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Welcome to My Art Blog
Here I'll be writing about art news, exhibitions, events, updates, and anything else art-related,
so kick back, get comfy, and enjoy something not written by a robot!
4/22/2026 8:59:22 PM
I'm honored and incredibly excited to announce that my oil painting, "Autumn Sunset in Penn Hills", has been accepted into the first Create! Collective Exclusive Members Group Exhibition on Artsy.net!
This incredible online showing includes works by 45 member artists of the Create! Collective, which aligns with the Create! Projects curatorial platform. You are invited to view the exhibition here at https://www.artsy.net/show/create-projects-in-good-company-a-group-exhibition-from-create-collective
The exhibition opened on International Womens Day and runs until April 30, 2026.
The Create! Collective is an online community of dedicated, professional women artists sharing resources, support, opportunities, and friendship in a non-judgmental atmosphere. Formerly the Art Queens Society, it was founded and is lead by Ekaterina Popova-artist, author, podcast host, and certified coach, who also founded Create! Magazine. She is wonderfully down-to-earth, thoroughly professional, easy to talk to, and one of the kindest, most helpful people I've met. I credit her coaching for much of my career progress.
I've been a member of the group since the pandemic. The support I found inside encouraged me to restart and elevate my fine art career despite the setbacks that life often throws our way, especially for women artists juggling family, jobs, life, and their art practice. It's a safe place where I feel seen and heard.
#pittsburghartist IG: @createcollectivehq #womenartists
* I don't use AI for my artwork or my writing. It's all me!
1/21/2026 9:10:11 PM
Netti D. + Friends A Farewell Exhibition
at Blank Space @ GBBN Architects, 5411 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206
https://www.gbbn.com/about/
412-345-5005
I'm thrilled and grateful to be invited to exhibit with my good friend, Anette Duensing. She has invited several of her artist friends to join her in this exhibition as she will be moving back to Europe this Spring. We met online during the Covid lockdowns, and I loved her calligraphy and expressive watercolors. So I encouraged her to try exhibiting her work locally. I've been enjoying seeing her work evolve ever since.
I do hope you will join us if you are in the Pittsburgh area.
A portion of sales benefit Sarcoma Research and Advocacy.
Here are the upcoming gallery events to help celebrate Anette's next chapter!
General gallery hours will be:
Friday 5-9 pm
Saturday 1-6 pm
Sunday 1-6 pm
Events are planned as follows:
- Opening Reception, Friday, 01/30, 6-9 pm
- “Try Your Hand at Calligraphy”, Sunday, 02/01, 1:30-4 pm
Mini-workshop with the Calligraphy Guild Pittsburgh
- Unblurred, Friday, 02/06, 5-9 pm
First Fridays on Penn Avenue
- “Laugh Wiedersehen!”, Saturday, 02/07, 6-8 pm
Stand-up comedy with Zach Marmolejo, Lydia Henninger, Ryan Carey
- Closing Reception, Sunday, 02/08, 4-6 pm
11/25/2025 8:37:04 PM
Hi again and yes, it's been a "hot minute". My 23-year-old daughter says this a lot, and in case you're not familiar with Gen Z slang, it simply means "it's been awhile since...".
Personally, I had to take a breather for awhile, to step back and do a lot of soul-searching, introspection, healing and rethinking, recalibrating if you will, my life priorities and such. Sometimes, you have to take care of yourself so you can take care of your loved ones.
The past several months have seen me, like so many, question if art is necessary or relevant in such an extraordinarily chaotic and uncertain world.
Absolutely it is!
So, I'm sending along this image to remind you to slow down, appreciate what we have in the here-and-now, even if only for a few minutes each day. The world is moving at such an intensely fast pace, that taking care of ourselves will help us navigate it all. And Fall (my favorite season), is here!
Autumn Sunset in Penn Hills, oil on canvas by Joann Renner
24"H x 20"W x 1"D
view here https://www.joannrenner.com/workszoom/6188392/autumn-sunset-in-penn-hills#/
Photo credit: Joann Renner
Just think: Relaxing at home after a stressful day, no emails, no phone constantly on, no TV, just being in the presence of nature basking in glorious color. There's just something wondrous about sitting in the backyard or on a porch or balcony, sipping some hot chocolate or maybe tea, during the brilliant fall foliage season. Watching clouds whisk by, imagining the shapes they are shifting into.
The trees beckon us into an easy, uncomplicated meditative personal place, serving as a portal by connecting us to our deepest selves. Gentle breezes whisper through the drying leaves. They provide so much: oxygen, wood, food for wildlife and shelter from summer's heat. Without them, we could not even breathe.
The view from our backyard here in Penn Hills (an eastern suburb of Pittsburgh in case you’re new to the area), is fairly unique, at least to my experience. Our neighborhood has typical 1950s-70s suburban homes, set along meandering tiered streets on hillsides. Each row of homes is separated by mature woods, so there's lots of wildlife to enjoy watching such as squirrels, deer (the fawns are adorable in the spring, sometimes twins!), hawks, crows, woodpeckers, chipmunks, and lots of songbirds.
And at this time of year, we get some really spectacular sunrises and sunsets in southwestern PA!
Even if you’re not into doing full meditation per se, simply taking the time to slow your breathing, relaxing in the present moment, can help improve blood pressure and reset your mood. When you feel the need to destress, take a few minutes to connect with the natural world. I love to watch sparrows play in a parking lot while I'm waiting to pick up a family member from work. It may be a temporary respite, but it is oh so restorative.
An Artsy Holiday Gift Idea:
Pittsburgh’s Avant-Garde: 60 Years Inside the Underground Art Scene
by Sheila Ali, IFCI, Director & Curator of the Irma Freeman Center for the Imagination
https://www.irmafreeman.org/preorder-pittsburghs-avantgarde/pittsburghs-avant-garde
This book examines the work and legacy of many of Pittsburgh’s highly respected avant-garde artists, as well as interviews with important area collectors and arts organizations. If you know someone on your holiday gift list this year who loves Pittsburgh art, this would be an amazing gift idea or as a special treat for yourself. And if you are new to Pittsburgh, this is an excellent introduction to the local art scene, with many of these distinguished artists, past and present, exhibiting regularly at the national and international levels.
The book is available to order (link to purchase is above). I highly recommend this book!
Despite all the noise, chaos, and uncertainty that overwhelms our attention daily, there are ways we can mitigate that stress: support and patronize local small businesses, visit arts events and exhibitions, learn about Pittsburgh’s rich artistic heritage, support local artists and arts organizations. Take time daily, even if only for a few minutes, to reconnect with nature by taking a walk or turning off the phone, especially the news, and simply sit in the present moment, soaking in life’s little pleasures that money can’t buy.
Where Does Art Emerge From?
Now more than ever for most of us, art touches us in ways that go far beyond mere decoration. Artists and cultural organizations who rely on federal funding such as grants have seen a significant loss of financial stability. Private sector funding now has become of primary importance. Uncertainty is never good. The ripple effect on the local economy is just as consequential as an artist having unexpected difficulty paying bills because a public art project was canceled midway when funding was cut. The arts and culture sector is a huge economic and quality of life contribution in cities like Pittsburgh. I can’t imagine not going to a favorite festival, concert, art event or gallery exhibition.
