visual art: work and inspiration

Gallery Crawl tonight!

2012-01-27T09:26:00.000-08:00

Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District tonight!

Be sure to check out the work of award-winning artists from the 2011 Three Rivers Arts Festival's Emerging Artist Program, Ryan Woodring and Danna Rzecznik, on display tonight only! (Trust Arts Education Center, 805-807 Liberty, 4th floor. 6-8pm)

Ryan Woodring, A Ticketless Ride. Monoprint, Pen and Ink, Wax, Oil on treated paper, 2011

Danna Rzecznik, Tea pot. Porcelain, 2012

Paper Thin Theater @ 709 Penn Gallery

2012-01-18T10:50:00.000-08:00

Kathryn Carr, Paper Thin Theater

cut paper and light

Paper Thin Theater, a solo exhibit by Kathryn Carr, opens this Friday, Jan. 20th, at 709 Penn Gallery. Reception 6-8pm.

"Paper Thin Theater" is a collection of paper cut art by Kathryn Carr. It focuses on the art of story telling; children's tales, puppetry, opera and the stage are presented in a narrative silhouette form. Her images mix nostalgia, dreams, nightmares and fleeting memories.

The focal point of the show is a large stage with intricately cut scenes and eclectic shadow puppets that beckon the viewer to interact with them. Visitors are invited to engage and experiment with the art to make their own silhouette plays. Kathryn has also created miniature shadow puppet theaters in the form of dioramas that are lit from behind.

See you Friday!

Drawing the Clothed Figure

2012-01-09T19:28:00.000-08:00

This Saturday, I will be teaching a workshop at the Trust Arts Education Center called "Drawing the Clothed Figure," 11am-2pm.

http://trustarts.culturaldistrict.org/event/3289/drawing-the-clothed-figure-workshop

"The Painted City" at First Night Pittsburgh

2011-12-23T13:42:00.001-08:00

Pittsburgh, March Snow by Steve Boksenbaum

Immaculate Heart of Mary by Ron Donoughe

There will be several one-night art exhibits and window displays to check out this First Night. Be sure to see The Painted City at 937 Liberty Avenue, featuring paintings by beloved Pittsburgh plein air painter, Ron Donoughe, alongside paintings of the daily life of Pittsburghers by artist Steve Boksenbaum.

Interviews with Bovey Lee

2011-11-29T13:45:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite Pittsburgh artists, Bovey Lee, was recently interviewed by Design Boom and by CBS Pittsburgh.

The interviews and accompanying images are lovely, and she describes her latest projects. My favorite quote is her advice to young artists:

"Stay the course. Have the courage to say no to an opportunity that looks attractive at the time but you know will distract you from what you really want and love to do. Gather all your strength and confidence and show it in your work."

Read the full interviews here:

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/16522/bovey-lee-new-work-interview.html

and

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/guide/bovey-lee-paper-cut-precision/

Bovey Lee, Paper Streets, 2011 (as exhibited at 709 Penn Gallery in April, 2011)

Teenie Harris at the Carnegie Museum of Art

2011-11-21T16:25:00.000-08:00

Charles "Teenie" Harris, Woman seated on car, with steel mill in background, c. 1940-19461

This past weekend we went to see Teenie Harris, Photographer: An American Story at the Carnegie Museum if Art. It is a wonderful retrospective of the photographer whose images for the Pittsburgh Courier (the country's most widely circulated African American newspaper during the civil rights era) capture the poetry of every day life and important figures who helped shape the 20th Century.

Figurative paintings from the Carnegie Museum of Art

2011-11-21T14:21:00.000-08:00

The Carnegie Museum of Art has so many beautiful examples of figurative art in its permanent collection. Here are a few that caught my eye during our visit this past weekend...

Raphael Soyer, Pensive Girl, 1946-1947 (above)

Alex Katz, Lake Time, 1960 (above)

John Currin, The Old Fence, 1999 (above)

Elizabeth Peyton, Ben Drawing, 2001 (above)

Detritus by Thomas Norulak opens Friday @ 709

2011-11-19T15:11:00.000-08:00

Detritus, a solo show by Thomas Norulak, opens this Friday, November 25, at 709 Penn Gallery. (Reception 6-8 p.m.)

Root Cluster, Thomas Norulak, etching

In Detritus, printmaker Thomas Norulak finds beauty in objects that have been altered over time by their interaction with the elements.

Subjects include rocks and debris along riverbanks and hiking trails, an uprooted tree trunk, an abandoned truck tire, machinery rusting in the woods, and a dead fish washed up on the shores of Lake Erie.

As nature has transformed these objects over time, Norulak’s studio process is also transformative. “I start by taking photographs of these phenomena, and use the following process to transform them into black and white etchings: Laser prints of the photographic imagery are transferred onto a zinc plate with a solvent, and then etched in nitric acid. Using traditional printmaking techniques such as aquatint, open bites, scraping and burnishing, the images acquire abstract or surreal qualities, bearing little resemblance to the original photographs.”

Imagination

2011-11-19T15:03:00.000-08:00

Albert Einstein by Andy Warhol, screenprint, 1980

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand." -- Albert Einstein

The Awakening

2011-11-13T09:47:00.000-08:00

The Awakening, J. Seward Johnson, aluminum, 1980

(photographed by Karen O'Connor, my sister)

Last winter we went to the National Harbor to see this incredible sculpture, The Awakening, a 70-foot giant struggling to rise from the earth.

(Click image to enlarge.)

Closing reception @ 709 Penn Gallery this Friday!

2011-11-07T10:26:00.000-08:00

Thomas Bigatel, The Prism Within, oil on canvas, 2011

Don't miss the closing reception for Universal Expressions: Movement in Multiple Dimensions, paintings by Thomas Bigatel and sculpture by Peter Johnson, Friday night, Nov. 11, at 709 Penn Gallery in the Cultural District. (5-8pm)

Joshua Hogan: I Fly Like Paper

2011-10-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

Today we drove the winding roads through Bethel Park to the Jeff Edwards Gallery to see Joshua Hogan's exhibit. The invitation had arrived in the form of a paper airplane, a distinctive touch that made the invitation stand out from the usual slew of postcards. While the title of the show, I Fly Like Paper, hints at the mysterious psychological journeys that Hogan's paintings represent, I took the title as a reference to his series of watercolors on paper. It is a new medium for the artist, as far as I've seen, that perfectly complements his oil paintings. The title may also be borrowed from a lyric by M.I.A.

My favorite piece was this painting, called The Beginning of Triumph. The lines and forms reminded me of Calder mobiles. The painting seemed to shimmer in the light, and swept me away.

Mary Blair

2011-10-21T08:26:00.000-07:00

I was excited to see that today's Google Doodle is dedicated to Mary Blair.

Learn more about the artist and her fantastic illustrations here:

Christian Science Monitor

Magic of Mary Blair

image galleries:

one

two

Heroes and Villains

2011-10-14T13:58:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to see Heroes and Villains: The Comic Book Art of Alex Ross at the Andy Warhol Museum when my sister and brother-in-law come to visit! I just love his highly detailed watercolor illustrations. I expect to be amazed.

