oranje

A couple weeks ago, I did a brief tour downtown of some of the visual arts venues. Well, as a follow-up, I swung through downtown for the January Gallery Crawl on Friday to catch some of the things that I missed and see the new exhibits. My first stop was Resolutions, curated by Urban Tree Forge and moxie DaDA.

Unfortunately, the gallery crawl was the closing reception for the exhibit. But I did want to point out that Gabe Felice had several small works in the show. Not the ones pictured above. The venue was entirely too packed to really get a shot. These were indicative of what was at the venue though. What I’ve seen of his work seems to be in this really small scale. Gabe Felice shows pretty regularly, so I’m sure you’ll have an opportunity to see it out there in Pittsburgh.

Urban Tree Forge & moxie DaDA
820 Liberty Avenue
Resolutions
Resolutions promotes moral courage and strength of mind. Artists have been chosen for their choice in materials and context of self-discovery, as well as their resolve to create and produce from within the urban landscape.

As always, Shaw Galleries had its wonderful collection of prints and maps on display. This month, Shaw is showing a series of pochoir prints created by Rouault. The exhibit is over on January 30, so try to stop by and see them. There is a short explanation of pochoir prints in a previous post.

Shaw Galleries
Rouault: Visages
805 Liberty Avenue
Features all 10 original pochoir prints from the late French Expressionist Georges Rouault’s very rare Visages Portfolio (Album of Faces).

The Gallery Crawl was too packed to get images from 707 Gallery of Anjali Srinivasan’s solo exhibit. The above image is from the artist’s website. Several people have already reviewed this exhibit, so I am just adding my voice to the many in urging you to go and see it. The work is lovely and I look forward to visiting the gallery again before the exhibit closes in February.

707 Penn Gallery
707 Penn Avenue
Particulate Behaviors: New Works by Anjali Srinivasan
The exhibit explores the threshold of olfactory sensation, optical phenomena and participatory environments, through installations and objects of spice, glass and emergent technologies.

The last Gallery Crawl of 2009 was on New Year’s Eve. I did go downtown, very briefly, for the crawl. I wanted to head out of town before the “festivities” started. I did get into several venues, thinking that I would return the following Wednesday with camera in hand to take a real good look at the work.

Only a handful of galleries were open, however. Future Tenant, 707 and 709 Penn Avenue galleries were closed for installation. Some, unfortunately, were only open for the crawl. My first stop was the Stories exhibit, at 925 Penn Ave.

Stories is a first-time exhibit of Emphasis Interiors. The concept for the company is to incorporate art into the interior design process. Christine Dregalla  plans to produce more of these exhibits in different locations throughout the city. From the show statement –

Stories is an exhibit of art-filled interiors inspired by the narratives of our lives and the meaning we assign to the places we call home. Whether one is a thrilling mystery, an epic saga or an esoteric poem, a customized home reflects the lives unfolding there.

As you can see from the above image, Ms. Dregalla has admirably combined art as well as fine crafts into an interior presentation. Stories is available for viewing Wednesday – Fridays, through the end of January. There is a closing reception planned for February 1 as well as other events and artists talks throughout the month of January. Check here for details and contact information.

One of the venues that I visited on New Year’s Eve was 937 Liberty Ave. The third floor was open, with an interesting mix; there was a gospel band, tables of books and a collection of Teenie Harris’ photographs. I have seen some of Teenie Harris’ burlesque and cabaret photographs before, but never such an extensive collection of them in one place. These were particularly wonderful images,mostly take at the Little Paris Club in the Hill District. I checked the online database for some of the images from this exhibit, but only found the tamer ones.  I don’t have any images to show you, but the venue is open every Friday for Reverand Deryck Tines’ Lunchtime Gospel at 12:15. If you are downtown, try to swing by. It was an amazing collection of drag portraits.

My last stop for the day was SPACE gallery for the Behind Our Scenes exhibit. From the show statement –

Our goal for Behind Our Scenes was twofold. We wanted to both give the artists working ‘backstage’ in Pittsburgh’s art scene their own chance in the spotlight as well as provide an opportunity to celebrate and further unite this community of artists.

