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Muralists and Murals of Pittsburgh: Part Two Mural Hunting Staycation and More Artists!
Hey, are you looking for a staycation idea that can work for almost anytime of year?
Whether you are new to Pittsburgh or a longtime resident, mural hunting is an easy way to get familiar with a particular neighborhood. Later I’ll feature some more of Pittsburgh’s amazing muralists available for your private and public projects.
I’m also putting together a directory of the area’s muralists tentatively planned for this fall.
In my last post, I mentioned how searching for the vast number of murals in the Pittsburgh region could be a fun and unusual staycation option. It’s estimated that there are over 200 in our area, with more regularly added.
Mural hunting is an excellent way to get out of the four walls and do some walking that you promised your doctor you would do. And it would certainly change up a family outing, do something different on a date, or just go solo.
One way to make it less overwhelming is to pick an area or neighborhood first, then do some research. This will help loosely plan your day of exploring. You never know where you might find a hidden gem like this gorgeous one on Freeport Road in Blawnox. Hint: There’s another big one of a train down the block!
Photo credit: Joann Renner
Planning your excursion during a festival or market in that neighborhood is a great way to combine activities. Parks and parklets are great places to find murals and other kinds of public art as well.
Oh and fall foliage time is right around the corner. Don’t forget to wear comfy walking shoes and stop by the local eateries or shops wherever you decide to go. Shop small and support local businesses!
Here are a couple of resources to help you plan your adventure:
You have to see these!
Arguably the most popular and best-known mural in Pittsburgh is “The Bride on Penn Ave.”. The 1996 original was designed and painted by Judy Penzer and Jill Watson with restoration work done in 2011 by Ashley Hodder.
It’s located at 5463 Penn Ave. in the Garfield neighborhood of the city (15206). Judy Penzer left interpretation of the painting up to viewers, something artists commonly do so that viewers can make their own connection to the painting’s story. This is definitely one of my favorite murals!
Photo credit: https://pghmurals.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-bride-on-penn-ave-by-judy-penzer.html
The large-scale portrait mural of Roberto Clemente at the Roberto Clemente Museum by Kyle Holbrook will undoubtedly be a highlight of any daytrip for sports fans. It is located at 3339 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15201 (Lawrenceville). The museum is dedicated to celebrating the life of the Pittsburgh Pirates legend, and they do have tours and space rentals as well.
Photo credit: https://www.visitpittsburgh.com/blog/pittsburghs-must-see-murals/
Non-sports portraits
This powerful portrait of John Lewis, the civil rights leader is another project by Kyle Holbrook and the community as part of the Moving the Lives of Kids Community Mural Project. It is located on Locust St. in the Uptown neighborhood.
Everytime I see this in-person, I feel like he is challenging me to be bold, be courageous, and to be involved in life and community.
Photo credit: https://www.visitpittsburgh.com/blog/pittsburghs-must-see-murals/
MLK is a non-profit organization led by Holbrook that teaches kids artistic skills, collaboration skills, and about community involvement. The group has worked on numerous mural projects throughout the city, where community members and kids actively participate in creating the murals.
To learn more about them, their website is https://www.mlkmural.com/#about
Check out these other non-profit groups (along with many others I’m sure) who have been involved in creating a large portion of the murals throughout Pittsburgh:
- The Sprout Fund has been instrumental in 56 mural projects throughout numerous Pittsburgh neighborhoods. https://www.sproutfund.org/program/murals/
- The Homewood Experience features a community initiative called The Artwalk. It’s a series of murals focused on the positive aspects of the historically Black neighborhood. One of my favorites is the one of kids playing and blowing bubbles! The website has an excellent virtual map and guide which is clickable so you can learn more about each project.
The Artwalk is led by Camerin “Camo” Nesbit with artists Janel Young, Juliandra Jones, and Kamara Townes.
- Look for murals in churches or other houses of worship like the Maxo Vanka works at the St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church in Millvale where you can schedule a tour. https://vankamurals.org/
- This is a wonderful article from Pittsburgh Magazine showcasing five outstanding murals that make great starting points for city neighborhoods like Garfield, Carrick, and a few others. https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/5-murals-worth-discovering-in-pittsburgh/
- There are numerous other articles covering the many exceptional murals that simply can’t be given the attention that they deserve in this post. Here are some you might enjoy reading:
https://www.visitpittsburgh.com/things-to-do/arts-culture/visual-arts/public-art/
https://www.pennlive.com/life/2016/10/murals_of_pittsburgh.html
https://upmag.com/pittsburgh-murals/
https://nextpittsburgh.com/city-design/pgh-art-park-will-celebrate-pittsburgh-black-history/
https://madeinpgh.com/pittsburgh-arts-culture/11-places-to-find-great-street-art-in-pgh/
More Pittsburgh-based Muralists (cont’d from the previous Part One post)
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but they are some of the very best muralists Pittsburgh has to offer. No mural is too small or large. Check out my previous post for practical tips on commissioning murals.