Reviews of Thomas Bigatel and Peter Johnson's exhibit @ 709 Penn Gallery

2011-10-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

2 great reviews for Universal Expressions: Movement in Multiple Dimensions:

Tribune Review:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ae/museums/s_760326.html

Art Crit Pittsburgh:

http://artcritpgh.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/chloe-newman-observing-qualities-beyond-the-work-word-count-790/

Check out photos of the exhibit on Thomas Bigatel's website:

http://www.tbigatel-artist.com/Thomas_Bigatel_-_Artist/Recent_Exhibition_Photos.html

Gallery Crawl this Friday!

2011-09-26T13:47:00.000-07:00

Here are just a few snapshots from Thomas Bigatel and Peter Johnson's opening reception for their show at 709 Penn Gallery, Universal Expressions: Movement in Multiple Dimensions. Don't miss the Gallery Crawl this Friday!

Universal Expressions: Movement in Multiple Dimensions

2011-09-15T13:53:00.000-07:00

Abstract painter Thomas Bigatel collaborates with wood sculptor Peter Johnson in Universal Expressions: Movement in Multiple Dimensions, opening Friday, Sept. 23 @ 709 Penn Gallery in Pittsburgh's Cultural District. (Reception 6:00-8:00 p.m.)

Stephanie Armbruster's Closing Reception

2011-09-03T18:49:00.000-07:00

If you missed tonight's closing reception for Stephanie Armbruster's solo show at 709 Penn Gallery, In Search of Something More, you still have a week left to check out the exhibit! Show closes Sept. 11. Here are some images from tonight's reception...

Remembering Cy Twombly and Lucian Freud

2011-07-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

The world lost two important artists this month, Cy Twombly and Lucian Freud. While their work couldn't be more different, they both will represent our time in the narrative of art.

Venus by Cy Twombly

Self-portrait by Lucian Freud

It was Cy Twombly's retrospective in Vienna that attracted me to his work for the first time. When I had seen his works in the past individually, a piece here, a piece there, it was easy for me to pass them by, to see his works as "too quick", too simply scribbled. I had missed that what he was doing was forming a vocabulary of marks, a visual poetry, his own calligraphy, creating his own "romantic symbolism". At the MUMOK, his retrospective was titled "Sensations of the Moment." Seen together, the scrawled texts, paint, and drawn scribbles appeared to me as immediate, sensual responses to nature, beauty, and love.

Wilder Shores of Love by Cy Twombly

Lucian Freud was my favorite contemporary artist. He brought psychological and textural depth to portraiture. I first learned about him when I was an undergrad at Carnegie Mellon, during an incredibly enriching independent study on contemporary portraiture with Dr. Elaine King. Freud's paintings appealed to me visually, their thick paint becoming flesh in a way that felt real without being photorealistic, but in a way that let you feel the sitter was actually there before the artist's eyes, breathing.

Sleeping Head by Lucian Freud

In Search of Something More: Stephanie Armbruster @ 709 Penn Gallery

2011-07-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

Residential Movement by Stephanie Armbruster, mixed media, 2011

Stephanie Armbruster's solo exhibit, In Search of Something More, opens at 709 Penn Gallery this Friday night during the Gallery Crawl!

(5:30-9:00 pm in Downtown's Cultural District)

Visually influenced by street art, design and documentary photography, Stephanie describes this new series of encaustic and mixed medium paintings as a reckless commentary inspired by the absurdities of urban life, random encounters and the tension of the city in a state of flux. Recollections of cheap rent, budget glam, underground music and demolition come together in a stream of consciousness rant of overbearing typography and architectural elements.

portrait

2011-06-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

Finished a new portrait!

Portrait of Laura Miller

oil on canvas

30" x 40"

(click image to enlarge)

2011 Three Rivers Arts Festival

2011-06-11T15:24:00.000-07:00

(Poster art by Seth Clark)

One more day to catch this year's Three Rivers Arts Festival in downtown Pittsburgh! Don't miss the music, gallery shows, public art, juried exhibition, and artists' market.

James Grashow's Currogated Fountain @ 709 Penn Gallery

2011-06-06T10:32:00.000-07:00

Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival, a program of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, presents the epic sculptural installation Corrugated Fountain by East Coast artist James Grashow at the Trust’s 709 Penn Gallery. James Grashow’s ambitious, large-scale work recalls the Trevi Fountain in Rome. Steeped in classical mythology, the room-sized installation fills 709 penn Gallery with a mammoth sculpture of Neptune, Tritons, rocks, waves, fish and dolphins. As homage to the achievements of classical and baroque artistry, Grashow uses his signature cardboard material to breathe playful new light into old stone. Three years in the making, Corrugated Fountain is James Grashow’s most ambitious work to date.

PAN—Fin de Siècle Prints: Art Nouveau on Paper at the Frick Art & Historical Center

2011-05-27T19:59:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we went to see PAN—Fin deSiècle Prints: Art Nouveau on Paper at the Frick in Point Breeze. PAN was a periodical devoted to art and culture, published in Berlin at the end of the 19th century. It is considered the first 20th century arts magazine, and featured graphic prints created by many remarkable artists including Beardsley, Kollwitz, Rodin, and Lautrec.

My favorite print in the exhibit was this soft ground etching by Charles Maurin published in PAN vol. 1.

Charles Maurin, Mother and Child, 1896

The description of this image in the gallery informs us that Talouse-Lautrec had one show in a commercial gallery in his lifetime, and it was a 2-man show with Maurin. Maurin is largely forgotten today, but he was known for his draftsmanship and depiction of daily life in Paris, including domestic scenes such as this tender image.

PAN—Fin deSiècle Prints: Art Nouveau on Paper will be on exhibit at the Frick Art and Historical Center until Sept. 11, 2011.

Another great review of Paper Streets!

2011-05-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

Another great review of Bovey Lee's solo show at 709 Penn Gallery, Paper Streets! This one is by Kurt Shaw, art critic for the Tribune Review:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ae/s_737030.html

Review of Paper Streets

2011-05-11T09:47:00.000-07:00

In today's paper, Mary Thomas, art critic for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, wrote a wonderful review of Bovey Lee's solo exhibit at 709 Penn Gallery, Paper Streets.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11131/1145549-437.stm

2011 Handmade Arcade

2011-04-16T21:19:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to all involved in Handmade Arcade today! It was so great - the best one yet!!

Check out the crafters and their web sites through the HMA web site, here: http://www.handmadearcade.com/pages/application-2

Paper Streets: Cut Paper Installations by Bovey Lee opens Friday!

2011-04-09T10:18:00.000-07:00

Paper Streets: Cut Paper Installations by Bovey Lee opens this Friday, April 15, at 709 Penn Gallery! (Opening reception 6-8pm, 709 Penn Avenue, in the heart of Pittsburgh's Cultural District)

To commemorate her 10th anniversary as a Pittsburgh resident, "Paper Streets" is a solo exhibition of new installations based on Bovey Lee's visual cataloging of the city and its region's topographical complexity.

The exhibition title comes from the so-called paper streets that are plunging staircases and walkways on maps considered as valid streets in Pittsburgh.

Lee is an amazing local artist whose intricate and imaginative work has won her numerous awards, including the prestegious Pollock-Krasner award in recent years, and her work is exhibited internationally.

There was just an article about her work in the Huffington Post this past Thursday, featuring works she created in 2008-2009 that are relevant to Japan's current crisis. Check out the article and those works here: link

See you at the opening on Friday!