I know a lot of artists in the Pittsburgh area. For the life of me, I can’t think of a single soul that is supporting themselves solely on their pursuit of the creation of art. All of them are engaged in activities, including teaching, sales, construction or working in a non-profit, in order to pay their bills.

Artists don’t create in a vacuum; their art is influenced strongly by their experiences. In some ways, it is more difficult to express your own aesthetics and themes when your day is spent surrounded by the works generated by other artists. In some ways, working for a non-profit arts provider and still creating your own work is one of the most difficult things that you can do as an artist. Many of the artists in this exhibit are surrounded by strong work by masters for a majority of their time.

Another general note about the exhibit: There were a few works that incorporated audio, all of which were playing at the same time. It was a little distracting and difficult to isolate those works so that you could appreciate them on their own merits.

The above work, Nathan Hall’s Stalactite, is beautiful. It is this softly glimmering work, with a subtle sound component. I won’t try to project a philosophical interpretation on this. For me, it was purely an aesthetic enjoyment of a beautiful object.

Nicole Rosato displayed a series of portraits, If you were a place you’d be…, for this exhibit. There were twelve of these little gems. They are lovely.

This was a very energetic work by Jim Dugas.

Curt Riegelnegg Housing Plans for the New Fiscal Year, Page 1

Mr.  Riegelnegg had three works in this series. There was something very appealing about them.

Loved this Exquisite Corpse. It was created by Katherine Young, Jocelyn Horner and Molly Weaver, all of whom work at the Mattress Factory.

Space
Behind Our Scenes
December 11 – February 13, 2010

*Behind Our Scenes artists represent the following Pittsburgh art museums and galleries:The Carnegie Museum of Art, Oakland
The Mattress Factory, North Side
The Andy Warhol Museum, North Side
Fe Gallery, Lawrenceville
Future Tenant, Downtown
Wood Street Galleries, Downtown

October is always a busy month for the arts. This month’s first Friday is a good example. On October 2, there were gallery crawls in Downtown, on Penn Avenue and in Shadyside. It’s a good thing that galleries have regular hours so that you can catch all of those shows that you missed on opening night. Right?

Unblurred

Click on images for detail

I have a two-person show at Most Wanted Fine Art during the month of October. Above, far left, is an installation shot from the gallery. The works on display are from the Unreal Spaces series and are some of my newest works. T.I.N.A. is the artist that I am showing with (center image). His work is very political/commentary/social. Interesting is that he is using a pochoir technique for producing original multiples.  The exhibit is at –

MOST WANTED FINE ART – 5015 PENN AVE.
T.I.N.A. and Susan Constanse displaying their newest images just in time for the “G-20 reply”. Meet the artists Friday night! Please stop by the space or make an appointment Wed-Fri 1PM-6PM, search “MWFA” on www.youtube.com.

While I was on Penn Avenue for the October Unblurred event, I didn’t really get out to take a look at the other exhibits. I did pop across the street to Artica to say hello and was pleasantly surprised to find a collection of Vanessa German’s assemblages (far right).

Orange Balloons, an aRt-O-noMic open studio event

I like having open studios. It gives me a chance to show off my newest work. My studio is such a great big place that I always ask a few artists if they would like to bring some work in and set up in the studio for the day. This year, in addition to my wonderful studio mate, Christine Bethea, Michelle Gregio and Laurenty Josep will be joining us for the day.

How do you find us? We are near the Bloomfield end of the Bloomfield Bridge, next door to Iron Eden and across the street from Paul Lumber. Look for the orange balloons!

Orange Balloons, an aRt-O-noMic open studio event
Bloomfield, 4073 Liberty Ave – 2nd floor
Sunday, October 18, 2009: 12PM – 6PM

soulpurpose

This little show in 709 Gallery ended up being a really terrific survey. The work presented is from a wide range of artists whose practices include glass, painting, drawing, assemblage and collage. The exhibit was meant to showcase Pittsburgh artists to the dignitaries and luminaries visiting our fair city for the G-20 Summit. But that doesn’t mean that we, as citizens of this fair city, can’t enjoy the selection too.

