suites @ Modern Formations Gallery: John Morris

These are shots of my work. I'm reluctant to say too much, but these works are made of paint itself. I like to find things people ignore, cans, saw blades, door hinges and find new life in them. I hope the viewer can share in the process of rediscovery.

This was the first chance to get some work out of the studio and play with it.

Four Suites
April 5 - April 26
Closing Reception: April 26, 7-9 PM

ModernFormations

4919 Penn Avenue.
Pittsburgh PA 15224

412.362.0274

Gallery Hours

*Thursdays 7pm - 9pm
*Saturdays 1pm - 4pm
*Private appointments are available by request

More Info, Here

Highlights From Four Suites @ Modern Formations Gallery: Susan Constanse

Sorry but many of my images don't do Susan's work justice. These works reward people who take time to look. The whiter, brighter ones burst with obvious beauty surrounded by what at first seem to be dull dark squares.  Gradually, images emerge or submerge from the torn, built up layers of paper and paint.

In the front room is great wall of delicate but mysterious collage drawings.

ModernFormations

4919 Penn Avenue.
Pittsburgh PA 15224

412.362.0274

Gallery Hours

*Thursdays 7pm - 9pm
*Saturdays 1pm - 4pm
*Private appointments are available by request

More Info: Here

Highlights From Four Suites @ Modern Formations Gallery: Laurie Trock

One reason you should see this show even if you know these artists is that it's filled with a lot of site specific work and sensitive interactions with the space. You will never see these exact experiences again.

Lori Trock did two amazing installations- one in the white entry space and one in the darker purple room.
Her work is combines fine craft and paper cutting with an open acceptance of random chance. A love of chance seems to be a common theme with all four artists in the show.

ModernFormations

4919 Penn Avenue.
Pittsburgh PA 15224

412.362.0274

Gallery Hours

*Thursdays 7pm - 9pm
*Saturdays 1pm - 4pm
*Private appointments are available by request

More info: here

Highlights from Four Suites @ Modern Formations Gallery: Jean McClung

As you may know, three of the four artists in this show, Susan Constanse, me & and  Jean McClung  post on this blog. We all seem too shy or busy to hype it. Bottom line, is it really did end up as a really nice show that worked well with the space and might be worth checking out.

 This is slide show of Jean McClung light boxes in the back gallery. Jean often meshes layers of images of urban art and industrial sites with scans of her own abstract paintings to make works that shine with weird, gritty energy. The lower light levels and dark purple walls in the back galley provide a great setting for this work.

Modern Formations Gallery 

4919 Penn Avenue.
Pittsburgh PA 15224

412.362.0274

  Gallery Hours *Thursdays 7pm - 9pm *Saturdays 1pm - 4pm
 *Private appointments are available by request

Closing Reception: April 26, 7-9PM

More info here

2013, Carnegie International List is out & includes Transformazium Artists actually living in Pittsburgh area

Off hand this seems like an interesting list, with lots of artists I don't know, from a wider range of places.

Artists include Ei Arakawa/Henning Bohl, Phyllida Barlow, Yael Bartana, Sadie Benning, Bidoun Library, The Collection, Nicole Eisenman, Lara Favaretto, Vincent Fecteau, Rodney Graham, Guo Fengyi, Wade Guyton, Rokni Haerizadeh, He An, Amar Kanwar, Dinh Q. Lê, Mark Leckey, Pierre Leguillon, Sarah Lucas, Tobias Madison, Zanele Muholi, Paulina Olowska, The Playground Project, Pedro Reyes, Kamran Shirdel, Gabriel Sierra, Taryn Simon, Frances Stark, Joel Sternfeld, Mladen Stilinović, Zoe Strauss, Henry Taylor, Tezuka Architects, Transformazium, Erika Verzutti, and Joseph Yoakum.

Of course, any show that includes Zoe Strauss gets my attention.

I may check back with more thoughts.

See the list and a video about the choices here.

http://ci13.cmoa.org/artists-projects

Unblurred + GA/GI = Supersized First Friday

There's always a host of venues open and fun activities on First Fridays along Penn Ave for the monthly Unblurred series. April brings with it the GA/GI (Geek Art/Green Innovator) festival. In addition to the usual venues participating in Unblurred, Penn Ave will be amping it up with more presenters, activities and showcases.

GA/GI sets the tone for Unblurred with its central theme of green and renewable technologies. Some of the Galleries along the Penn Ave arts district feature artists that work with found materials and new technologies. For instance, Studio 5013 is featuring OZMA instruments: Guitars made of found and reclaimed materials by Jeffrey Schreckengost. At the other end of the spectrum, Edge Studios will present Robotics Artist, Donald Jones from CMU's High Point Project.