Idle @ 709 Penn Gallery closes Sunday

2011-03-31T17:42:00.000-07:00

Colin Noonan's solo show, Idle, closes on Sunday at 709 Penn Gallery.

Many of the subjects of Colin's portraits attended the opening party. It was fun matching them to their images. It actually felt a little like movie-star spotting, seeing the individuals Colin had cast in his paintings in real life...

Steve and Eva by Colin Noonan, oil on wood panel

(Steve also was the d.j. for the night, playing some really good vinyl.)

Ryan by Colin Noonan, oil on wood panel

(Ryan brought some amazing wings for the opening from the New Amsterdam.)

Evie and Amie by Colin Noonan, oil on wood panel

(Evie and Amie, beautiful twin sisters, work with Colin, the artist, at Coca Cafe - my favorite breakfast place in the Burgh. Here they are in front of their portrait with the artist himself!)

Colin is a seriously talented painter. If you haven't checked the show out yet, go before it closes on Sunday!

portrait

2011-03-04T06:07:00.001-08:00

Finished this painting at 12:02 last night! It's of Kate Little, former Curatorial Assistant at Wood Street Galleries. (Click above image to enlarge.)

Detail...

Sistine Chapel

2011-03-03T20:40:00.001-08:00

This web site shows a 360 degree view of the Sistine Chapel:

http://www.vatican.va/various/cappelle/sistina_vr/index.html

Idle opens at 709 Penn Gallery this Friday!

2011-02-28T13:18:00.001-08:00

Colin Noonan, Untitled, oil on canvas, 2011

Colin Noonan's solo show, Idle, opens at 709 Penn Gallery this Friday, March 4! Come to the opening reception, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

8 solo shows @ Pittsburgh Center for the Arts

2011-02-18T07:36:00.000-08:00

Collapse by Seth Clark (pictured above) is on display in his solo exhibit, Ruination, at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts.
Link to Seth Clark's web site: http://sethsclark.com/

There are 8 solo shows up now at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, and they are all well worth seeing! Together, they offer a broad scope of work from excellent local talents.

The exhibits are: Looking at Looking by Golan Levin (a Carnegie Mellon University professor); Motherlands by Heidi Bender; Ruination by Seth Clark; Midway by Aaron Henderson; The Space Between by Anna E. Mikolay; Rodin by Henry J Simonds; Pleasant Momentum by Ian Page; and Rare is the New Medium by Gerald Van Scyoc. The shows are up now through March 20.

"After the Sky Has Fallen" closes Sunday

2011-02-17T11:36:00.001-08:00

Jill Larson's solo exhibit, After the Sky has Fallen, closes on Sunday. Join the artist for a guided tour of Cultural District galleries on Sunday at 1pm, starting with her own exhibit at 709 Penn Gallery. http://communiteach.com/learnit.php?glid=124

And, here is a nice review of Jill Larson's show in The Pitt News! http://pittnews.com/newsstory/divorce-inspires-after-the-sky-has-fallen/

Sweetwater Center for the Arts

2011-02-06T11:31:00.000-08:00

Last night's artists' reception at Sweetwater Center for the Arts was fun. Being in a show of self-portraits is a unique experience -- Usually at a group show, you can detach yourself from your work a little, keep your anonymity, stand back, and observe people seeing your painting without them knowing you are the artist. The work is on display, but unlike with a performing art like theater or dance, you are usually not on display too -- Your work stands apart from you, hopefully fending for itself.

A show of self-portraits is a much more outgoing thing, because you are recognizable in your artwork. I was nervous at first, but it ended up being a great experience! Many people approached me about my painting, and I received a lot of positive feedback. I enjoyed meeting everyone - It was really fun putting myself out there like that!

Here is a nice review of the show in the Sewickley Patch. I was excited that my painting gets mentioned in it...

http://sewickley.patch.com/articles/sweetwater-art-show-exhibits-revealing-self-portraits

sketch

2011-01-23T18:23:00.000-08:00

Pencil on paper

Study of hands, after Del Sarto

I will be teaching a Beginning Drawing workshop at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Education Center (805-807 Liberty Ave.) on Saturday, Feb. 12.

For information: education@pgharts.org or 412-471-6079

portrait

2011-01-23T11:52:00.001-08:00

oil on canvas

This painting will be displayed in a juried self-portrait exhibition at the Sweetwater Center for the Arts in February. It is painted slightly larger than life.

After the Sky Has Fallen

2011-01-18T05:03:00.000-08:00

A few snap shots from Jill Larson's opening at 709 Penn Gallery--

(Jill Larson, Artist, 2nd from the left. Jonathan Chamberlain, Installation Assistant for After the Sky Has Fallen, far right,)

It was a fun opening to an excellent show!

Opening tonight at 709 Penn Gallery!

2011-01-14T09:01:00.000-08:00

After the Sky Has Fallen, a site-specific installation by Jill Larson, opens tonight!
Reception: Friday, January 14, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
709 Penn Gallery
(located at 709 Penn Avenue in the heart of Pittsburgh's Cultural District)

Yinzpiration

2011-01-11T04:49:00.000-08:00

Today I'll be featured on Yinzpiration, a blog created by Kate Showalter with the mission of interviewing 100 inspiring Pittsburhgers. I'm honored to be #9. Meeting Kate for coffee/ hot chocolate was a delight!

http://www.yinzpiration.com

(For my non-Pittsburgh readers - "Yinz" is the equivalent of "y'all" in Pittsburghese, and Kate has cleverly blended this word with "inspiration" for her blog.)

Etsy: A great place for holiday shopping!

2010-12-22T10:59:00.000-08:00

I challenged my dear friend Beastmomma to an Etsy throwdown this Christmas. The rules of the game - approximately $25, anything on Etsy, Go!

This is actually a tough challenge, because there are zillions of neat things on Etsy in this price range. I have chosen my gift for her, but I won't post it here because she's a reader. (Not that easily foiled, Beastmomma!)

While browsing Etsy.com, I came across something quite awesome (well beyond our $25 challenge) that I just have to show you...

It's a Wall Tentacle by ArtAKimbo from Redding, CT.

Link to the artist's blog: http://artakimbo.com/

Link to his shop on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtAkimbo?ref=seller_info

Link to the Wall Tentacle: http://www.etsy.com/listing/56638710/wall-tentacle

Review of Maria and Deanna's show at 709 Penn Gallery

2010-12-21T13:36:00.000-08:00

There is a very nice review of "The Forest Through the Trees" written by Kurt Shaw in the Pittbsurgh Tribune-Review!

Link to article:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ae/museums/s_713928.html

Trinity Gallery and Anne Lee

2010-12-18T15:50:00.000-08:00

Tell Us About the Party, watercolor and ink painting by Anne Lee

As part of their annual Holiday Show, Trinity Gallery in Lawrenceville is currently exhibiting the work of several artists. Trinity Gallery’s noble mission is to help establish unestablished artists, by offering opportunities for artists who have yet to show their work in a gallery, while keeping prices affordable to help inspire potential collectors to invest in art. It’s a great place to discover something new!

Anne Lee, whose work, “Tell Us About the Party,” is shown here, is one of Trinity Gallery’s success stories. Since 2008, when she had her first solo show at Trinity, Anne has honed her style and illustrated a children’s book called Old Abe, Eagle Hero by Patrick Young and published by KaneMiller. She has recently shown her work at Sirani Gallery, and was also accepted as a member of Pittsburgh Society of Artists for which she now serves as Treasurer on their board. Anne credits Trinity Gallery for launching her career as an artist, learning from Dan and Tina Gaser (the Gallery’s owners) about preparing pieces for a show, marketing a show, and the Pittsburgh art community.