Christiane Leach

Vanessa German (foreground)

Susan Constanse

Installation, left wall

Josh Hogan

Christine Bethea

soulpurpose, 709 Penn Gallery, Closing reception, November 6
The Trust’s Education and Community Engagement Department will also host a survey of 15 local artists in an exhibition and sale called “soulpurpose: Local Artists Showcase.” The exhibition at 709 Penn Gallery will run Friday, September 11, through Friday, November 6, 2009. Participating artists include: Leslie Ansley, Christine Bethea, Margaret Burley, Susan Constanse, John Flatz, Vanessa German, Rita Gregory, Gary Guydosh, Josh Hogan, LaVerne Kemp, Christiane Leach, Saihou Njie, Sandra Moore, Susan Ragland, Mark Traughber and Richelle Wilson.

Max Ernst, Untitled print (1949)

So, last Friday was the official opening reception for Shaw Galleries, a newcomer to the cultural district in downtown. In addition to a number of fine prints and antique maps, Shaw Galleries also displayed cases of fine, small porcelain statues. It was a really lovely evening and so wonderful to see a new venture launching on Liberty Avenue, particularly in advance of next week’s big event.

The above print, Max Ernst Untitled, was created using the pochoir process. I’ve seen book illustrations using this process and they are magnificent. The illustration can be quite elaborate, using stencils for each of the colors. Since there is no press involved, there is no edition size for the prits; all sheets produced for the run could be considered proofs. A quick definition of the pochoir printing process –

The pochoir process is the hand-coloring of an individual black outline. The was done with the help of a thin zinc or copper cut-out stencil guide. Each color is applied separately brushed by hand on each print, one stencil for each color. The paint used was watercolor and gouache. The only difference being watercolor paints (aquarelles) are transparent and gouache paints are opaque.

There is a great article along with examples here.

I loved this hand colored lithograph, shown below. The title? Glad you asked; it’s a mouthful. Thomas Blake’s  –

The Interior of the Fives Court
with Randall and Turner Sparring
to the Noblemen, Gentlemen, Patrons and Lovers of the Art of Self Defense

I’s all like allegorical n’@.

It was a really lovely event, even though I did get there late. The space is beautiful and the work is installed well. It’s a small venue, but there seems to be a lot to explore. Two flat file cases immediately drew my attention, along with a nice folio rack. So, if you are on Liberty Avenue checking out the cultural district, make sure you stop in and say hello to Mr. Kurt Shaw.

Our host, Kurt Shaw (sans bowtie)

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

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

Modern Formations is exhibiting –

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

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

Artica is exhibiting –

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

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

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

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

Garfield Artworks is exhibiting –

GRRLS GRRLS GRRLS!

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

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

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

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

Well, timing is everything. I saw the Boxheart exhibit about two weeks ago. I didn’t post about it last week because I wanted to talk about Three Rivers Arts Festival and I thought this show would be longer. My bad! In looking at Boxheart’s site, I realized that this show is ending on Saturday.

Boxheart’s Anniversary show is a great way to get to know the gallery’s artists. The range in the exhibit is wide but they have one thing in common; they are excellent. Boxheart doesn’t carry something for everyone, even with the range that is exhibited. You won’t find Pennsylvania landscapes. Rather, you’ll find contemporary, formal works next to expressionistic outsider works. That’s a helluva range when viewed together.

There were several really wonderful works that I was drawn to at the exhibit, mostly formal abstracts –

Joshua Hogan

Brenda Stumpf

Keith Garubba

Joren Dykstra

May 26 – June 20, 2009
9th Annual Anniversary Exhibition
Boxheart Gallery
4523 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
P. 412 687 8858
F. 412 687 6338
Gallery Hours:
Tuesday – Saturday: 10 AM – 6 PM
Sunday: 1 PM – 5 PM

You better get yourself a cup of coffee. This is going to be a long one. First stop – Spak Brothers

Spak Brothers is a Pizza place on Penn Ave. Great pizza. I stopped in to see if they had a schedule for Unblurred. I really liked these smal enameled pieces, kinda old school tag. Actually, I was on my way to Artica, which is directly across the street. The show LESS IS MORE: AN EXHIBITION OF ART UNDER 12″X12″, included some of my miniature works, like the ones below –

Also included at Artica was the work of Michelle Gregio, pictured below. Really, you kinda have to go in and see this. It was just such a great piece of fantastical work. ARTica, ART GALLERY & ANTIQUES – 5110 PENN AVE. 412-596-6521 Artica is open most Fridays and Saturdays from 11 am to 6 pm or by appointment.