There's more than art happening during the festival. Optimus Technologies will be talking about how the next generation bio fuel systems actually works. Plumb Media is having a meet-and greet of some of the co-authors from Baker Leadership's latest book. Empowered in Pittsburgh encourages young adults to extend their handprint and get involved in their communities. Stop by to find out more!

April Unblurred also sees the return of The Clay Penn. Awesome Books, as you might know, is transforming to Amazing Books on April 3. The original location of Awesome Books on Penn Ave is already closed and is making its transformation to The Clay Penn. Stop in and reacquaint yourself with Laura McLaughlin's great ceramic works.



Of special note, I want to mention that I, along with Jean McClung, John Morris and Laurie Trok, will be exhibiting at ModernFormations. An extra special note: the opening reception is on Friday, April 5 from 7-10PM.

This is far, far from a comprehensive list of what is happening on April's first Friday, nor is it meant to be a Best of... preview. A list of events for Unblurred is available on their page and GA/GI's two-day calendar is posted here.

Meghan Olson at Box Heart Gallery

Meghan Olson at Box Heart Gallery

Meghan Olson's Platonic Folds and How To Make Sense of a Canyon exhibit at Box Heart is so peaceful. Mounted as vertical landscapes, the works have the feel of plains of grain, drifts of snow and gentle seas.

I imagine them in different rooms, with warm lamplight providing subtle tones of yellow and gold. Or in a room filled with winter light, and the folds almost disappear, marked only by the soft blue smudges of shadow. I could get lost in these, I think, my mind resting in these sweet and subtle shades.

But also, Ms. Olson displays a respect for her materials, with a careful choice of papers and presentation. The smaller prints, shown alongside the large paper hangings, are beautifully expressive, sparkling with confetti color.

From Box Heart's show description:

In this body of work, Olson uses common, often bland, materials to probe for movement and anomalistic meaning in a place, material, or form. The topographies depicted are not real or representative of a specific location or point in time. They exist like metaphors of lost thoughts and inconclusive ruminations. Rather than trying to find a particular magic model that will answer questions or explain things we universally may not know. Olson is interested in the data of the in-between, the reality that occurs when what we think we know and experience collide and exist; regardless of making perfect sense.

You can see more of Ms. Olson's work on Box Heart's onsite portfolio and in the collected images from the exhibit.

Platonic Folds and How To Make Sense of a Canyon
Printmaking and Mixed Media Works on Paper by Meghan Olson
March 5th - March 30th, 2013
Box Heart Gallery

Opportunities for artists

The Americans for the Arts conference will be in Pittsburgh this coming June. I'm sure that there are other opportunities happening around this event, so if you know of any let me know! You can email me at susanconstanse [at] gmail.com and I'll get it up, time permitting. Here's two that came through my email that sound pretty fun...

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From the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council

Pittsburghers at Large - Enter now for a chance to win one free registration to the main convention or one of three preconferences, AND $50 towards a GPAC membership. How do you enter? Simply illustrate what Pittsburgh is to you via a photo.

You can download our “Pittsburgh is..” thought bubble for your clever photo creation, or invent your own wheel. Submit your photos through our online form by April 5, 5 pm EST. All submissions will be added to a “Pittsburgh is... photo contest” photo album on our Facebook page for voting (one like = one vote) April 6 through April 12, 5 pm EST. The winner/owner of the most popular photo will be notified on the 12th.

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I received an email from a good friend, outlining the following upcoming festival:

"Arts In Motion"


Please respond to the email address provided on the flyer (if you click on the flyer, you'll get a bigger image) by April 15th and pass the word on to any other friends and artists you think would be interested.

Fit to Print @ Most Wanted Fine Art

Paul Roden and Valerie Lueth Garden (Color Woodcut)

Now, this was a show that left me wanting more! It is a really fine selection of makers and techniques, with local and national representation. Printmakers exhibited works created with techniques in wood block, lithography, screen printing and more.

For all of you new collectors out there that want a new piece, prints are a great way to expand your collection without breaking the bank. Seriously good work and excellent technique for extremely reasonable prices from artists that really know what they're doing. Not just in technique, although there is plenty of that.

I am leaving a couple images up; these are indicative of what appealed to me. There are additional works that were bolder and more graphic that are just as good.

Paul Roden and Valerie Lueth (Tugboat Printshop) make some beautiful woodcuts, don't they? The color and detail are amazing, as are the intricate backgrounds and detailed figures. There is something very whimsical without being sappy about their works.

There are a couple of small lithographs from Scott Frish that tugged at me, too. I get a sense of powerful control and deliberation from this very small sampling of his work.