Anne says she can’t help but think of Dan and Tina of Trinity gallery as her mentors, people she would turn to for advice or criticism. “I was working like crazy to create and frame pieces, and I ended up with a beautiful portfolio of work, a website, and validation that my work was meaningful and beautiful to people. I began sending submissions to publishers, and in 2009 finally heard back from KaneMiller. They had seen a painting (of Lawrenceville) on my website and felt like it was the right style and color scheme for a non-fiction picture book of the Civil War. A year and half later, Old Abe is out on bookstore shelves.”

While at Trinity, you’ll also enjoy gallery co-owner Dan Gaser’s own black and white photographs, many of which are of Pittsburgh. He manages to capture the poetry of the city in his images.

New portrait

2010-11-17T08:38:00.000-08:00

The Forest Through The Trees (cntd.)

2010-11-14T19:14:00.001-08:00

Some photos from last week's opening at 709 Penn Gallery, The Forest Through The Trees by Deanna Mance and Maria Mangano...

Artists Maria Mangano and Deanna Mance

The Forest Through The Trees

2010-11-04T08:08:00.001-07:00

Postcard image for The Forest Through The Trees by Deanna Mance and Maria Mangano (above)

The Forest Through The Trees, featuring works by Deanna Mance and Maria Mangano, opens tomorrow, November 5, at 709 Penn Gallery! The opening reception is from 6-8pm.

In The Forest Through The Trees, the two Best in Show winners of the 2010 Three Rivers Arts Festival collaborate to explore themes of chaos and order, systems and searching, nature and humanity.

Julia Margaret Cameron at the Frick

2010-11-02T15:05:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we went to the Frick Art and Historical Center to see the exhibit For my best beloved sister Mia: An Album of Photographs by Julia Margaret Cameron. Julia Margaret Cameron is one of my favorite historical photographers. Her work epitomizes Victorian portrait photography, often with allegorical themes.

The exhibit showcases the album that Cameron assembled with her sister, Maria “Mia” Jackson, consisting mainly of portraits of family, friends, and neighbors, including Alfred Lord Tennyson.

The Modern Woman

2010-10-29T18:21:00.000-07:00

Portrait of Mrs. Grace Dalrymple Elliot by Thomas Gainsborough

Last weekend, we journeyed to see Thomas Gainsborough and the Modern Woman at the Cincinnati Museum of Art, a truly wonderful museum.

The Modern Woman featured sixteen of Gainsborough's portraits depicting renowned society women of eighteenth century Britain, most of which were life-sized and full -length, wearing finely detailed, glamorous gowns in rich, silken fabrics. Some were posed in scenes of nature, reminding us of Gainsborough's famed identity - that of a highly acclaimed landscape painter.

Loot from PIX!

2010-10-29T13:45:00.000-07:00

With a tardy follow-up to my last post...

While at the Indy Comic Expo, we went on a little shopping spree of locally made, independent comics. One treasure we came away with was a piece of original comic book art from Pittsburgh comic book illustrator, Ed Piskor. Piskor gained fame for his illustrations for Harvey Pekar’s American Splendor: Our Movie Year, and he lives right here in the Burgh!

The illustration we bought is from Wizziwig, his latest series creation and self-publication. You can check out Wizzywig here: http://www.wizzywigcomics.com/

We also bought a bunch of local comics by other writers and artists, and another awesome poster from Mike Budai to add to our collection. It was a super fun day!

PIX: Pittsburgh Indy Comic Expo this weekend!

2010-10-15T18:36:00.000-07:00

PIX is Pittsburgh’s first ever exposition devoted solely to creator-owned, self-published, small- press, and handmade comics. Admission is free and the event is open to the public. PIX will be held at the newly refurbished 17,000 square foot top floor of the Guardian Storage facility located at 2839 Liberty Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Strip District, just outside of downtown. PIX will run from 10:00am to 5:00pm on both Saturday and Sunday. The event is organized by Copacetic Comics and presented by the Toonseum. Can't wait!

Big Momma

2010-10-15T17:59:00.000-07:00

At the Pittsburgh Zoo, we saw this giant aluminum praying mantis by Don Jones called Big Momma.

Don also builds the wonderful toy train display with the ginger bread houses at PPG Winter Gardens for the holidays, a project he started himself which is now a Pittsburgh holiday tradition. He also creates robots out of kitchen utensils, oil cans, and other found objects.

Pittsburgh Sketch Crawl

2010-10-06T14:10:00.000-07:00

Don't miss the Pittsburgh Sketch Crawl this Saturday, October 9!

It's a 6 hour drawing marathon (10am - 4pm) in some of Downtown's scenic plazas, and it's free to participate. Bring a sketch book and preferred art supplies.

SCHEDULE:

10:00 a.m. – Registration at Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Education Center (805-807 Liberty Avenue)

10:15 a.m.– 11:30 a.m. - Katz Plaza / Magnolia Tree Sculptures

11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. - Arch (Robot Sculpture) / the Seventh Steet Bridge from the River Walk

1:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. - Market Square

3:00 – 4:00 p.m. - Free Draw! Recommended Location: Mellon Plaza

Watercolor by Courtney Mead

portrait

2010-09-21T08:12:00.000-07:00

This oil painting of Tara Gainfort and two more of my portraits are now on display in the back gallery at Box Heart Gallery in Bloomfield, up through Oct. 2.

Nature in Glass @ 709 Penn Gallery

2010-09-13T17:12:00.001-07:00

Here are some snap-shots from Nature in Glass at 709 Penn Gallery:

Totems, glass "stones" stacked on raw wood bases.

The artist, Gary Guydosh, with his beautiful, giant glass lily.

Gary with his joyous, giant glass sunflower. The stem and roots are steel.

Nature in Glass: Gary Guydosh

2010-09-07T09:54:00.000-07:00

Gary Guydosh, Leggy Birds, glass and steel

Nature In Glass, a solo exhibit by artist Gary Guydosh, opens on Friday at 709 Penn Gallery.

Opening reception 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Flowers and other nature-inspired pieces are sculpted larger than life to create a landscape of fragile beauty.

709 Penn Gallery
September 10 – October 24, 2010
709 Penn Avenue, in the heart of the Cultural District

Gallery Hours:
Wednesday - Thursday (11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.)
Friday - Saturday (11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.)
Sunday (11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)

Presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Department of Education and Community Engagement. Visit pgharts.org or call 412-456-6666 for more information.

Artist's web site: http://www.gallerygglass.com/Index.html

portrait

2010-08-26T04:55:00.000-07:00

Portrait of Heather, 2010

oil on panel

(click image to enlarge)

Alternate Histories: Pittsburgh

2010-08-15T08:37:00.001-07:00

Unusual Happenstance by Matthew Buchholz

Yesterday we dropped into Wild Card to see Alternate Histories: Pittsburgh, a show featuring replicas of old posters, engravings, and historical photographs of Pittsburgh that have been doctored by artist/filmmaker Matthew Buchholz to include sea creatures, monsters, flying saucers, and other touches of science fiction. The combined images are seamless and clever.