That’s a whole rabbit hole to go down in and of itself. But that’s not what I’m really here to talk about in this post.
Instead, I’d like to talk about the more personal relationship we have with art and nature, particularly fine art as opposed to the decorative arts.
When you walk into a gallery or an art festival, you might go with the intention of finding a lovely piece to add to your office or home. As you go through, some may be appealing or just not your thing, just nothing earthshattering. Then you stop at one particular piece, a painting, a drawing, or perhaps a sculpture that has caught your eye. Even before reading the information label, something about it makes you stop for several minutes. You feel like you can’t leave it, but you walk around some more. Nothing else matters until you walk back to this one piece, as if you can’t be without it. It won’t let you leave without it.
That is connection!
Connection is what differentiates fine art from decoration. Decoration is subject to a whim, a trend even. It’s temporary and has only passing value, or sentimental value. It’s purpose is to look good. Antiques and collectibles fall into the decorative category. It has value as a family heirloom for as long as family members still like it. The connection is sentimental or stewardship.
Fine art goes beyond the scope of the decorative. Why do we visit a museum to see Old Masters paintings such as Vermeer and Rembrandt, the Impressionist masters like Monet and Mary Cassatt, or Picasso’s Guernica for example?
Not only have they mastered their technical skills like color theory and material handling, they have successfully expressed their own intentions, thoughts, and personal relationship with their work through their creative process. Those messages are timeless, speaking to our shared human experiences in ways that words often fail us.
Art comes from the soul of the artist.
For those who have never really picked up a brush, the artistic process is a mystery. And it’s totally okay to be shy or curious about it. Sometimes it is even mysterious to those of us who make it our life’s work. The exciting discovery of a new technique that helps us convey our message better is a huge thrill! So please feel free to ask questions, we love to talk about our work, and we will not think you are being silly or annoying. Connecting our work with people who love it is what we are all about!
As for AI generated “art”, it is done by a computer program that is trained to take images without consent or compensation to the original human creators and combine them for the user. To create original fine art, it takes original human thought that connects us on a higher level of consciousness and shared experience. And it shows in the poor quality results of AI generated images. AI simply does not have a soul or any shared human experience. It does not feel empathy, love, grief or joy.
So if you’ve stayed with me this far, I really do appreciate it.
Despite all the noise, chaos, and uncertainty that overwhelms our attention daily, there are ways we can mitigate that stress: support and patronize local small businesses, visit arts events and exhibitions, learn about Pittsburgh’s rich artistic heritage, support local artists and arts organizations. Take time daily, even if only for a few minutes, to reconnect with nature by taking a walk or turning off the phone, especially the news, and simply sit in the present moment, soaking in life’s little pleasures that money can’t buy.
Fall is here, and there is so much to be grateful for regardless of what's happening around us.
In gratitude for your company and continuing support,
have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
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!
9/1/2024 9:25:39 PM
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 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/
- 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://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/artist-unveils-new-mac-miller-mural-on-pittsburghs-north-side/
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
https://hcuap.com/
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
https://majakeyart.com/
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/
https://dowhatwelove.com/
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://bio.site/edmonsonart
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/
https://baronbatch.com/
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.
7/9/2024 7:11:17 PM
Thinking of Commissioning a Mural For Your Home, Business or Public Community?
While I was researching murals here in SW PA, I discovered that there are a large number of extraordinary muralists/artists in the region who create murals for communities, businesses and private homes. Later in this post, I’ll go over some things to consider before starting your project and I’ll showcase some amazing local artists who create commissioned murals as part of their art business.
I was absolutely floored by the passion and deep commitment these artists have to their artistic vision and to bringing joy to their clients and communities.
My next blog post will highlight a few of the area’s incredible variety of the estimated 200+ murals in the Pittsburgh area for you to hunt for (it’s a perfect idea for a staycation day!) along with several more muralists. There were just too many to feature in one blog post.
Watch for an announcement of a directory of sorts that I am working on so that all of those I have found can be recognized.
First, A Quick Overview
When driving around Pittsburgh it’s easy to find a wide array of colorful murals gracing walls everywhere. Murals have been embraced by cities around the world, beautifying distressed neighborhoods and boring architecture, and creating a sense of local identity. Murals have been around since early humans created cave paintings. They are one of the most popular and enduring forms of visual art accessible to anyone and everyone.
The most common types of public murals portray historical people and events, are advertising like the faded “ghost” signs on old buildings, community legacy, and local specialties, but the genre is evolving as well. Muralists are embracing beauty, decoration, and positivity, something we can all use in difficult times.
Murals aren’t just on outside walls. You can find them in hospitals, houses of worship, office buildings, private homes, even utility boxes on sidewalks.
It’s a stylish way to decorate when hanging individual artworks may not be practical.
And murals are a fun way to personalize your space to the next level. The possibilities are limitless!
Here are some things to consider when planning your project:
- Will it be in a public or private space? Who will see the mural? What is its purpose?
- Interior or exterior? What is the room used for? Size?
- Permanent or temporary installation?
- What style or aesthetic do you prefer?
- What is your budget?
- Timeframe: When do you need it to be finished by?
Will it be in a public or private space?
The first thing to think about is where exactly will the project be located.
Public spaces are accessible to anyone in the vicinity of the mural, like pedestrians on a neighborhood sidewalk. These are often community projects. It can be on an exterior wall of a business, a public building, or an installation at a public park. It can also be on interior walls such as in hospitals, doctors’ offices, public buildings, or churches and other houses of worship, just to name a few.
Private spaces can be a new baby’s nursery, creating a calm, safe space or an older child’s room with something they love like planets and galaxies or animals. But it doesn’t have to be for kids only. A sunroom can have a mural of bold flowers or stylized plants.
Interior or exterior? What is the room used for? Size?
If it is for a commercial business like a restaurant or store, it can be on an exterior wall or part of the interior. Interior murals make a big impact on customers, setting the mood or aesthetic for the products and services offered. A donut shop, for example, could have a mural of yummy, colorful donuts in the Kawaii aesthetic (a Japanese cute style-think Hello Kitty and Pusheen) that would make someone smile and associate child-like happiness with a donut from their shop.
In a doctor’s or dentist’s office, soft comforting colors can help patients feel more at ease. A mural with scenes of places, animals, or interesting general topics like space or marine life give kids and adults something to look at and distract their attention from the stress of a visit.
For a car dealership, a mural with vintage cars would give customers a distraction while they wait for that paperwork to go through and even to look at instead of their phone. For sporting goods stores, scenes depicting how products are used like ski scenes or soccer games make mental connections between products in packaging and how they are used. Connection sells!
Exterior murals make bold statements in their communities about local history and people in that neighborhood. They also help create a sense of identity between the residents and their community while showcasing their uniqueness to visitors. Another use is for the Welcome to… signs that greet visitors to a town or neighborhood, a very helpful feature in a city like Pittsburgh!
Advertising murals like vintage “ghost” signs give a bit of connection to the past while contemporary examples can be decorative and informative.
Some other places to have murals in are parks, parklets, or to dress up a privacy fence or boring garage door.
