PodCamp in Pittsburgh

What, you may ask is a PodCamp—or more specifically, PodCamp Pittsburgh3. It is an UnConference created by and for enthusiasts and professionals, anyone interested in new media. Whether it’s a blog or a video, live or pre-recorded, all the postings from salon.com to “The Evolution of Dance” started as an idea and used technology to reach their audience. All of these are the community of PodCamp.
The first PodCamp was held in Boston in 2006 and Pittsburgh followed shortly after. Since then PodCamps have been held around the world, from California to Sweden and Ireland to South Africa. Last year’s camp was attended by about two hundred, this year’s topped three hundred. Its spirit was summed up nicely by Chris Brogan, the founder of the original PodCamp—we can learn the tools and give our city a voice. Social media is, after all, the epitome of accessibility.
Everyone at PodCamp is a rock star and there are no stupid questions. So sessions are geared to all levels of experience and expertise. And with four or five sessions being held simultaneously, the greatest challenge of the weekend was deciding which to attend. In addition to the “formal” sessions, two additional venues—the Mentoring Lounge and the Wear Pittsburgh Loungy Lounge—allowed for continuing discussions and ad hoc sessions.
In the true spirit of accessibility, PodCamp is free and open to everyone. This is possible in no small part due to generosity of sponsors as diverse as Meakem Becker, VisitPittsburgh and the Art Institute.
Last year’s PodCamp gave me the inspiration and technical knowledge to start this blog. As a friend of mine advised, anything worth doing is worth doing badly. I hope that this year’s event provides the determination to a city of new bloggers and Pittsburgh can stay on the front line of social media.
Among the sessions that caught my attention were Cynthia Closkey and Mike Woycheck’s “Blogging Best Practices” and Justin Kownacki’s panel discussion on cyber-burnout and podfading. Kownacki treated those at this session with a preview of his cyber-sitcom, “Something to be Desired” (currently starting it’s sixth season.) It was there that I decided to expand my blog beyond the gallery scene. There are many art-related events that remain under-reported, starting with PodCamp itself. In the future I intend to cover events as diverse as lectures, festivals and small venue concerts. I hope others are inspired to join—there is plenty of room on the world-wide web.

Me, Myself and I in Carnegie

Self-portraits present a special challenge to artists: for, if as they say, the eyes are the window of the soul, then the artist must gaze into these portals and oft time reveal much more than the superficial likeness. This has been the case of the truly great artists who have answered this challenge—Rembrandt, van Gogh and Frida Kahlo have given us a glimpse of their joys and sorrows exposing their very character therein. It is, perhaps, why Picasso painted so few self-portraits.


Often embedded in the artist’s portrait is the artist’s statement—the philosophy that permeates his or her career. The color, the form, the medium, and the style take on greater importance when they are applied to the likeness of the creator. The dominate style of the Pittsburgh Society of Artists is realism and the genre is well-suited to this show at the Third Street Gallery. Artists who hold a mirror to nature are a natural choice to hold a mirror to themselves. Even within the narrow range of representationalism, the artists have chosen many paths. Some works depict the artist at work or with the tools of their trade. Some use photographs to show us how they were; such are the case in Sandra Ward’s Photorealistc “Then and Now” and the masterly-rendered still life, “Artist’s Reflections” by Diane White. Some artists place themselves in a montage of their interests. Ruth Richardson does this beautifully in watercolor while Martha E. Ressler is “Unabashedly Me” in an assemblage collage.
Sometimes artists go beyond the artist’s world to include universal truths. James Rettinger’s sculpture, “You Look Like You Father” reminds us that we all eventually become our parents. And sometimes the work becomes the very embodiment of the artist. Lila Hirsch Brody’s exuberant construction is Lila Hirsch Brody. But the piece that most impressed me was Amy Dimichele’s “Self –Portrait.” Simple, yet sophisticated, this delicate painting brought to mind the work of Tamara de Lempicka (although Ms Dimichele is more Cubist than Art Deco.) The artist’s intense concentration represents and effort not to simply get it right, but to get it me.

“Me, Myself and I” continues at the Third Street Gallery through June 28.

See How It Was, See How It Is

Fein Gallery, on East Ohio Street, is currently running an interesting contribution to the Pittsburgh250 celebration. “See How It Was, See How It Is” is a then and now juxtaposition of vintage photographs (curated by Bruce Klein) and contemporary pieces selected by Kathleen Zimbicki. The photographs hang in identical frames and are arranged in a grid giving a formality one might associate with the late Victorian era. On the opposite side of the gallery pairs of artists’ work are presented in a less formal exhibit complimenting the flexibility of styles and mediums.

The first works one encounters upon entering the gallery (other than Frank Flynn’s “jagger chair” reprised under a new name) are the acrylic paintings of Anna Marie Sninsky. “Pittsburgh on a Summer Night” is an achromatic view of the city from the vantage point of the Southside. The moody earth tones reflect the working class values of the Steel City and bring to mind the “glory days” of the mills. Fittingly, Ms Sninsky has worked with Steel Valley Arts Council and the Carnegie Library of Homestead so here work has a direct connection to the socio-environmental issues facing our region. These themes are also embodied in the work of Connie Merriman who has maintained a concern for disenfranchised people who are adversely affected by economic, environmental, and political issues beyond their control. “Mt. Washington, North Side” is an aerial view of the Point rendered as a bas relief of painted Styrofoam. The resultant piece resembles a topographical map and is more aesthetically driven and less political than the other works often done in collaboration with her husband, Tom.

Also included in the show, and deviating from her more conventional style, are the works by Gloria Goldsmith Hersch. Known for her Photorealist acrylics, Ms Hersch has given us a far less literal symbolic abstraction, “Carnegie Museum.” Constructed of cut paper and watercolor, the simple repeating shapes are arranged in a line suggesting the façade of a building or a salon of paintings.