We bought several posters. One called "Unusual Happenstance" is a map of Pittsburgh & Allegheny when they were two cities side by side, and a Godzilla monster roves in the distant cityscape. Another is of a flying saucer hovering over a now unrecognizable Fifth Avenue in the late 1800s, with horse-drawn carriages in the street. The third poster we bought is of a 1902 map of Pittsburgh with a sea monster's tentacles rising up from the Monongahela River, clutching a steamboat.

Read Marylnne Pitz's review of the show in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette here:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10224/1079285-437.stm

Kathryn Carr's Scherenschnitte

2010-08-09T19:10:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we went to the I Made It! Market Mini @ Bike Pittsburgh Bike Fest and Swap.

I Made It! Market, organized by creative event planner Carrie Nardini, is a nomadic craft fair that takes place several times a year in various venues around the Burgh. Saturday's bike-themed mini market was in the most unusual place yet -- the empty Leslie Park Pool!

Somewhere above the deep end, I visited Kathryn Carr's booth and I was totally captivated by her beautiful paper cuttings. I bought several cards from her. I just love her work!

Kathryn's paper cuttings, or "scherenschnitte" (German for scissor cuts), are so charming and beautifully designed...

When I got home, I checked out Kathryn's web site, and I was delighted to discover her "little films" as well!

Kathryn Carr's art is available through her web site, http://www.gocarrgo.com/index.html, and at Wild Card in Lawrenceville.

Edvard Munch: Master Prints

2010-08-06T12:30:00.000-07:00

While in Washington, D.C. last weekend, we went to the National Gallery of Art, one of my favorite museums in the world. In the East Wing, we saw Edvard Munch: Master Prints. It was a small but wonderful exhibit of lithography, woodcut, and intaglio prints.

The exhibit included series that were variations pulled from the same plates. It was very interesting to see each image transform from print to print within a series. While each image changed in color, density, and technique, a somber mood permeated them all.

The exhibit will be up until October 31, 2010.

Kurt Shaw reviews Tar Baby Jane and DooWop

2010-08-05T10:34:00.000-07:00

Art critic for the Tribune Review, Kurt Shaw, wrote an excellent review of Vanessa German's solo show at 709 Penn Gallery, Tar Baby Jane and DooWop: Everything Useful for Your Modern Household. The article includes many insightful quotes from the artist herself-- absolutely inspiring!

Link to the article:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ae/museums/s_693412.html

Smithsonian American Art Museum

2010-08-04T08:54:00.000-07:00

The last time I had been to the Smithsonian American Art Museum, I had a group of students with me. We explored more of the folk art, unique crafts, and unusual sculptures such as Larry Fuente's Game Fish made from children's toys and game pieces.

Game Fish by Larry Fuente, 1988, Smithsonian American Art Museum

Among the most unusual art in the museum's collection is James Hampton's spectacular assemblage The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations' Millennium General Assembly. Interesting story - James Hampton was a janitor who created his assemblage in secret, working in a rented garage. He added to it every night over 14 years using discarded materials, mainly shiny pieces of foil. It was intended to become the centerpiece for a storefront ministry the artist hoped to open. The owner of the garage discovered Hampton's work after he had died. Imagine the garage owner's amazement when he opened the door and discovered this...

Telling Stories

2010-08-02T06:33:00.000-07:00

Norman Rockwell, Shadow Artist, oil on canvas, 1920 - Collection of George Lucas

Saturday in Washington, D.C., we went to see Telling Stories: Norman Rockwell from the Collections of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg at the American Art Museum. It was an amazing exhibit!

Along with the exhibit, there was a film in which filmmakers Spielberg and Lucas talked about their fondness for Rockwell, their collections, and the influence Rockwell has had on them personally. There are several scenes in Spielberg's movies that are derived directly from Rockwell's paintings. Toward the beginning of Empire of the Sun, Jim's parents tuck him into bed, and the scene is composed like Rockwell's Freedom From Fear. The scene is a moment that Jim would long for when he becomes separated from his parents in Shanghai during WWII and finds himself interned at the Longhua Civilian Assembly Center. He carries this image with him.

Norman Rockwell, Freedom From Fear, oil on canvas, 1943

Rockwell's paintings often inspire a happiness to long for, or optimism that can tug at the heart-strings, making you want to smile or even cry. He was masterful at telling a story in a single image, so it is no wonder that movie-makers Spielberg and Lucas found inspiration in his work.

This exhibit was quite larger than I had expected, with many popular paintings as well as impressive, full-scale drawings that informed us of his meticulous process.

Check out the exhibit on-line. Click "View the Slide Show" here:
http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/online/tellingstories/

But go see the show in person for full impact. The paintings and drawings are large and wonderful. He was an expert painter and his use of color is terrific. It's an exhibit I'll remember for a long, long time.

New web site

2010-07-29T04:43:00.001-07:00

I created a web site for my latest paintings.

I used i-web and kept it simple. I will keep adding new things to it as I go along. Here is the link!

Once you get there, click Play Slideshow.

www.sonjasweterlitsch.com

Now at Boxheart!

2010-07-28T06:22:00.000-07:00

This painting of mine is now available through Boxheart Gallery!

Detail-

Boxheart Gallery

4523 Liberty Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA

P: 412-687-8858

boxheartexpress@earthlink.net

Pittsburgh Art in Public Places: Downtown Walking Tour

2010-07-26T08:30:00.001-07:00

I picked up a neat little publication by Pittsburgh's Office of Public Art, a book that highlights Pittsburgh's public art and noteworthy architecture all mapped out for walking tours. It is a perfect companion for artful sight seeing around the Burgh.

Meant to be taken with you on your journey, the little 6 inch high book is filled with colorful pictures and brief but informative descriptions of each sight. Free copies can be downloaded at http://www.publicartpittsburgh.org/

Associated Artists of Pittsburgh @ Carnegie Museum of Art

2010-07-24T10:29:00.001-07:00

The Associated Artists of Pittsburgh's 100th Anniversary Exhibition opened yesterday at the Carnegie Museum of Art. It is an elegant showcase of exciting work by local artists.

There is a catalog which accompanies the exhibit that is so well produced, I was surprised that it was free. Certainly a lot of care went into this exhibit, making their centennial a special celebration.

Check out the award winners here:

http://www.aapgh.org/pages/exhibition-awards

Fiberart International

2010-07-14T07:07:00.000-07:00

Indian Summer by Jóh Ricci, United States (PA)

The Fiberart International, organized by the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh, inc., is a must-see exhibit. It is shared between two venues - Society for Contemporary Craft and the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts - and it lasts through August 22.

Check out the on-line catalog of works here:

http://fiberartinternational.org/exhibits

And see more of Jóh Ricci's beautiful work here:

http://johricci.embarqspace.com/

Gallery Crawl this Friday!

2010-07-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District this Friday!!
Click here for a full list of events: http://www.pgharts.org/education/gallerycrawl.aspx

The footprint is expanding to include the D.H. Lawrence Convention Center. Handmade Arcade will be there making these cute totes with a special design label screen-printed by hand.

Vanessa German's solo show @ 709 Penn Gallery

2010-07-12T14:58:00.000-07:00

Some photos from Tar Baby Jane and Doo-Wop: Everything Useful for Your Modern Household, Vanessa German's solo exhibit at 709 Penn Gallery...