Anyway, back to options to consider for your own mural project!
We’ve already gone over some uses for murals in types of rooms.
Size
Think about the size of the mural that you would like.
- It is a big factor in pricing a commissioned work and it does affect the visual “wow” factor. Murals are meant to be noticed!
- Will it take up an entire wall, or just a portion of one?
- The purpose of the mural also helps determine the size.
- Do you want an overall design or a motif/single focal point?
- Size also affects the amount of time that the artist will need to complete the project.
Permanent or temporary installation?
Did you know that murals aren’t just permanent? They can be made so that they can be removed and relocated to another location. Something to consider if a building may be sold and the new owner may not want the mural to stay. This happened in East Liberty several years ago when a company purchased a building and covered up a beloved community mural that celebrated the historically Black neighborhood despite significant opposition from the community. It was saved in photos but that’s just not the same experience.
For a private homeowner, murals can level up the uniqueness of a home. It may not matter if you want to take it along or not when you sell your home. Some buyers might even be looking for a home with high-end decoration like a mural that doesn’t have the maintenance of wallpaper or they don’t have the time to collect and care for individual paintings. One thing to think about is whether you want something that is permanent and if it matters if tastes/trends change allowing it to be painted over or if you want to take your prized mural with you to your next home.
What style or aesthetic do you prefer?
This is probably the most subjective part of your project. Color sets the tone for the interior rooms. A doctor’s office may want calming colors, whereas a gym might want bold, active colors. New parents might prefer soft, pastel tones for a new baby’s nursery. The artist you choose to work with will be glad to help you make informed decisions. The choices are endless.
Outdoor murals tend to be bold and colorful to catch your attention, making an immediate impact on the viewer while succinctly telling a story.
Styles are as varied as any other art form, so you can go abstract, realism, comic/anime, graphics, Impressionism, Goth, anything you can imagine. The artist you hire will help guide you in those decisions.
What is your budget?
Pricing varies widely, with several factors involved. This depends on time constraints, materials’ costs, time required for the work to be completed, the artist’s own pricing formulas, and the size of the work.
Location is a big factor as well. Painting a mural on an old brick factory building which requires scaffolding and possibly assistants, will be priced differently than a small bedroom in a private home.
Like any other project, get two or three estimates from different artists after you have decided on a baseline budget.
Timeframe: When do you need it to be finished by?
As with any project that involves a planning process, it’s wise to plan well ahead of time before your intended deadline.
Obviously, variable factors like weather will affect the timeframe for an outdoor project. Funding, organizational requirements and guidelines affect public projects. Some major projects, particularly for outdoors, might require local permits, scaffolding, etc.
Do keep in mind that anything worthwhile takes time, and details should be agreed on in advance.
Muralists are professionals and are more than happy to provide guidance throughout the entire project from planning to finish.
Muralists Based in Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh art scene is blessed to have so many professional muralists offering a wide variety of styles and specialties. Many of them offer classes and traditional artwork as well. Be sure to support these incredibly talented artists!
Feel free to reach out to them with questions about your upcoming project.
In the spirit of the Juneteenth celebrations, most of the following artists are BIPOC.
V Jennings
https://www.instagram.com/vjenningsart
V Jennings has been creating both interior and exterior murals since 2014. Most recently she has completed projects for The Black Cat Market and Black Lotus Pizza. Her latest project is a mural for the City Grows plant store.
By learning to adapt to a visual impairment called visual snow syndrome, her work is characterized by bold botanicals, bright rich colors, and stark contrasts, making V’s style easily adaptable to any type of space.
She does have a digital portfolio available and an artist’s statement, which is what an artist will use to describe their process, influences, and inspiration. You can contact V through her Instagram profile.
Here’s an excerpt from V’s artist statement:
“Within my works, vibrant bursts of color coexist with imagined deep tones, symbolizing the stark contrast between what I witness and the nuanced depth I aspire to perceive.
This duality between actual perception and imagined clarity serves as a catalyst, fueling my creative vision to capture 'bright' pockets of color amidst the visual noise, encapsulating the essence of what I see juxtaposed with what I wish to envision.”_ V Jennings
The Black Cat Market mural by V Jennings Photo credit: V Jennings
Photo credit: V Jennings IG post
Alison Zapata
https://www.instagram.com/alisonzapataartist
https://linktr.ee/Alisonzapataartist
Alison Zapata has been featured in the 2023 Aspinwall edition of Shady Avenue Magazine for her mural “Aspinwall”, which you may have seen while visiting the area. She is a certified arts educator, having been awarded membership in the Young Audiences Arts for Learning National Credentialed Teaching Artists in partnership with the Arts Education Collaborative.
She is active in both mural painting, teaching and metal sculpture. Her works often involve collaborations with other Pittsburgh artists like Oreen Cohen.
Alison’s vibrant style is informed by her Mexican-American heritage. She is an active member of #notwhitecollective, a supportive and outstanding group of women artists of color in Pittsburgh. Much of her work is meant to uplift neighborhoods, students, and private spaces of homes like a fun octopus in a bathroom (view the video on her Instagram profile, it’s really amazing!).
Aspinwall Mural Photo credit: Alison Zapata IG Mural at Tepache Mexican Kitchen & Bar
Photo credit: Alison Zapata IG profile
Juliandra Jones
https://www.instagram.com/pbjcustoms
https://www.pbjcustoms.com/
Juliandra Jones is the founder of PBJ Customs with the motto, “Custom Art for Custom People”. As another multidisciplinary artist, she has built a thriving art practice uplifting neighborhoods and people through her bold public art projects with a focus on education.
She completed an engaging interior mural for the University Preparatory School, Milliones 6-12 in the Hill District. The mural celebrates some of the incredible talent from the Hill District such as Teenie Harris, August Wilson, Margaret Milliones, Josh Gibson and Thelma Lovette. Juliandra has many notable murals throughout the area. Other murals include “Penn Ave. Circa 60s” at Condado
Tacos in East Liberty, “Skye Strong” at SkyestheLimit14 exotic car rental in Homewood, and “BeYOUtiful” Murals on a Mission in New Kensington, among many others.
A project in the works is “Pop Up with PBJ”, a mobile art studio which provides area students with free art workshops. It will supplement students’ current art classes and fulfill a need in communities where school budget cutbacks may have diminished arts classes for students at a time when creativity has been shown to be essential for overall learning success in any field.
Visit her website to see a full range of her amazing work and to contact her for more information.
University Preparatory School, Milliones 6-12 Condado Tacos, East Liberty
Photo credit: PBJCustoms website Photo credit: PBJCustoms website
Jayla Patton
https://www.instagram.com/jpattonart
https://linktr.ee/jpatton_pending
Jayla Patton is an arts educator, illustrator and comic artist who also creates murals. She uses her signature style to create vibrant images that instantly lift your spirits. While she uses traditional mediums like watercolor to create small pieces, she also uses Photoshop and teaches digital art with animation.
You may remember her biggest mural project so far which is the 3500 square foot street mural on Penn Ave., that she painted in 2020 during the pandemic to brighten the restaurant corridor downtown. It’s no longer there, but was part of an ongoing, rotating public art project downtown.
