What's "Hot" at Fein Art

It’s always a pleasure to discover new galleries in new neighborhoods—one recent addition to the Pittsburgh art scene can be found on the Northside’s East Ohio Street (two doors down from Bernies.) Here, a baker’s dozen of (mostly) young artists are featured at Fein Art Gallery’s “Hot.” Curator Kathleen Zimbicki has assembled a conglomeration of painters, sculptures and photographers. The works are skillfully grouped by artist and the mix is not unlike a fine banquet that permits you to savor each course to the fullest. Styles ranging from the traditional to the avant-garde represent some familiar faces as well as some newcomers.
Ron Gallagher works with dyed silk—his one-of-a-kind scarves and furnishing accessories are available the Ronnie G. Originals. His latest work, exhibited here, is created on suede, the typical dyes replaced with soft pastels. This combination of materials allows a deliberate rendering and the works tend to be more representational while retaining the abstract nature of the serendipitous dyes. By contrast, Peggi Habets’ watercolors are highly realistic and technically precise. The richly rendered portraits incorporate deep color and shadows with dry brush highlight to create a powerful sense of chiaroscuro. Douglas Wynn uses the palette of the Impressionists in his oils, but his method of working more closely parallels Cezanne. He carefully considers his subject before embarking on the painting process; and that process a permits the accumulation of necessary information over a span of seasons. Carolyn Wenning captures and records more transitory moments. Photography provides a reference to the real world and the moments, psychological and physical, are imprisoned viscerally in the raw materials of wax, tar and resin. Steven Douglas has been working with metal from an early age, but his interest in Medieval reenactments prompted the application of the armorer’s trade to his artwork. His fantasty creation. “ArchAngel Michael”, holds a dominate position at the center of the gallery, standing elegantly, as much the spectator as the exhibit.
I was favorably impressed with the reasonable pricing of the work at the Fein Art Gallery. This, along with the wide range of style and technique, allows for something for every taste and pocketbook. “Hot” continues through April 12.