Tar Baby Jane and Doo-Wop

2010-07-06T07:43:00.000-07:00

Vanessa German, Crisco for Cakes Frying Pastry, mixed media, 2010 (above image)

Tar Baby Jane and Doo-Wop:

Everything Useful for Your Modern Household

Installation and performance by Vanessa German

709 Penn Gallery
July 9 - August 30, 2010

Opening reception: Friday, July 9, 2010 (6:00-8:00 p.m.)

In Tar Baby Jane and Doo-Wop: Everything Useful for Your Modern Household, Vanessa German creates a historical fantasy, an imagined storefront of art objects that seem to have existed long ago. While the sculptures are “useful” with an implied function for the home, each has a spirit beyond its purpose.

The installation provokes thoughts about our interaction with the material world, what we use and how we use it, and the history within objects that have performed tasks through their use over time, as experience.

Describing the inspiration behind Tar Baby Jane and Doo-Wop, Vanessa German said:
“I am very interested in old things, specifically old domestic objects – the items my grandmothers and their mothers would have used to make a life and a world for the people around them, from tools to utensils, to the advertising ware of these things. I am imagining that there are stories in these items, that these stories remain present, in the skin of the objects. I think, Who used this item and why? What were they thinking and feeling while using it?

What stories are in the object? What history is in the object? Does the object do the obvious-stated thing in the clear and obvious way? Or, does it also work in a spiritual way? I imagine that these objects are the power objects of my life and imagination – that they are imbued with levels of purpose and intention – doing the stated useful thing and infinitely more.”

Vanessa German is a nationally recognized Pittsburgh-based multi-disciplinary artist, well known as a sculptor, photographer, performance artist and poet. Tar Baby Jane and Doo-Wop: Everything Useful for Your Modern Household, presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Dept. of Education and Community Engagement, opens on Friday.

Fine Lines

2010-06-20T12:32:00.000-07:00

Drawing by Deanna Mance (above)

Wren, Intaglio print by Maria Mangano (above)

Two local Pittsburgh artists won the two Best in Show awards (one per weekend) in this year's Three Rivers Arts Festival's Artist Market. Both were Emerging Artist Scholarship winners, and this was their first time participating in the arts festival.

Deanna Mance won for her imaginative drawings inspired by the mechanics and inner workings of nature, and Maria Mangano won for her intricate intaglio prints, inspired by nature's little critters (primarily birds and insects).

See more of their work on their web sites:

Deanna Mance: http://deannamance.com/

Maria Mangano: http://avesmaria.blogspot.com/

Claudia Hart

2010-06-18T19:23:00.000-07:00

Claudia Hart: Empire at Wood Street Galleries closes on Sunday.

The exhibit includes "Empire", a 10-minute animation installation inspired by Thomas Cole's "Course of Empire," during which the light slowly shifts across a virtual monument from sunrise to sunset.

The exhibit also includes an animation of a drowned Ophelia, and a black and white semi-abstract animation of a dreaming woman called "Dream". My favorite is an animation called "The Seasons" in which a seated figure of a woman, plaster white, is engulfed in a flowering rose vine that slowly blooms and withers.

I found this exhibit to be overwhelmingly beautiful, both feminine and romantic.

See more of the artist's work on her web site, here:
http://www.claudiahart.com/

Three Rivers Arts Festival

2010-05-28T09:34:00.000-07:00

Waking Up to the Arts by Stephen Haynes, grand prize poster contest winner for the 51st Three Rivers Arts Festival (above)

The Three Rivers Arts Festival starts 1 week from today on Friday, June 4! The Festival will feature hundreds of artists with work for sale, music every afternoon and night, gallery exhibits, special performances, and more.

Opening night, there will be celebrations at galleries throughout the Cutural District (Liberty and Penn Avenues, Downtown) from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. including pretty amazing art exhibits that will be on view just for the Festival!

To take it all in, I recommend the following schedule for Day 1: Start early in the Artists Market in Gateway Plaza and Point State Park to get first dibs on what the artists bring. (Note -Artists' booths open at noon.) Then at 4pm, treat the evening as you would a gallery crawl in the Cultural District to see all the special exhibits and some special performances. Have a drink and enjoy a little music at Katz Plaza between gallery stops. Then, head down to Point State Park to have your once-a-year funnel cake while enjoying the concert in the park that night!

Visit the arts festival's web site for a complete listing of events! http://www.artsfestival.net/

Remembering John Metzler

2010-05-18T08:41:00.000-07:00

John Metzler was both an inspiring artist and an inspiring person. He was the founder of Urban Tree Forge, President of the Pittsburgh Society of Sculptors, and an incredibly gifted sculptor. He was a friend to many artists and a leader in Pittsburgh's creative community. He found inspiration in trees, and loved sharing his passion with others.

John used salvaged wood from downed trees from Pittsburgh's urban forest to create stunning artworks and beautiful, functional furniture. Just a couple of weeks ago, the Post-Gazette wrote a lovely feature article about John's work.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10122/1054556-437.stm

The Pittsburgh Art Blog features a very touching tribute to John with images contributed by his friends and loved ones.
http://pittsburghgalleries.blogspot.com/2010/05/in-memory-of-pittsburgh-artist-john.html

John was an inspiring force in Pittsburgh's artistic community, and I am grateful to have worked with him on several different projects over the past five months. I enjoyed working with him very much because of his kindness, humor, and gentle spirit. He was a truly wonderful individual -enthusiastic, humble, hard-working, creative, and always positive and friendly. I feel so sad for his friends, family and those who loved him, but I know his memory will live on. He leaves a legacy through his example and through his beautiful work.

some discoveries of beautiful books:

2010-05-13T07:12:00.000-07:00

Lost Crafts by Una McGovern

Print & Pattern: Bowie Style - collected from this awesome blog: http://printpattern.blogspot.com/

Swoon: Artist Cadelonia Curry

100 Contemporary Artists A-Z (Taschen 25 Anniversary)

Natural Fashion: Tribal Decoration from Africa by Hans Silvester

Moscow and St. Petersburg 1900-1920: Art, Life, & Culture of the Russian Silver Age by John E. Bowlt

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: Photographs by Abelardo Morell

2010-05-05T10:04:00.000-07:00

Abelardo Morell, The loveliest garden you ever saw, 1998, printed later (above)

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: Photographs by Abelardo Morell, a premiere exhibit for the Three Rivers Arts Festival organized by the Silver Eye Center for Photography, opens this Friday at 709 Penn Gallery. A reception is scheduled for June 4, for the kick-off of the Three Rivers Arts Festival.

From Betty Boop to James Joyce, Salvador Dali and Tim Burton, Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland novels have inspired more than a century of literature, music, film, fashion, art, photography and much more. Renowned photographer Abelardo Morell has reimagined Alice in Wonderland by combining cutouts of Sir John Tenniel's classic illustrations for the book’s original edition in 1865, with his own ingenious photographs that comment cleverly on the text. Morell’s work brims with a wit, delight and imagination that Carroll himself, a pioneer photographer, would have relished.

Organized by the Silver Eye Center for Photography; Presented by the Three Rivers Arts Festival and The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Department of Education and Community Engagement

May 7 – June 25
Reception/ Three Rivers Arts Festival Opening Party in the Cultural District: June 4 (4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.)