Photo credit: KDKA Photo credit: Jayla Patton Instagram profile
Heidi Henciak Walsh
https://www.inkprintstudio.com/
https://www.instagram.com/inkprintstudio
Heidi Walsh is also a multidisciplinary artist working as a muralist, illustrator, and painter of abstracts. She is based in both Pittsburgh and Palm Beach, FL, exhibiting at exhibitions and art fairs while regularly creating site-specific indoor and outdoor murals.
Her acrylic paintings use soft, tonal colors to create a sense of calmness, while her ink and watercolor illustrations are mostly complex stylized botanicals. The murals are an elegant combination of the two, gracing walls, sidewalks, and private homes with her love of nature and design.
Heidi has been selected to be part of the Pittsburgh Creative Corps Artist Directory of the Office of Public Art, which streamlines the process of planning public art installations.
Photo credit for both: Heidi Walsh-InkprintStudio.com
Are You Ready to See More?
I know I am!
My next post will feature more of these incredible artists and their murals, along with a few well-known murals in the ‘Burgh to hunt for during your next staycation, and some lesser-known murals that often are overlooked simply because of their location.
*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.
*originally published here: https://www.tarasa.com/blog/muralists-murals-pittsburgh/
5/19/2024 9:08:38 PM
By Joann Renner
Yikes!
It’s hard to believe that it’s mid-late April already. Have you noticed too just how quickly the year is passing by already?
Summer and the end of the school year are just around the corner. That means it’s time to think about summer camps and workshops to keep hands and minds from that ubiquitous summer malady-boredom.
Arts camps and workshops are a refreshing alternative to or an addition to sports, band, and the usual type of camps that we send our kids to each year. But arts camps and workshops aren’t just for kids. There’s just as many options for adults too. Many have already started signups, so don’t procrastinate on registering!
So many organizations and groups are offering a wide array of choices this year for kids and adults…
With the pandemic finally behind us, we can fully immerse ourselves in creative social groups to our heart’s content.
One nice thing is that these camps give kids a chance to express themselves in a safe environment while they learn to embrace their creativity and have fun at the same time. If your school has had cutbacks in arts programming, the kids can benefit by getting creative enrichment in safe environments without the anxiety of graded classwork or the fear of being judged.
For adults, learning new skills, trying something new that they have always wanted to try, or honing skills that they already have, helps keep the mind sharp. Finding creative outlets opens our hearts and minds to new possibilities. It improves dexterity and fine motor functions. Best of all, in my opinion anyway, is that it gets you out of your head, serving as one way to clear feelings of anxiety and promote mental wellness. For me, painting takes me to other places and times, much like reading a good book. It helps me to forget the busyness of the outside world and find joy in the moment.
Play is good no matter what your age is, so go have fun!
*I didn’t add much in photos for this post out of respect for the kids’ privacy and I didn’t want to repost them without parental permission.
Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media
https://pghartsmedia.org/camps/
The Center is located at 1047 Shady Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15232 in the Shadyside neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The main building was once home to the Mellon family, another one of the prominent Pittsburgh Gilded Age families known for financial services, banking, and philanthropy, especially in support of the arts.
They offer various arts camps for kids ages 6-17, and cover hands-on experiences like printmaking, experimental photography, stop-motion animation, drawing and painting, digital illustration, ceramics, art of the meme, architecture, Adobe Photoshop, Forts and Secret Hideaways, Monsters Wizards and Magical Things, Recycled Robots, metalsmithing, and lots more. It makes me wish I was a kid again!
One thing that does stand out is that they offer “Pre-Camp” and “Post Camp” extended care hours where the kids are supervised beyond the actual camp hours. It is recommended that you register the kids for extended care at the time of camp registration. See the website for full information. It’s an excellent idea for busy schedules that might overlap camp times.
I’ve attended some of their other events like A Fair in the Park, and I’ve always heard good things about their programs. Their prices are very reasonable and accessible for most folks which is a big plus for budget-conscious parents. Tuition assistance is also available.
For adults, the course catalog is extensive, with just about anything creative that you can think of. Painting, drawing, metalsmithing, ceramics and pottery, film and photography, and oh so much more. The costs per course is naturally higher than the kids’ camps, but tuition assistance is also available for adults. If you are thinking of something unusual to do this summer, check them out. They have courses and workshops going all year long in case you can’t do it in the summer months.
Photo credit: Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media website
Carnegie Science Center (I know they renamed it but it will always be Carnegie to me)
https://carnegiesciencecenter.org/programs/summer-camps/
Okay, when we think of the Carnegie Science Center, we think science type stuff, right?
Science and creativity go hand-in-hand. Think Leonardo Da Vinci. Art skills build critical thinking and problem-solving skills. STEAM activities encompass the whole package, so that kids can learn in a well-rounded way that doesn’t stifle curiosity and imagination.
Most of their camps are for kids ages 4-14 years, and include lots of science stuff of course. For the creative aspects of science, they offer the BNY Mellon Fab Lab. Here campers can learn about “maker technologies” such as 3D printing, laser cutting, animation, and video game design. If you know anyone who has a Glowforge-a laser cutter used for many of the products you can find on Etsy.com, for their business, then you will be familiar with its capabilities.
I am glad to see that they offer Pre-Camp and Post-Camp Care along with Lunch Care as piece-of-mind for busy parents. Registrations are currently open.
Oh, and there is The Science Behind Pixar and Fab Lab has sessions for adults as well as the kiddos, including a session for older adults age 65+ to learn about 3D printing and other creative technology.
Camps For Creatives by TrustArts Education
https://www.trustarts.org/pct_home/education/kids-families/summer-camps
The TrustArts Education Center is located in the James E. Rohr Building, 805-807 Liberty Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222 (Downtown in the Cultural District).
The summer camps and workshops are available for early childhood and ages Kindergarten through 12th grade. They do offer financial support for anyone needing help and a contact is given on the above webpage.
The topics include an early childhood camp, theatre production, arts and science camp, art exploration camp and Costumes, Cosplay, and Capers! Costume, Stagecraft, and Storytelling Camp, which my daughter would’ve loved when she was in high school. When you get to the page above, click on the main camp you are interested in and it will take you to more information about that particular camp. They don’t provide a lunch or drinks, so students will have to take along a packed lunch.
For adults they have two primary programs: Creative Conversations and ArtsMasters. Creative Conversations is where adults gather to discuss arts topics in both visual arts and performing arts. ArtsMasters is an educational outreach that provides workshops, classes, and more to the community. There’s also resources for schools and educators that are worth checking out.
Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History
https://camps.artandnaturalhistory.org/calendar/
The Carnegie Museums are well-known for their summer camps and you can find a wide range of interests that incorporate STEAM topics. There’s Mixing Mediums where kids can learn about collage and mixed media art. There’s Painting Lab, Eco Lab, a Weekly Art Studio, and more, all age-appropriate and where the campers can be immersed in the art galleries of the museum. Of course, there are plenty of natural science options too.
Registrations are open through early June with scholarships available as well as Pre-Camp and Post-Camp Care.