Here are several more dedicated professional muralists available for your private, commercial or public mural project:
Wicked Pittsburgh Mural Team
https://wickedpgh.com/murals-installations/
This diverse professional artist collective specializes in Large-scale Mural Work, Interactive Installations, Custom Signage + Lettering and Live Painting Displays.
You can see them in action at area festivals like at the Historic Carrie Furnace site among others.
Photo credit: Wicked Pittsburgh website
Their work offers a full range of styles to choose from, and they make the process of commissioning any kind of project transparent and understandable.
Some of their incredible artists are Jeremy Raymer, Juliandra Jones, Atiya Jones, Ashley Hodder, Matt Spahr, Brian Holderman, Phil Seth, Camerin “Camo” Nesbit, among others.
Ashley Hodder
Portfolio profile: https://www.instagram.com/hodderart412/
https://www.instagram.com/ashleyhodderart/
Ashley Hodder is the artist who restored “The Bride on Penn Ave.” mural to its full vibrancy. She has been nominated for Best Street Artist in the Pittsburgh CityPaper 2024 Best of Pittsburgh Readers’ Poll. Hodder is best known for her bold feminist art and portraiture, though she is also perfectly comfortable with painting florals that are full of life and beauty.
Photo credits: https://www.instagram.com/hodderart412/
You will find one of her latest portrait murals, a stunning full building wall image of Andy Warhol, at 505-507 East Ohio St. on the Northside in the Pop District. Similar to the Cultural District downtown, the Pop District is adjacent to the Andy Warhol Museum and is focused on public art, youth and creative workforce development programs, and as an event/performance venue.
This is a must-see mural for your next visit to the North Shore!
Photo credit: https://www.instagram.com/hodderart412/
Tim Engelhardt
https://www.radianthall.org/artists/tim-engelhardt
https://www.engelhardtdesigns.com/
Tim Engelhardt works in traditional fine art painting as well as specializing in murals as part of his art business. His latest mural project is titled “Above Stage”, a large-scale mixed media piece created for the entrance to Pittsburgh CLO’s downtown campus.
This particular mural is featured this year at In the Field, a program of Shiftworks (formerly the Pittsburgh Office of Public Art) is a series of sessions that gives attendees a first-hand look into the artistic process and planning of a public art project like “Above Stage”.
If you would like to learn more about the process of creating murals, I highly recommend this must-see opportunity. To register, go to https://shiftworkspgh.org/our-work/public-programming/in-the-field-with-tim-engelhardt/ Advance registration is required and is $15 per person.
Photo credit: fabrication of Above Stage by Photo credit: Shiftworks - Above Stage
Tim Engelhardt, 2024 photo Ishara Henry installation at Pittsburgh CLO
Monica Cervone McElwain
https://mcervonem.myportfolio.com/
Like so many artists, Monica Cervone McElwain is a multidisciplinary artist and arts educator in the Shaler School District. After living in Denver, she returned to Pittsburgh and has been an active member of the city’s arts community with mural projects in both cities.
McElwain was chosen by the Sprout Fund in 2005 to create a three-story mural. Along with community members, the mural is based on her original design of “A Piece of Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow”.
She is also a co-founder of Siren Studios, an artist-run collective for women artists providing studio space, exhibitions and events. https://sirenstudiopgh.tumblr.com/
Meadville, PA mural Katherine Delmar Burke School
Photo credit: Monica McElwain IG profile Photo credit: Monica McElwain IG profile
Decorative Painting by Lynne
https://decorativepaintingbylynne.weebly.com/
Lynne is a prolific decorative artist and muralist specializing in residential and commercial murals and faux finishes. She is able to finish most projects in a day, which makes her work perfect for those on a tight deadline (like for a child’s room when you don’t want to disrupt daily routines more than necessary).
She creates handpainted murals for nurseries (I love the fox in the photo!), children’s rooms, interiors and exteriors. There are lots of examples on Lynne’s website to give you ideas for redecorating.
Her latest project is a tranquil forest landscape painted on a bulkhead. A series of vintage SouthSide scenes in a renovated older building were recently completed in grayscale to capture that retro vibe.
Photo credit:
Decorative Painting by Lynne website Bulkhead landscape
Photo credit: Decorative Painting by Lynne- Facebook page
Naomi Chambers
https://www.instagram.com/naomibdaygirl
https://mattress.org/exhibition/mommies-vs-aunties/
Naomi Chambers is a native Pittsburgher and Pitt grad. In 2017, she and her husband collaborated with other artists to open FlowerHouse, a community art studio and creative space for the Wilkinsburg community. In 2018, she had her first solo exhibition, Communal Futures at the August Wilson Center in Downtown. Naomi is currently Community Liaison with Alisha Wormsley’s Sibyls Shrine, a supportive and nurturing artists’ collective for creative Black moms.