Georgia O'Keefe

2010-04-28T17:58:00.001-07:00

Blue and Green Music, 1921, painting by Georgia O'Keeffe

It is always a wonderful thing to find that the written words of an artist you admire offer a similar depth and understanding as their art. Vincent van Gogh and Georgia O'Keeffe are my top 2 such artists. Here are some inspiring quotes from Georgia O'Keefe:

"I've been absolutely terrified every moment of my life - and I've never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do."

"Nobody sees a flower really; it is so small. We haven't time, and to see takes time - like to have a friend takes time."

"To create one's world in any of the arts takes courage."

Women Painting Women

2010-04-18T17:22:00.000-07:00

My sister sent me a link to a fascinating art blog by Sadie Valeri, Diane Feissel and Alia El-Bermani called Women Painting Women. The site features figurative paintings of women by women artists, with links to each artist's own web site.

Link: http://womenpaintingwomen.blogspot.com/

Off the Page: The Comic Book and Game Art of Christopher Moeller

2010-04-15T18:30:00.001-07:00

Following up on my earlier post about Christopher Moeller's show at 709 Penn Gallery, the show received a great review from Chuck Lanigan in this week's City Paper! He talks about the power of fantasy and imagination in a personal way.

Link: http://www.inpgh.com/

Escape Pgh - Miller Gallery

2010-04-11T16:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning we went to see the Carnegie Mellon 2010 MFA Thesis Exhibition, Escape Pgh, at the Regina Miller Gallery in the Purnell Center for the Arts at Carnegie Mellon University. It is an impressive exhibit of six MFA graduates - Brian Brown, Amanda Long, Leslie McAhren, Gian Carlos Silva de Jesus, Jonathan Trueblood, and Derk Wolmuth.

I liked it all, but what resonated with me most were Brian Brown's large-scale painted collages of narrative imagery.

In the printed program, Brown says, "When I start a painting, I start with a scene in mind that I don't want to forget. I start the telling, and the painting - like a good lie - ceases to make sense really, but maybe I'm holding your attention with charismatic confidence and bright colors."

He's got our attention. Here is a link to his flikr site: Link

To Grow, painting by Joshua Hogan

2010-04-09T12:07:00.000-07:00

To Grow, oil on canvas by Joshua Hogan

I am so excitedly happy to have this beautiful abstract painting by renowned artist Joshua Hogan now hanging in my home!

You can see more of his work on his web site, here:

http://www.joshuahogan.com/

What is real?

2010-04-06T20:34:00.000-07:00

Springtime in Pittsburgh! Be sure to see Tony Tasset’s sculpture installation Magnolias for Pittsburgh now while the surrounding trees are in full bloom!

Here are ten photos for out-of-towners to enjoy. Click the images to enlarge.

Here is a link to a photo I took of the magnolia tree sculptures in winter, in case you’re wondering what is real and what is art! Link

Spring Salon @ Modern Formations

2010-04-05T10:12:00.000-07:00

(Photo of a section of the Spring Salon from Modern Formations' web site)

Friday night we went to Unblurred, a coordinated open-house for art galleries in a Pittsburgh neighborhood called Friendship that takes place on the first Friday of every month. It was a nice evening to be outside, walking from art spot to art spot.

At Modern Formations Gallery, they were having their annual Spring Salon. It's a fun show that lets the visitor be the juror. They display all the entries and let the audience vote on their favorite to win a future solo exhibition at the gallery. It is a wonderful opportunity to see a lot of different artists' work and discover new talent.

Abandoned VI by Seth Clark

Here is a link to the web site of an artist from the show that I was quite impressed with whom I've never met and whose work I had never seen before... Seth Clark. His use of collage just adds texture and points of interest, and is very well integrated with his drawings... http://sethsclark.com/index.php

Abandoned III and Abandoned VI, mixed media images of abandoned homes, are the two pieces he has in the Spring Salon. I really like them.

James D. Adams @ Mendelson Gallery

2010-04-03T14:01:00.000-07:00

At Mendelson Gallery in Shadyside, there is a solo show by James Douglas Adams. When I was a college student, I was his intern for a semester. I assisted him in his Squirrel Hill home-studio while he was working as a portraitist. I was surprised to discover that his style has changed significantly since then. Now he is creating stylized paintings and drawings in black-and-white, blending cinema with personal reflection.

Here is a link to a thoughtful review of the exhibit written by Kurt Shaw, art critic. It includes pictures from the exhibit:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ae/museums/s_672383.html

Afghan Girl

2010-03-31T08:10:00.000-07:00

"Afghan Girl", portrait of Sharbat Gula, on the cover of National Geographic, June 1985

Last weekend, we finally saw the Steve McCurry show at the Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography in Canton, OH. We saw his memorable portrait, “Afghan Girl”, which has been widely published and has been determined to be National Geographic’s most recognizable cover.

The image is familiar, those intense, haunting, multi-colored eyes. What deepened the impact of seeing this portrait, however, was it’s partner image of the same girl 17 years later, a woman aged beyond her years by an extremely difficult life, never knowing she was the subject of one of the most famous photographic portraits.

Here is a link to the whole story, and her newer portrait, the second time she had ever been photographed in her life:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2002/04/afghan-girl/index-text

Cluster @ PCA

2010-03-24T17:58:00.000-07:00

This Sunday is the last day of Cluster, an exhibit curated by Adam Welch at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts.

I finally checked out the exhibit last weekend. I worked at the PCA for a number of years, and it feels great to go back and see the Center looking so good. This is truly an elegantly curated show with thought-provoking works of art.

David Pohl’s Ganesh created directly on the wall using a Spirograph reminded me of using a Spirograph as a kid with my sister. We used to love those things, but if you try and go too fast with them and press too hard, your pen jumps the grooves and messes it up... I did that a lot. David Pohl’s swirls are perfect though, and the image of the Hindu deity that the swirls come together to form is quite awesome.

Also loved Will Giannotti’s wood canon-like sculpture in the main gallery.

Jason Lee’s synthetic landscape installation is super slick, and Kyle Houser’s stoneware forms with decals of poppies on thickly dripping, milk white glaze, offer contemporary takes on the traditional landscape.

I didn’t mention everything, but it’s all good. If you haven’t seen it yet, go.

The Unguarded Moment @ Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography

2010-03-10T19:39:00.000-08:00

Book cover for Steve McCurry: The Unguarded Moment, published by Phaidon

A few years ago, a photographer friend of mine, Danelle Doty, showed me a beautiful little book called Portraits, a collection of faces from around the world taken by National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry. Since then, I acquired my own copy of the book.

Now, at the Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography in Canton, Ohio, there is an exhibit of McCurry's work called The Unguarded Moment. (These images are also collected into a book.) I look forward to seeing the exhibit in person at the end of this month!

Off the Page: The Comic Book and Game Art of Christopher Moeller

2010-02-27T20:04:00.000-08:00

709 Penn Gallery

Opening Reception: Friday, March 5th 6-9 pm

About the Artist: Christopher Moeller of Mt. Lebanon, PA, is a writer and painter specializing in fully-painted graphic novels. Moeller's signature creation is the Iron Empires science-fiction universe, comprising two fully-painted graphic novels Faith Conquers and Sheva's War published by Dark Horse Books, a short story in Dark Horse Presents, and a second in the anthology Negative Burn. An Iron Empires role-playing game called Burning Empires was published in 2006. Moeller has also written and illustrated two graphic novels featuring the Justice League of America (JLA) for DC Comics.