Sweetwater Center for the Arts
https://sweetwaterartcenter.org/classes/summercamps/summer-camps-children/
I’ve mentioned Sweetwater in a few other posts and there’s a very good reason to do so again. They have an incredible lineup of summer camps this year. Already some are filling up quick, so go over the list with the kids as soon as you can. They do have scholarships available to help if necessary too. If you are a member, there’s a discount code MEMBERS10 with the reminder on the webpage above.
Just some of the topics include culinary arts like Baking Basics, jewelry making using clay, ceramics, Women in Art, Sustainable Art Forms, Natural Pigments-using natural materials such as avocado pits to dye fabric and paper as well as making paper, creative writing, mental health and wellness, mixed media, metalsmithing, digital arts and so much more.
Camps are offered for age levels like early childhood through teen years, and there are plenty of adult options too.
This would be super convenient for those in the North Hills, Wexford, West End, even the North Side. Sweetwater is highly respected as a safe and welcoming space with high quality instruction and inclusion is a top priority.
Assemble: A Community Space for Arts and Technology
https://assemblepgh.org/programs/summer-camps/
Assemble is an amazing organization located at 4824 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15224 in the Garfield neighborhood. They do offer Pre-Camp and Post-Camp Care, and financial assistance is available. Garfield residents can register for free!
Their summer camps are for first grade through ninth grade.
The offerings are STEAM oriented, incorporating multiple fields like Eco Explorers, film crew, Passport Around the World, animation, and cosplay.
If you’re not familiar with cosplay, it’s a hobby where a person of any age can create a costume to recreate a favorite pop culture character such as a superhero, Star Wars, or anime. My son and daughter did this for several years until just recently. All parts of the cosplay are usually handmade including sewing the clothing, making the fake weapons and accessories. Sometimes a wig or specialty items are purchased, but it can get really pricey. Only don’t call it a costume to the kids, call it a cosplay or you’ll get the biggest eyeroll you’ve ever seen!
WQED Film Academy
https://www.wqed.org/filmacademy/
This would be excellent for teens considering film production as a career.
WQED is located in the Oakland neighborhood between the CMU and Pitt campuses at 4802 5th Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213. The courses are held in their studios. Scholarships are available, and sessions are actually offered in the summer, fall and spring. So if one doesn’t work out for scheduling, another might work better for you and your child’s needs.
There is an in-person option and virtual learning is also possible. The course covers the basics of digital media arts such as storytelling, camera skills, audio, lighting, and digital editing. There’s hands-on learning, using the latest technologies and teaching the students teamwork, an essential skill for filmmaking. They then create a short film project at the end of the course.
This is for ninth through twelfth grades.
The students can continue to build their skills by applying to the Teen Film Crew. Point Park University is offering scholarships to some students who go through the program. See their website for more information on this awesome opportunity.
Pittsburgh Glass Center
https://www.pittsburghglasscenter.org/youth-programs/
The summer youth programs are primarily for teens, but there are options for ages 5+ and middle-schoolers. PGC is located at 5472 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206. They recently renovated their facility into a state-of-the-art center and are one of the top glass-making educational organizations in the US.
The workshop for ages 5+ is for the family to enjoy together. The middle-schooler program is an after-school one, and there are different workshop options for teens in sixth through twelfth grade.
Scholarships are available.
This is a unique skill set that kids won’t get in their regular school experience. Teamwork and communication skills are also taught since glasswork usually requires more than one person creating it.
The Irma Freeman Center for the Imagination
https://www.irmafreeman.org/get-camps
The Irma Freeman Center is a unique facility with a full range of arts services, with a focus on education and diversity. They are located at 5006 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15224.
They have some unusual camp offerings that other venues are not as likely to have. Some options are making miniatures, musical theatre, found object sculpture, architecture and city planning, creating comics, art using natural materials, martial arts, making books, murals, music and yoga circus. The prices are more affordable for some folks, with financial assistance available.
It looks like most camps are for ages 6 and up. Check out the particular camp you are interested in for more information.
Dot and Line Art Studio
https://www.dotandlineartstudio.com/camps
Dot and Line is a studio in the Mt. Lebanon neighborhood at 311A Beverly Rd., 2nd Fl..
They offer art-making camps for ages 5 through 13 years old, with an emphasis on visual arts. The kids get to try different materials and techniques while having a ton of fun (sure looks like it in the photos). They even have an art show where families get to visit and see their creations just like in a gallery. There’s even a class about puppets!
It’s definitely worth checking out.
Many smaller galleries and arts groups are offering summer camps and workshops also. For a list of camps with other interests like music, sports, and academics, go to https://www.kidsburgh.org/ .
These groups are offering summer camps and workshops for kids, youth and adults. Please visit their websites for more information.
My hope is that you found this list helpful as you plan summer activities for your family or even yourself. All of these spaces offer a safe and fulfilling environment for learning and exploring creativity, teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. Creativity is needed in education and the future workforce. Technology, science, and creativity go hand-in-hand.
Creativity makes learning fun!
*I don’t use AI for my writing, it’s all me! My contact is [email protected] .
This post is sponsored by Tarasa Hurley, Realtor. Contact her at https://www.tarasa.com for more information regarding your real estate needs.
3/25/2024 6:54:11 PM
Spring has arrived here in Pittsburgh. The daffodils and construction cones are in full bloom. Have you seen any robins yet? I did on a warm sunny day, then it snowed the next day. Yeah, that’s our crazy weather here.
So before diving into some artsy stuff, I want to start off with some good news on the late Timothy Kelley situation that I mentioned in the last post. A family member has agreed to be the estate’s administrator and all of the legalities have been sorted out. His artistic legacy has been preserved for his son. Thank you to everyone who has stepped up and helped this family through such a sudden tragedy. The family is beyond grateful for the support of the Pittsburgh arts community and the community at large.
Art Related Events to Start Off Springtime
When it comes to art events in Pittsburgh, you have a wide variety to choose from. There’s no shortage of events, exhibitions, and festivals. It runs the full gamut of small, intimate pop-ups and art/community markets, to large scale museum exhibitions and festivals with everything else in-between. So find those comfy walking shoes and make some plans to enjoy the hunt for new artwork to elevate your space, and have fun too!
Art All Night 2024
https://www.artallnight.org/
This very popular art event is the big kickoff to the spring and summer art festival season. It used to be held in the heat of summer, but thankfully it changed to April. It’s family-friendly with a section set aside for artworks not suitable for family viewing. There are creative activities for kids of all ages too.
This year it will be held at the Crucible Building located at 3011 Smallman St. in the Strip District, Pittsburgh, PA 15201 (beside the 31st St. Bridge), Pittsburgh. The dates are April 27 at 4pm until 2pm on April 28, 2024.
The building itself is a completely renovated industrial structure that was part of the Crucible Steel Company which had a full-scale steel mill in Midland, PA (Beaver County). It is now leased for offices with full contemporary amenities. From what I saw on their website, they did a beautiful job of incorporating the old and new while preserving the integrity of the historical building. As an architecture and history buff, I can’t wait to see it myself!