Photo Credit: Naomi Chambers IG profile
Kim Fox
https://www.instagram.com/workerbird
Kim Fox’s style is heavily influenced by quilting, with shapes and colors creating patterns that delight the eye. One of her projects, “Ice Cream Wall”, is wallpaper she designed for Leona’s Scoop Shop in Lawrence Hall, 4609 Butler St. in Lawrenceville.
Fox is also active in Hemispheric Conversations: Urban Art Project, an organization which advocates and educates about street art and murals. They also collaborate between cities on projects such as Pittsburgh and Chicago.
Photo credit: Kim Fox IG profile, Hey Pittsburgh -Made by City Cast
Mariah Majakey
Mariah Majakey is a WVU grad who combines figurative realism and abstraction to create works exploring those very human moments of interactions that our fast-paced society overlooks. Her paintings have an intimate, calming effect. Although her primary medium is oil painting, she is skilled as a muralist and sculptor as well.
Majakey has a thriving art practice in West Virginia and in Pittsburgh. She’s available for mural and traditional art commissions in both regions.
This mural was painted for The Grind, located in Morgantown, WV.
At The Grind Photo credit: Mariah Majakey website
Photo credit: Mariah Majakey Instagram profile
Jeremy Raymer
https://linktr.ee/jeremymraymer https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/magneto-mural
https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/104079914528301/jeremy-raymer-outdoor-art-gallery/
https://www.instagram.com/jeremymraymer/
Jeremy Raymer is well-known in the world of Pittsburgh murals. His work can be found throughout Pittsburgh, with a large number of his murals concentrated in the Lawrenceville neighborhood.
You may have seen his pop culture and superhero/villain murals throughout the city, but he also paints wild creatures, like the Love Your Wild Neighbor mural. It’s located at 2726 East Carson St. on the SouthSide, featuring a very friendly looking raccoon. It was commissioned by Humane Action Pittsburgh to raise awareness of wildlife sharing our city spaces.
Photo credit: Jeremy Raymer Instagram profile
And then there is this beauty of marine life located at 1312 Boyle St. on the NorthSide:
Photo Credit: Jeremy Raymer Instagram profile
Many of Raymer’s murals capture pop culture icons such as Andy Warhol, Mac Miller, Batman, Superman, X-Men’s Magneto-the list goes on and on. Check out the mural map on his website!
Shane & Max-Do What We Love
https://www.instagram.com/goodboygems/
https://www.instagram.com/outafterdark/
The collaborative murals created by these guys are vibrant, colorful, bold statements inspired by graffiti and street art. Shane Pilster and Max Gonzales have an energetic style that’s well-known in Pittsburgh and can be found just about everywhere, even in stores!
They are deeply involved in community work and are available for any type of commission. They are part of the HCUAP collective I mentioned earlier.
This bright and uplifting mural is located on Smithfield St. in downtown Pittsburgh and the Sheetz one was painted at the Carrie Furnace historic site:
Photo credit for all: GoodBoyGems Instagram profile
Location: Rust Belt Barbell
Korey Edmonson
https://www.instagram.com/koreytheartist/
https://koreyedmonsonart.com/home
I’ve been following Korey’s work since the pandemic. His oil portraits are second to none, full of life and character.
Korey Edmonson is also a master muralist, tackling large and small projects throughout the city. If you would like to see his process for both painting portraits and murals, follow him on Instagram. He makes top-notch reels that are professional, demystifying the painting process yet easy to understand.
He’s a talented educator too! Korey teaches mural painting to youth called Mural Club at the Focus on Renewal Center, and has an excellent Skillshare course about painting eyes in oils.
He regularly has a booth at the Artists Market section of the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival where you can talk to him in-person about commissions and purchase originals and prints. Korey’s work has been featured at PIT Airport, Comcast, Bakery Square, Patagonia, and YETIxPublic Lands.
This very cool surreal goldfish mural, located at a SouthSide private residence on Sarah St. near Nadine’s bar (close to Aldi’s), was a collaboration with @tylerpodomik @jouirnoe.
Photo credit: Korey Edmonson IG profile Photo credit: Korey Edmonson website
Bakery Square street utility boxes
Other artists offering mural services:
Baron Batch
https://www.instagram.com/baron_batch/
James Yaya Hough
https://www.instagram.com/hough9459/
Another resource:
https://www.thumbtack.com/pa/pittsburgh/mural-painter
There are a wide variety of artists in the Pittsburgh region who include mural painting as part of their business. It’s more than can be featured in this post.
So go mural hunting while the warm weather is still here and let the kids burn off some of that summer energy!
*I do not use AI for any of my writing, it’s all me.
This post is sponsored by Tarasa Hurley, Realtor. Contact her for more information regarding your real estate needs in the Pittsburgh area.
* All writing is completely done by me without AI assistance.
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