Most Wanted Fine Art had a really great pairing for June. JR Holt and Frank Knezevich present entirely different works. Mr. Holtz paints these really luscious works on glass while My Knezevich creates string instruments from cigar boxes.  Most Wanted is located at 5015 Penn Ave. I believe the gallery is by appointment only. 570-971-1584.

The last time I was on Penn Ave, work was still being done on this building. It didn’t appear to be open for Unblurred, but maybe sometime soon. I found this description –

To create The Irma Freeman Art Center, as a community center for the arts in the district of Garfield. Our plan is to renovate an existing building as an art center using green resources and recycled materials as much as possible. The Irma Freeman Art Center will be an art educational center and gallery (and performance venue) with a resident artist studio apartment.  Read more

David Grim’s new works of the Eastern Penitentiary were very moving. The works were soft, indicating the gritty decay and fading appearance of the  facility. My camera didn’t really capture his images. From what I understand of David’s process, the effects are produced with the camera settings; he does not “shop” these images on the computer. In all, a departure and evolution for the artist. Vanishings at IMAGEBOX – 4933 PENN AVE.

Benedict Oddi has a solo exhibit at Modern Formations. I liked his work the first time I saw it at Luke & Eloy. He had several new and larger works for this exhibit. If you can, make it up to the gallery for a viewing. Well worth the trip.

THE TRUTH IS MADE: ARTWORK OF BENEDICT ODDI
MODERNFORMATIONS GALLERY & PERFORMANCE SPACE – 4919 PENN AVE.

Erased 20″ X 24″, Digital Collage on Canvas

Kim Curinga’s Legacy exhibit at Box Heart should go on your list of exhibits to see in May. I’ve seen Ms. Curinga’s work before; this time, she is printing her large-scale digital works on canvas. On canvas, the works are even richer than on paper. The deeps appear deeper and there is a surprising amount of subtle undertones to the color.

I am partial to the figures in Legacy. From Box Heart’s description –

… Curinga’s work is a journey. It tells a story, has a history. It has to come from a personal place for her to create a piece. It will always be changing. It has to for her to keep creating. It may change from week to week. After a series is finished in her head, she is ready to move on. Curinga will stay on a series until she is tired of it, only to switch to another as her mood changes. But all series and styles are ultimately ongoing. Read more here

Yes, there is a sense of narrative to the work.  But overwhelming the narrative is some pretty strong emotional content. The works presented from Curnga’s Nude series are raw, unabashed and stark. Erased, pictured above, is one of the strongest from this series, providing a vector for self examination that most women might find uncomfortable to travel.

The exhibit is up through My 23.

Legacy
April 28 – May 23
Digital Paintings by: Kim Curinga
Box Heart Gallery
4523 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
P. 412 687 8858
Gallery Hours:
Tuesday – Saturday: 10 AM – 6 PM
Sunday: 1 PM – 5 PM

What are you doing this Saturday afternoon? Why, you’re going to Luke & Eloy for the Fibers Expanded exhibit. Seriously, that is where you are going. Me, I’ll be at the day job.

I stopped in Luke & Eloy today, as Brigitte Martin was putting some touches on the installation. Even knowing that I didn’t see the whole show in its entirety didn’t mar an enjoyable visit. Ms. Martin is very knowledgeable about the artists seected for the exhibit. It is obvious that she has taken great care in selecting works of high quality.

Carol Milne (Seattle, Washington)
“Wake”
Knitted Wax Strands Kiln-cast in Lead Crystal
5.5 (H) x 13 (W) x 13 inches

The above work by Carol Milne is something that you really have to see. The process sounds amazing and involves knitting wax and using it for casting glass. Rellay, I am stunned by this artist’s process. It is a beautiful work.