The festival itself is unique. There’s no cost to participate and no cost to visit. It is uncensored, meaning artists do not have to go through a judging process to have their work accepted. All work is welcome. Anyone can participate-kids, students, beginners, advanced professionals, it doesn’t matter. There are visual arts like painting and drawing, 3D works like sculpture, pottery, fiber arts, installations, performance artists many of whom perform as they walk through the crowds, music and anything else someone might bring. Check their website for updates on the visiting or on the submission process if you know someone who might like to exhibit their creation, and I encourage them to do so.
There is also live painting. Artists sign up to paint on-site so that people can watch and learn about the painting process. Then the works are auctioned off to support the festival for next year. It’s an excellent way to purchase artworks and help the cause of making art accessible to everyone.
Photo credit for both: The Crucible Building website
2023 Art All Night
Photo credit: Joann Renner
“Spring is in the Art” Jannick Wildberg Art Exhibition at Jeffrey Smith Salon Gallery
IG: @jannickwildberg, @jeffreysmithjewelry
http://www.jannickwildberg.com/
https://www.jeffreysmithsalon.com/
If you are looking for quieter surroundings to celebrate Spring with, then check out this solo exhibition for Jannick Wildberg. She is a French painter now living in Pittsburgh who specializes in absolutely amazing portraits and nature subjects. She considers nature and flowers as worthy of being portraits in their own right. Pittsburgh is indeed extremely fortunate to have her high quality work and her dedication to uplifting the region’s artists.
If her name sounds familiar, Jannick was one of the artists helping bring awareness to the late Tim Kelley’s estate situation.
The Opening Reception is March 24, 2024, from 5-7pm at Jeffrey Smith Salon, 5806 Bryant Street Pittsburgh, PA 15206 (Highland Park). The show runs from March 24-May 25th. This is one not to be missed!
Photo credit: Jannick Wildberg’s IG page
And by the way, Mr. Smith is an accomplished jewelry designer, artist, curator, and hair stylist as well.
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art: Art in Bloom Exhibition
https://thewestmoreland.org/art-in-bloom/
Nothing says Spring like flowers do.
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art is featuring an exhibition that is absolutely perfect for this time of year called Art in Bloom. It is scheduled for March 21-24, 2024, and includes sculptural floral arrangements created by regional floral designers. Each work is inspired by an artwork in the museum’s collection. I apologize for the short notice on this one, as I just found out about it. It is well-worth a day trip from Pittsburgh to Greensburg in Westmoreland County to see this unusual collaboration between floral design and fine art.
No worries if you can’t make it to this exhibition. They have a well-respected collection of American Art that is a must-see, classes, lectures and events. Check out their website for all of their offerings.
Photo credit: Westmoreland Museum of Art website
The Labyrinth at Nemacolin Resort by Dorit Brauer
https://www.nemacolin.com/the-nemacolin-times/labyrinth-at-nemacolin/
https://brauerinstitute.com/the-nemacolin-labyrinth/
Dorit Brauer is a Pittsburgh-based artist specializing in holistic medicine, meditation, and so much more including classes in Ancestral Strength and Sound Baths using Tibetan singing bowls. She built a stone labyrinth at the Meditation Garden at Nemacolin Resort in the Laurel Highlands during her artist residency there. Visitors are encouraged to use it as a method for reflection, meditation and reducing stress while walking through the labyrinth.
This is something I have yet to go and see but I plan to this year. Getting outside and connecting with nature and ourselves has a significant healing effect on our mental and physical health.
Art is an essential tool for well-being and this is one way in which anyone, young and old alike, can participate and benefit from.
The Frick Pittsburgh Museums and Gardens: Vermeer, Monet, Rembrandt
https://www.thefrickpittsburgh.org/Exhibition-Vermeer-Monet-Rembrandt-Forging-the-Frick-Collections-in-Pittsburgh-and-New-York
Exhibition Dates: April 6 - July 14, 2024
If you are new to Pittsburgh, you may not be familiar with the Frick Pittsburgh located at 7227 Reynolds St., Pittsburgh, PA 15208 in the East End.
It is another must-see for newcomers and longtime residents as well. The main museum is Clayton, the Gilded Age Victorian mansion that was home to the Henry Clay Frick family before they relocated to NYC. Mr. Frick was an associate of Andrew Carnegie while they were building the steel industry here in Pittsburgh. I won’t go into the full story but it does make for fascinating reading for us history buffs.
The mansion was gifted to the city by his widow, and it is preserved as a glimpse into the life of a wealthy family c.1892. It consists of a carriage and car museum, the art museum and gardens with the home kept as it was when the family lived there. There is a café and space rentals are available. Check out their website for lots more information on all of their offerings including classes, tours, and exhibitions.
The Fricks were avid art collectors of their time, and the upcoming exhibition, “Vermeer, Monet, Rembrandt-Forging the Frick Collections in Pittsburgh and New York” highlights 36 works by these Old Masters and more such as Degas, Whistler and Titian. You can register for tickets online. I would recommend doing this in advance because they expecting a high turnout for the entire exhibition. There will also be presentations, discussions with the curators, a virtual event, free admission days, and concerts throughout the show dates.
A related event, The Frick Fête is a Gilded Age themed party to be held on June 22, 2024. More info. Is available on the website.
And while you are there, visit the gardens too. Frick Park is huge and surrounds the original property in Point Breeze. It’s perfect for walking, hiking, biking, walking the dog and simply getting some fresh air with a good stretch of the legs.
I love contemporary art with all of its vitality, diversity, and innovation, but I am also an art historian, antiques lover, and architecture nerd at heart. The mansion itself has undergone recent preservation work, and it is absolutely ready to show off these masterpieces. I can hardly wait to visit this!
Frick Park and Fern Hollow Bridge
https://www.instagram.com/johnpenastudio/
https://www.instagram.com/carin.mincemoyer/
The recently rebuilt Fern Hollow Bridge, is part of Forbes Ave. and which goes through the park, has artwork of its own. The city’s Office for Public Art and Pittsburgh artists John Peña and Carin Mincemoyer worked together with community input to incorporate art on the upper part of the bridge and an art installation below it
Peña created a history of water in the area titled “400 Million Years of Water”, which uses signs on the railings to provide historical geographic information and images about the ancient Pittsburgh River, aka the Ancestral Monongahela to present-day Fern Hollow Creek. He also created water-related images on the concrete barriers of the pedestrian walkways of the bridge.
Carin Mincemoyer created an installation on the Tranquil Trail, a popular trail below the bridge for cycling and walking titled “Trail Meander”. She built sculptural, natural shaped seats to encourage visitors to rest and connect with nature.
Art Installation by Carin Mincemoyer Art Installation by John Peña
Photo credit for both: Sean Carroll & https://www.instagram.com/carin.mincemoyer/
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens: Spring Flower Show
https://www.phipps.conservatory.org/calendar/detail/spring-flower-show
One way we can reawaken our senses for Spring is to visit the annual Spring Flower Show at the Phipps Conservatory in Schenley Park, Oakland (Pittsburgh). This show at a stunning Victorian landmark is always a visual treat that is also a Spring must-see and one of the most popular events in Pittsburgh.
It runs from March 16 to April 14, 2024, and tickets are available on their website.