Valerie Lueth Livingroom (Color Woodcut), Scott Frish Untitled (Lithograph)

From MWFA's description: Large Prints presented by world famous rock poster printers Strawberry Luna, Woodblock super stars Tugboat Print Shop, Lithographs from Texas based Vermillion Press, and More

Most Wanted Fine Art
Fit to Print: a group show of Master Printers
March 1 - 23, 2013
www.most-wantedfineart.com
MOST WANTED FINE ART
5015 PENN AVE, PGH PA 15224
#MOSTWANTED5015, 412-328-3747

GEEK ART/GREEN INNVATOR'S FESTIVAL 2013 SET FOR APRIL 5-6

"Never perfect...Just Beautiful" is the caption for GA/GI Fest. Each year, a mixture of the quirkiest, emerging and off-beat art, eco and tech ideas get a chance to be seen and heard during April's edition of First Fridays on Penn Avenue, an art crawl known as "Unblurred." This year it's on April 5th and 6th so mark those calendars! For more info from the blog, click here.

March Unblurred

Last night's Unblurred was just amazing! Tons of people out, and some small touches here and there to prove that Pittsburgh is coming out of its winter slumber.

Heaven Didn’t Want Them: New Works by Christian Breitkreutz and Mike Egan
ModernFormations



Well, the title of the show is a little misleading, depending on your definition of recent. I had already seen a few of Christian Breitkreutz's works that are included in this exhibit, and his site indicates that some of the works were created in 2011. I'm being too picky, right? To counterbalance that, I will also say that I enjoyed seeing the work; the ones that were new to me as well as the ones that were in the previous exhibit.

It is a well executed exhibit; Breitkreutz's and Egan's work compliment each other without being redundant. The works were well chosen, with an eye for color as well as being mindful of theme. Breitkreutz's works have an overt macabre quality, with lots of tongue in cheek gore. Egan's work tends to boldness of shape and flat shapes.

Christian Breitkreutz
Mike Egan

Abby Diamond at Image Box

Abby Diamond at Image Box

This is a very pretty show, with an emphasis on nice- sized watercolors of mostly birds. My favorite subject! I love birds, and have two avian companions that share my home.

My apologies for the quality of the above image: I took it with my cellphone. Although the other works in the exhibit were as beautiful, I really was very attracted to this one. The work was pieced together on the bottom third, which gave the work an interesting texture and dimension. Overall, Ms. Diamond handles watercolor very well, a media that I find difficult at best.

Abby Diamond

There is as much happening on Penn Avenue itself as there is in the many and varied venues that open their doors on First Fridays. Sorry for the poor quality of this shot, but it's nice to get a picture of this solar- and wind-powered street screen at night -

Solar illuminated street screen, Penn Avenue

There are several of these street screens along Penn Ave. There's something really appealing about them.

Another small detail from last night was this little snippet, taped to what remains of a parking meter. This one was outside of ImageBox. I spotted another one near Spak Bros, but I had a difficult choice to make. Take the time to find someone to help me take the picture or miss the bus. I am imaging these posted up and down Penn Ave. At least, I hope they are!

Faster than the stars blink on

Of Note:

Put aside some time to really explore the Center for PostNatural History. Because RATS!

Atomic Age Rodents at the Center for PostNatural History

Shameless plug! Coming in April to ModernFormations, Four Suites with
Susan Constanse
Jean McClung
John Morris
Laurie Trok

KUZANA OGG: Urbane

Kuzana Ogg - From Left: Carnac Road, Churchgate Street, Dadar

My first thought when I walked into Box Heart to see the annual Artist of the year exhibit was that Urbane is a beautiful show. The air shimmered with color and light, and gave me a sense of peace. I though, here is someone who is pursuing intense beauty in their work. Not that sticky sweet beauty that is confused with prettiness, but real heart stopping beauty.

Kuzana Ogg has an exceptional grasp of color, and a fine hand with her media. The paintings are composed from delicate layers of translucent pigment, holding their own shimmering light. Her color choices are finely chosen and sophisticated, with an emphasis on warm and cool contrast. The works are patterned without being overwhelmingly busy, with expanses of muted tones playing an important counterpoint.

Included among the paintings are a few small textile works, which look a little like crazy quilts. I gather that textiles, along with cellular biology and urban development, are where Ms. Ogg finds her inspiration. From the show description --

The transformation of Ogg's paintings from organic imagery to patterned shapes resembling silk saris to geometric urban shapes offer a glimpse into the divine and the derivative idea that biological and botanical entities share fundamental similarities.

It seems to me that these inspirations are simply a vehicle for explorations in self and expression. There is a complexity apparent in these paintings that take them beyond beauty. I like the way Ms. Ogg successfully challenges the confines of her plane, especially in the above triptych. It seems so effortless, doesn't it? But the ground to figure relationship in this instance could have been static and dead if it wasn't done with a demonstrated understanding of composition.

Kuzana Ogg: Urbane at BoxHeart Gallery

Seriously beautiful show. Urbane is on exhibit through March 2, and Ms. Ogg's work will continue to be available at Box Heart.

February 5, - March 2nd, 2013
Urbane
Paintings by Box Heart's 2013 Artist of the Year
KUZANA OGG