Alison Gates (Appleton, WI)
“Things from Home”
Stitched Silk and die cut Braille paper
Each house 6×6x6 inches
“Spirituality” (Wing), “Labor” (Hand), “Materialsm” (Tag)

Remember, now, I picked these works as representative of the quality of the exhibit. I would strongly recommend a visit to the gallery to pick the works that you respond to. I found Things From Home to be really beautiful, if somewhat ambiguos. The houses have die-cut icons, cut from pages of braile, suspended in them. Very mysterious, very ambiguous.

Islay Taylor (Providence, RI)
“Lace Collar Necklace”
Vinyl Tablecloth, pearls, silver, monofilament
14 x 12 x 5 inches
Islay Taylor’s piece was just so lovely. Sometimes, that is enough, you know what I mean?

Norman Sherfield (Eureka, California)
“Sticks and Stones”, “Beacon”
Knotted Waxed Lines Sculptures
13 x 4 inches (Sticks and Stones)
11.5 x 5 inches (Beacon)

These pieces by Norman Sherfield were so appealing. The structure of the dolls is reinforced with stones and twigs. Obviously, a lot of thought were put into these works. The coiled basket technique is a simple one, but so well executed in this work.  An amazing integration of technique and concept.

Fibers Expanded is opening this Saturday and will run through June 6. Luke & Eloy is a terrific gallery, fast becoming one of my favorite places to view new works in Pittsburgh.

Fibers Expanded
Expanding the possibilities of fiber as an expressive, artistic medium using a wide range of traditional and modern techniques.
May 2, 2009 – June 6, 2009
Opening reception | May 2
LUKE & ELOY GALLERY
5169 Butler Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
412.784.1919

Participating Artists:
- Cheryl Eve Acosta
- Atticus Adams
- Alissa Alfonso
- Eileen Doughty
- Ashley Ernest
- Alison Gates
- Beverly Hertler
- Sarah Holden
- Suki Kwon
- Amy Long
- Sharon McCartney
- Carol Milne
- Jennifer Moss
- Matt Nelson
- Masako Onodera
- Ceres Rangos
- Norman Sherfield
- Islay Taylor

Last week, I took a trip up Butler Street to Luke and Eloy Gallery. The exhibit that is currently installed was well worth the trip. But the reasons for this galley to be on your must see list doesn’t stop with this exhibit. The gallery houses an incredible selection of wearable art.

Michelle Pajak Reynolds

The above work by Michelle Pajak Reynolds is fom her Drawing series of wearable art. Each work is meant to be worn as an adornment; all of them can also be viewed as an artwork on either a platform as a a wall piece. The works are extraordinary as drawings.

Tod Pardon

The pins that Tod Padon have created are ensconced on small pedestals. The pins are masterfully created and ae more of art than the more pedestrian fare that is usual. The pins are generous in size and would hold a space well, either viewed as a sculpture or worn as an adornment.

Arthur Hash

There are several artists creating more whimsical works, like the above beard pins by Arthur Hash.

 Emanuela Aureli

These delicate coils by Emanuela Aureli came as both rings and pins.

Brigitte Martin

The above pins are from Brigitte Martin’s Prunella Pins series. Ms. Martin, coincidentally, is the owner of Luke and Eloy Gallery. There weren’t a lot of examples of her work on display, but what there was were exceptional. Actually, I could have done with seeing a few more of her works; they were stunning. Ms. Martin studied under a master goldsmith in Germany and has been creating her own wearble art ever since. You can definitely see this long and lustrous expeience in her works. One of the pieces that she had on display was knit from fine silver wire. It was absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately, I did not get an image of it, so you will have to go to the gallery and see it yourself.

All of these beautiful works were appropriately displayed in this gallery. Nothing was crowded, the cases and walls were installed with a respect for the space that individual works need in order to be properly considered. Ms. Martin has an excellent eye for exceptional and well-finished work.Luke and Eloy is a great addition to the Pittsburgh gallery scene. Definitely stop in.

LUKE & ELOY GALLERY
5169 Butler Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
412.784.1919

Opening Hours:
Tue – Fri 11-2
Sat 11-5