There are also rotating kaleidoscopes, floral sculptures, topiaries (natural sculptures made of living shrubs), an animatronic butterfly, and lots more. Nature uses brilliant bursts of color and bold shapes to create its own art to celebrate the season with us.
Going on at the same time is Tropical Forest Hawai‘i, showcasing the widely diverse flora and unique culture of Hawaii, one of Nature’s masterpieces.
Make a day of it and take it all in, maybe even finding some inspiration to elevate your garden space into your very own natural work of art! Remember that you don’t have to have a huge yard to create a garden space. Containers work perfectly fine for small spaces and apartments. Some local garden centers have classes and Phipps has a wide range of gardening and plant care classes, workshops, summer camps, and even a plant sale to help you create a natural work of art.
Photo credit: Phipps Conservatory website
The event and festival season is just getting started, helping us to shake off those winter blues. Follow this blog for so much more coming up in the next few months that you don’t want to miss! And don’t forget, summer camp signups are in full swing so I will be covering some of those options for the next post. If you have any thoughts or suggestions for art-related subjects you might like to see here, please feel free to contact Tarasa Hurley (see the business card below for contact information) or myself at [email protected].
Happy Spring!!
*Disclosure: In case anyone has been wondering, I do not receive any fees, favors or promotions from any event, artist, gallery, or venue that I write about. This is a passion project and collaboration with Tarasa Hurley, Realtor, to uplift the Pittsburgh arts community, which in turn uplifts the entire region and enriches our lives. Also, all of my writing is done by me without AI assistance. Thank you for following along this journey!
3/4/2024 9:21:11 PM
Art Display Ideas, Basic Art Care Tips, Stuff to Do, and a Very Special Plea For a Pittsburgh Artist’s Family
By Joann Renner
03/04/2024 original blog post published link: https://www.tarasa.com/blog/art-display-ideas-basic-art-care/
Before I give you some tips on taking care of your awesome art collection even if it is one piece and ways to display it, I would appreciate a moment of your time and consideration for a special fundraiser. It is for a Pittsburgh artist’s family to help them through a deeply difficult time and to preserve his legacy for his family. His name is Timothy Kelley, a member of the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh. He passed away suddenly at the age of 59, leaving behind a young son, Teague, whom he was devoted to. He passed just before the opening of his exhibition at the Ink Well Coffee Shop in Lawrenceville in December 2023. I never had the pleasure of meeting Tim in person. I only knew him through Facebook and Instagram, but several of my friends and colleagues knew him well as a caring and generous person, passionate about his painting, his son, and the art community in Pittsburgh.
From the Official GoFundMe Fundraiser Page (by permission of Jannick Wildberg):
“Jannick Wildberg and Sasha Phillips are organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Adrian Newhouse.
Dear Friends, Supporters, and Art Enthusiasts,
This is a heartfelt plea to preserve the legacy of a talented artist whose work has touched many lives. Our dear friend artist Timothy Kelley sadly passed away recently, leaving behind a stunning collection of paintings that represent his lifelong dedication to his passion. Unfortunately, without immediate action, there's a real risk that his artistic legacy could be lost forever.
The Situation:
Tim Kelley poured his heart and soul into his art, creating remarkable pieces that captivated viewers and sparked conversations. His creations aren't just beautiful works of art; they are a reflection of his passion, creativity, and unique perspective on the world. Sadly, there is a looming threat that his entire collection could be lost or destroyed. As of right now, the entire contents of his apartment including many of his paintings, are scheduled to go to a government dumpsite on February 10, and the entire art collection of his art studio will soon be disposed of by a storage company. In other words, his hard work is set to be treated like garbage.
Tim's relative recently stepped up to save this tragic situation and to ensure that Teague can inherit his father’s artistic legacy but needs substantial funds to intervene properly, legally and promptly.
The Urgency:
We cannot let this happen. It would be a tragedy to see Tim's paintings be taken to the dump when they have the potential to inspire future generations and to support his beloved son Teague, which is what Tim would have wanted. We have a rare opportunity to ensure that his artistic legacy lives on, but we need your help to make it happen.
Our Goal:
Our goal is simple: to raise enough funds to secure the preservation and maintenance of Tim's paintings so that they can be passed down to his son and cherished for years to come. The funds will also go to filing and legal fees for properly administering Tim’s estate. By contributing to this cause, you'll be helping to safeguard a piece of artistic history and honor the memory of a talented artist who left us way too soon.
How You Can Help:
Your donation, no matter how small, can make a world of difference. Whether it's the price of a cup of coffee or a more generous contribution, every dollar counts towards our goal. Together, we can ensure that Tim Kelley's paintings remain a lasting testament to his talent and passion, and that Tim’s son is protected in his rights.
Spread the Word:
Even if you're unable to donate, you can still support our cause by spreading the word. Share this campaign with your friends, family, and social networks, and help us reach as many people as possible. Together, we can rally support and make a positive impact on the future of Tim's artistic legacy.
Conclusion:
Thank you for taking the time to read our message and consider supporting our cause. With your help, we can ensure that Tim Kelley's paintings continue to inspire, evoke emotion, and leave a lasting imprint on the world. Let's come together to honor his memory and preserve his legacy for generations to come. With all the crazy things going on in this world, we need art to survive and inspire, not to be thrown out like garbage.
We are deeply grateful to Sasha Phillips, an incredible local attorney, for her compassionate and expeditious guidance in this tragic situation.
The Art Community of Pittsburgh and Friends of Tim Kelley.”
Update: the fundraising goal has been reached, but legal/administration fees continue and anything left will go to the family. The Pittsburgh Housing Authority has granted a one-week extension until Friday, Feb 23.
Photo credit: John Altdorfer, @j_altdorfer
If you feel called to help, here is the link to the GoFundMe page (the only official one). Even simply spreading the word is certainly appreciated by everyone involved. https://gofund.me/33a5ecf6
Are You Looking to Beat Those Winter Blues?
Here are a few things to do in the ‘Burgh while we wait for Spring to make her appearance and stay awhile:
Art Battle Pittsburgh
IG @ArtBattlePittsburghPenn
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/art-battle-pittsburgh-april-11-2024-tickets-807346323587
This is becoming a really popular indoor event for artists and spectators alike. The next Art Battle is scheduled for April 11, 2024 at Spirit, a music venue, bar and pizza place located at 242 51st St. in Lawrenceville. Tickets are $20, and it is 21+ for admittance.
It is a fun, live painting competition where the audience can watch the artists create paintings in 20 minutes then bid on them afterwards. It’s a totally informal way to learn about the creative process without any anxiety or fear and the artists win prizes based on voting by the audience. This would be a fun date night idea or go with friends and just have some fun. Don’t forget to get some of Spirit’s excellent pizza too, I highly recommend it!
Photo credit: Art Battle Pittsburgh Facebook page
Bottlebrush Gallery
https://bottlebrusharts.com/
The Bottlebrush Gallery is located at 539 Main St., Harmony, Pa. 16037 in one of the original historic buildings of Harmony. They have the art gallery, an antique shop on the second floor, music concerts, an open mic night, a Women’s Creative Circle meetup, and Last Dog Records, a vinyl record shop also on the second floor. They are dedicated to Buy Local by offering works by artists and artisans only from within 50 miles of Harmony.