Christopher Moeller tells stories of crisis and resolution, struggle and redemption, using acrylic paint and a simple assortment of brushes. This solo exhibition features a selection of his original work.

Artist's Website: www.moellerillustrations.com/

709 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh

Gallery Hours:

Wednesday-Thursday 11am-6pm
Friday-Saturday 11am-8pm
Sunday 11am-5pm (free on street parking)

Show dates: March 5 - April 25

Presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Dept. of Education and Community Engagement

gorgeously filmed

2010-02-26T20:14:00.000-08:00

These opening credits for the movie The Fall are beautiful and artful.

(Note-- The rest of the movie is not filmed like this.)

Watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhARR-zmTCE&feature=related

Civil Rights Superheroes at the ToonSeum

2010-02-17T16:24:00.000-08:00

Today I checked out Civil Rights Superheroes at the ToonSeum on Liberty Avenue (Downtown Pittsburgh). The exhibit features the Montgomery Story, a rare comic book from 1958 that condemned racism and encouraged social change by depicting the stories of "everyday superheroes", the main character being Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. At the time, it was distributed underground by churches, labor unions and civic organizations in order to teach about non-violent resistance and help further the civil rights movement. It still speaks to readers on a very human level and is very inspirational!

Louise Bourgeois' eye benches

2010-02-16T19:37:00.000-08:00

I love the way these granite benches resembling eyes by artist Louise Bourgeois look now in Katz Plaza in downtown Pittsburgh. They really seem to peer up out of the snow!

portrait

2010-02-09T18:07:00.001-08:00

Portrait of Toby, 2010

Oil on wood

(Click image to enlarge.)

2 local art institutions revisit art from 1934

2010-02-03T13:22:00.000-08:00

1934... The Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and war in Europe. This was also the year that Frankin Roosevelt's administration established the Public Works of Art Project. (Remember the movie "The Cradle Will Rock" about the similar Federal Theater Project, set around this time?) This month, both the Frick Art and Historical Center and the Westmoreland Museum of Art are exhibiting art created in 1934. The Frick has a traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Westmoreland will have an exhibit from the private collection of Jason Schoen.

The Public Works of Art Program was the first federal government program to support the arts nationally. The program payed artists to embellish public buildings and maintain America's spirit in a difficult time through their work.

Link to a slide show of works from the exhibit at the Frick, 1934: A New Deal for Artists:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/americanartmuseum/sets/72157613558866320/show/

Janine Antoni

2010-01-28T08:18:00.000-08:00

In the mail the other day, I received the schedule for upcoming Art Lectures at Carnegie Mellon Univertsity. These are free and open to the public.

I was excited to see that Janine Antoni will be coming to give a lecture. The first time I learned of her was while I was a student at CMU, when I saw a photograph of her painting with her hair.

This photograph of Janine Antoni painting with her hair inspired a silly little fantasy of mine that when I’d grow old, I’d have a studio in the mountains somewhere. I’d wear big smock dresses with tubes of paint in the pockets. I’d wear my hair (which I’d imagine would be long and silver like Georgia O'Keeffe's) in a braid, and I’d use the tip of my braid as a paint brush and paint landscapes. I have no idea why this was something I’d aspire to do, but remembering this fantasy, there is still something alluring about that idea!

The next time I came across the art of Janine Antoni was at the Hirshhorn while I was teaching at the Smithsonian. There was an installation of two rows of busts facing each other, all self-portraits of Janine. In one row, the busts were creamy white, and in the other, waxy brown. The white ones were cast in soap, and the brown ones were pure chocolate. Antoni is an artist who finds art in her artistic processes (painting with her hair for example), and this piece was also about a process, the title being two verbs: Lick and Lather. The busts had been worn down to various extents, some where the face was just a ghostly remnant. She had worn them down by licking the chocolate busts of her own face, and bathing with the soap self-portrait busts. Her art is often both performance art and sculpture, and she uses daily activities (such as eating and bathing) as another means to create art.

Janine Antoni's lecture at CMU will be on Tuesday, April 27, at 5pm in the Kresge Theatre, and it is free to attend.

Recamier

2010-01-26T13:40:00.000-08:00

This "couch" on display in the Carnegie Museum of Art's new exhibit of decorative art reminded me of this painting I saw a few months ago at the Louvre:

In drawing this connection, I learned some things, the first of which is the identity of the woman in this portrait by Jacques-Louis David (whose history paintings are a dominant presence in the Louvre). Her name was Jeanne Francoise Julie Adelaide Recamier.

Madame Recamier was considered to be the most beautiful woman in her day, and she influenced French art and literature. She was admired for her beauty, intelligence, kindness and graciousness, and was always surrounded by prominent geniuses who adored her good company. Here is an interesting short biography I found about her on-line: http://www.historyswomen.com/moregreatwomen/MadameRecamier.html

Now, the "Couch" as it is titled at the Carnegie Museum of Art: This is a chaise lounge, but is also described as a neoclassical "recamier" -- which is the woman's name in the David painting! (This particular neoclassical recamier was made in America in 1825.)

Link to detailed description of this couch from the Carnegie's web site:
http://www.cmoa.org/searchcollections/details.aspx?item=1006639

Gallery Crawl

2010-01-22T12:33:00.000-08:00

Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District-- Tonight!
http://www.pgharts.org/education/gallerycrawl.aspx

Decorative Arts at the Carnegie Museum of Art

2010-01-19T08:05:00.000-08:00

We finally went to see the Ailsa Mellon Bruce Galleries at the Carnegie Musuem of Art, which had its grand reopening at the end of November after being rennovated to highlight 500 objects from the museum's decorative arts and design collection. It is a beautiful rennovation that greatly enhances the experience of visiting the museum. The exhibit explores the evolution of style and design in the Western World from the mid 18th-century to the present, highlighting decorative arts of Western Pennsylvania.

Adam Welch's show at 709

2010-01-14T07:50:00.000-08:00

As a follow-up to my previous post about Adam Welch's solo show at 709 Gallery, art critic Kurt Shaw just gave it a smashing review in the Trib. Pretty awesome! I'm certainly enjoying my new role as curator of 709, and delighting in Adam's success!

Adam Welch's solo show @ 709 Penn Gallery opens this Friday!

2010-01-05T09:48:00.001-08:00

Adam Welch, Finding Order(detail)
Mixed media on projection screen, fluorescent lights
86" x 90" x 10"

In A Few Objects - On a Theme of Contradiction, which opens this Friday evening at 709 Penn Gallery, artist Adam Welch presents a range of works involving sculpture, painting and drawing composed with the artist’s reoccurring themes of paradox, solipsism, and contradiction. These pieces make play of theoretical information and implicit contradictions in the constructs developed to better understand our existence.

Welch has exhibited in juried group and solo shows as well as in alternative and experimental spaces since 1998. He is the 2009 Individual Artists Fellowship in Instillation/Sculpture recipient from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and was awarded the 2008 Emerging Artist of the Year by the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. His work has been shown regionally and internationally. This is his first solo exhibit in Pittsburgh’s Cultural District.

Artist's Reception on Friday, January 8th from 6-9 pm
January 8 - February 19, 2010
Tickets: Free