11/5/2024 8:02:42 PM
Built in the late 1800s, the Homestead Works steel mill complex, part of Carnegie Steel Company, was located in Homestead, PA on the Mon River before the collapse of the American steel industry in the mid-1980s. If you have lived in Pittsburgh or just visited, the site is now the Waterfront shopping area. Some remnants are still there amidst the shops, restaurants, and movie theaters. A row of the iconic original brick smokestacks were thankfully preserved.
Painting the mills is a labor of deep appreciation for the legacy of generations of workers and their families. Architecture is such a strong part of any community, connecting day-to-day life and a sense of identity. These massive complexes of the Industrial Revolution played a major role in our country's development, and you simply can't be in Pittsburgh without being touched by that legacy.
The buildings and blast furnaces looked sculptural with how the natural light outside flows over their shapes, and the glow from inside illuminates the intense energy involved in creating something from nothing. The entire process connects and flows throughout the complex with constant movement.
My goal was to create a sense of being there, witnessing and appreciating that process and energy, rather than a photographic representation.
Here I used a 1907 antique photo, courtesy of the Library of Congress, as a reference source.
This oil painting on linen is 24" H x 24" W x 1.5" D, unframed with the sides painted black to suit any décor. There is a wire hanger on the back, and it is ready to display.
* The painting can now be safely shipped. If you are in the Pittsburgh area, I would be glad to personally deliver it to you.
Prints that are either framed or unframed are available here too for a more affordable option and are perfect for gift-giving!
2/12/2024 6:56:12 PM
"Pathway in Churchill Valley Greenway, Pittsburgh" was accepted for the Art Queens Member Wall group exhibition at Paradigm Gallery during in Philadelphia, PA. It was a distinct honor and pleasure for me to be exhibiting with this amazing collaboration of extraordinary international women artists!
The exhibition has since ended and the original painting can now be purchased here directly along with budget-friendly unframed and framed giclee print options.
Thank you for supporting women artists!
Artwork Description:
This painting is titled "Pathway in Churchill Valley Greenway, Pittsburgh", oil on cradled board unframed 10" H x 10" W x 1.5" D. Sides are painted gray so it is ready to display or can be framed later on. There is a recessed wire hanger for flush wall mounting. Churchill Valley Greenway is on the site of a former golf course which Nature has reclaimed and is now a protected greenspace. No matter how much we humans try to shape the Earth, Nature will always take it back.
It is featured in the inaugural publication of The Art Queens Quarterly Vol. 1 (AQ1), a hardbound collectors book highlighting the work of several members of the Art Queens Society, curated by Ekaterina Popova and published by Create! magazine. The book can be purchased at https://www.artqueens.co/aq-quarterly
Create! Magazine, Art Queens, and PxP Contemporary are delighted to announce the upcoming duo group exhibition, "Wild," and the Art Queens Member Wall. This exciting event, curated by Ekaterina Popova and Alicia Puig, marks the group's second in-person showcase and will be hosted on the 3rd floor of Paradigm Gallery in the Old City section of Philadelphia. All artworks in the exhibition are 10" x 10". (Paragraph text paraphrased from exhibition email)
Exhibition Details:
- Title: Wild and Art Queens Member Wall
- Curators: Ekaterina Popova and Alicia Puig
- Location: Paradigm Gallery, 3rd floor, Paradigm Arts Building, 12 N. 3rd Street, Philadelphia
- Dates: January 5, 2024 - January 17, 2024
- Opening Reception: January 5, 2024, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Artist's Statement:
Everything in nature is connected, and even though that connection is overlooked as we go about our day-to-day activities, that magic is there, constantly creating. It can be calming, invigorating, or downright terrifying. But when we appreciate the power of that magic, marvelous things can reveal themselves.
We only need to slow down, breathe it in, feel its energy. The Earth is calling to us “Notice me, see me, I am your home”, during these times of climate change and society’s challenges. The trees, the animals, the oceans, the air, speak to us though it is up to us to listen and act. Home is, after all, meant to be our refuge so it is up to us to take care of it.
Our ancient ancestors understood the deep connection between humans and nature as profoundly magical. Appreciating how nature works is imperative to ensuring our survival into the future. I encourage you to take a walk, anywhere. Listen to the birds, the rustle of wind in the leaves, feel the softness of a flower petal, smell the fresh air after it rains, watch squirrels play in the trees.
In my paintings I look for what the Earth wants us to hear and see by searching for unseen experiences or a sense of place.
My goal is to help people bridge that gap between conscious and unconscious awareness of our connection with nature.
“Nature is not only all that is visible to the eye... it also includes the inner pictures of the soul.”-Edvard Munch