Classes and workshops for all age groups, and event space rentals are available along with a wide range of art and fine craft types, such as fine art, fiber arts, quilts, iron work, glass and even organic dog and cat treats in the gallery area!
One class that’s coming up sounds like a lovely way to welcome Spring, and that is a Beginners Adult Watercolor class to be held March 14th , 21st , and 28th, 2024, at 6:30pm-8:30pm each evening. All skill levels are welcome, especially beginners as it is a relaxed and judgement-free class.
There is an $85 Registration fee, and all supplies are included. The instructor is Beth Slagle, member of the Cranberry Artists Network. Tickets are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beginners-adult-watercolor-class-3-evenings-tickets-842699084647
Photo credit: Bottlebrush Gallery website
A Short Guide to the Care and Display of Your Art Collection
Just as important as finding that amazing piece of artwork or works that truly elevate your space, maybe even making the neighbors a teensy bit jealous, is taking care of it and displaying it so it brings you enjoyment for many years to come.
Paintings
There are several types of paintings, such as acrylic, oils, and watercolors. Watercolors I will include with works on paper, as they require more care to display.
Acrylic and oil paintings are traditionally painted on stretched cotton canvas or linen, where the cloth is stretched taut, much like a drum, over a wooden framework. Older pieces from the early 20th century and before, were secured with tacks but now staples are used. Some artists buy their canvases already pre-made (saves time and energy), or buy the fabric, the wood stretcher bars and build it themselves. This method can be a budget saver, as sometimes a painter will cut their own wood to the desired size. It works great for custom sizes not available in stores. I have done it both ways for my own work, depending on the needs of the project.
Antique paintings were also done on wooden panels, which were easier to transport for the travelling artist. This is a very popular option now, and you can find works on cradled panels, usually either wood or Masonite (or similar material). The flat panel is braced on the back with a cradle of wood pieces on the back to keep it from warping. It makes it easy to attach a hanger and if the artist paints the sides, you don’t even have to frame it. It gives a clean, modern look that way. I’ll get to types of hangers in just a bit.
Some artists are also painting the sides of canvas paintings, either with a solid color or by extending the actual painting onto the sides. This also gives a very contemporary feel and eliminates the need for expensive framing. Large paintings can be extremely pricey to frame, and interior designers as well as the artists themselves often feel that frames can actually detract from contemporary paintings.
That being said, there is a current trend which is a wonderful compromise between the minimalist approach of no frame to a traditional frame, and that is the floater frame. These are a clean looking, often wood frame that is slightly bigger than the painting is. The painting itself is secured to an inner liner so that the sides and the full front of the painting can be seen, nothing is obscured. The painting is just as protected as in a traditional frame, giving the artwork a finished look.
Antique paintings of course were meant to be in traditional, often ornate frames, and really wouldn’t look right in anything else. If you have an antique painting that you love, it’s worth the investment to get a high quality wood frame or have the one that’s original to the piece restored to its full glory.
Painted edge of a str
Floater frames (photo credit: credit Amazon.com) Photo credit: Artrooms app
Unframed oil painting in a room setting by Joann Renner
Stretching a canvas Photo credit: Joann Renner
Types of Hangers for Paintings
The two best known types of hangers for oil and acrylic paintings are sawtooth hangers and wire hangers.
Sawtooth are used for small, lightweight, often inexpensive pieces. They usually are included with readymade frames that you can buy just about anywhere. Artists might use them for the small pieces they offer at festivals and markets.
The preferred type of hanger, certainly for medium to larger works is the wire type. When I worked as a framer many years ago, screw eyes were used on both side ends on the back and plain, braided steel picture wire was attached so the painting could be hung securely. A much better option is now used and preferred by galleries and collectors alike. That uses D-rings instead of the screw eyes, and different types of wire can be used including coated wire. This allows the painting to hang flat against the wall instead of sticking out like with screw eyes. Check with your picture framer to see what they offer if your painting doesn’t have them already.
These can be found on either framed or unframed pieces.
Sawtooth hanger Wire hanger with screw eyes
Photo credits: Joann Renner
Wire hanger with D-rings (Photo credit Joann Renner)
To clean paintings, use a dry, very soft brush like a cosmetic brush or one similar. Lightly brush off dust in gentle, regular strokes, being mindful of any raised textures. That’s it!
Works on Paper
Works on paper simply means the artwork was created on paper. That could be watercolors, pastels, drawings, prints, collage, mixed media, ink, just about anything can be on paper.
These artworks should be displayed in a sturdy frame with glass (Tip: frames are one of those things that you really do get what you pay for). Quality really should not be skimped on, especially for treasured artworks. Think of it this way: would you want to see a discount big box store T-shirt on a Vogue model?
Other than some collage and mixed media works, works on paper are framed with glass or plexiglass (and variants) to protect them from dirt, dust, and pollutants.
Mats
Traditionally works on paper have been framed using cardboard mats. These come in the cheap stuff that turns yellow over time and leaves stains on the artwork (yuck!), with varying levels of quality up to the museum quality high-end cotton rag boards. I use 100% cotton rag matboard for my works on paper.
The current trend being embraced by artists and galleries is to forego the mat and use spacers to separate the artwork from the glass. This gives a full view of the art without compromising integrity. I do this now for my pastels. Double and triple mats are out-of-style now for decorating trends, which I am happy about. They are very difficult to cut and expensive. But if your pieces are already archivally framed (meaning that all framing materials meet the appropriate standards for preservation), and you like it as is, then by all means keep it that way.
Antique Historical Print (Engraving), Archival 100% Cotton Rag Double-mat, Museum Glass,
and Traditional Gilt Wood Frame
Photo credit: Joann Renner
Framed pastel without a mat
Photo credit and artwork: Joann Renner
*Important: please display all paintings and works on paper in areas that DO NOT get direct sunlight. Sunlight will fade any artwork, and cause unstable temperature changes that will damage the work itself. Art prefers moderate temperatures and humidity levels just as we do. Use a Goldilocks approach, not too humid or dry, not too warm or cold. Restoration services are expensive, so “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” certainly applies here.
If you have kiddos around regularly, keep artwork at an adult height on the walls. Anything that can prevent a little one from being hurt trying to yank a framed piece or painting off the wall is worth doing. Yikes, that gave me shivers just thinking about it!
Sculpture and 3D Art
These will normally be displayed on pedestals or anyplace you would like, just keep in mind the safety of kiddos. Sun usually doesn’t affect most materials that 3D works are made of. Glass pieces should be kept from sudden temperature changes though as a quick shift from cold to heat will make glass crack. The same goes for pottery. When you receive a fine glass piece either through a carrier or bring it home from the place of purchase, don’t unpack it right away. Give it about an hour to adjust to the indoor temperature, then unpack it.
Use a very soft, dry, clean brush (cosmetic ones work great!) to gently dust any 3D artwork. That should be all it needs.
Spring is just around the corner. Get some rest, the busy festival season is gearing up!
This post is sponsored by Tarasa Hurley, Realtor, for all of your real estate needs.
*I don’t use AI for any of my writing or artwork, it’s all me :)
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