Considering the range and talent on display, the curators could have filled the gallery several times over. Among the other almost two dozen artists exhibiting are Ron Donoughe (oil), Rick Byerly (photography), Alan Byrne (digital painting) and Sherrie Plonski (watercolor.) “See How It Was…” continues through June 6.

Art of the Week

Kathleen Zimbicki's work is everywhere, but most of it is watercolor. This enigmatic piece is in "Through the Eyes of AAP" at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts.



Kathleen Zimbicki
"Pittsburgh Moon"
Acrylic
$350

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.

Seven Shows at PCA

Occasionally the schedule at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts align, like the stars in some astrological chart, and all the galleries celebrate an opening on the same day. Last week the heavenly bodies were in alignment and seven exhibits appeared at the PCA. The evening had much of the feeling of an indoor gallery crawl and the scope and depth of the art on display demand more than one blog entry.
“Pittsburgh Through the Eyes of AAP” is, perhaps, the preeminent offering and the first of many events highlighting the Pittsburgh 250 celebration. Curated by Barbara Jones of the Westmoreland Museum of American Art, the pieces have been selected with the discerning eye of an impartial, yet informed, outsider. There are the requisite steel mills and bridges for which the city is renowned, but one also finds the hidden treasures and inside jokes that are sure to delight the true Pittsburgher. Foremost in the latter category is Rita Lee Spalding’s “Pittsburgh Speaks” which may be indecipherable to the outsider, but will bring a smile to the face of a native. Some pieces work on several levels, as in the case of “Pierogi Lounge” by David Watts. This delightful ethnic cuisine is not only good enough to eat (or sleep on) but calls to mind the region’s strong connection to the Pop Art movement.

The Pittsburgh landscape is well represented in photo, collage and paint. None is more striking that Robert Qualters’ “Penn Station, January1, 1954.” The color and light in this tapestry-like acrylic collage lift the status of the railroad terminal to that of the Pantheon or Medieval cathedral. In a truly historical vein, Adrienne Heinrich’s “Follow the Drinking Gourd” celebrates Pittsburgh’s connection to the Underground Railroad. Still the cast silicone piece calls to mind the racism that survived Emancipation. Some pieces, steeped in history are also clouded by obscurity so the Pittsburgh connection is not as obvious. Joyce Werie-Perry’s encaustic painting “Uncommon Faces Familiar Souls” is based on an early photograph of the Carnegie Museum’s directors. Frank Flynn is represented by two works, both of which have a wicked sense of irony. “Art Heroes: Memorial to G. David Thompson” is a Brancusi-like sculpture to the memory of an important collector of art. And “Margaret Morrison’s Endowed Chair” encrusted with “jaggers” is a tribute to an educational institution that no longer exists.
Each piece in this show will have a special appeal for the local patron and is sure to conjure up a wealth of memories and dreams. “Through the Eyes…” continues to March 9.

Gallery Crawl (Part 2)

The second leg of the Gallery Crawl takes us to Liberty Avenue, the Three Rivers Arts Festival Gallery and SPACE. These venues offer group shows with a wider variety of works and noticeably larger crowds.
The Three Rivers Gallery is home to two exhibits this season both of which are fairly heavy on installation art. The second floor features “Deliciously Disposable Earth”, a critical look at the impact of mining through the eyes of artists. Curated by Carolina Loyola-Garcia, “DDE” is an international show with both figurative and literal connections. Clayton Merrell embodies this duality. Raised in Pittsburgh and Puerto Orday, Venezuela, Merrell’s studies have taken him around the country and eventually back to the Steel City. “Six Copper Mines” represents his experiences in Arizona and New Mexico. Each is painted on scrap copper and depicts a particular copper mine in that area; they are at once exquisitely beautiful and mindful of the environmental destruction of this industry. Much in the same vein are Janet Rainwater’s charm bracelets, “Miner’s Peril” and “Enslavement.” The beauty and value of these gold objects is obvious, but as we dig deeper we find the darker association of greed, enslavement, war and death. The delicate charms—coffins, slave ship, hangman’s noose—are suspended from shackle-like links and serve to remind us that we cannot escape the legacy of our precious objects. Itamar Jobami’s video/sculptural installation, “Blood, Men, Earth” depicts a young man opening a wound in his torso from which blood flows into a rocky pool. The stream is a video projection—a wonderful piece of “trompe l’oeil” which causes the viewer to momentarily wonder how the liquid drains and recycles. The figure and pool are constructed much like a topographical map and the underpinning implication is the destruction of both man and his environment.
The third floor of Three Rivers showcases works from the staff of the Mattress Factory. (Unfortunately, the Crawl was closing night.) Mixed media pieces by Katherine Young (Pandora’s Boxes) and Susan Sparks (Ink, Tape and Magic) were impressively arrayed as multi-piece series. And one end of the gallery was dominated by an untitled installation by Lindsay O’Leary. This cotton candy confection is something straight out of Aristophanes replete with Mylar balls and silver sharks.





The final stop on my crawl was SPACE, the large glass-front gallery on Liberty Avenue. Here “Hot Metal”, curated by Ed Parrish, Jr., offers a potpourri of sculpture and assemblages. Various metallic materials are welded, cast, filigreed and crumpled to create a myriad of interpretations. In the latter category Gary Smith’s “Aluminum Foil Warriors” could be called “kitchen kitsch”—cyborgs whose construction is a parody of both subject and material. Michael Dominick’s “104-39 116th Street, Queens” has the added dimension of the skills of a plumber. The functional boiler and radiator take the “hot metal” theme seriously, as several patrons discovered when they placed a hand on the artwork. At the opposite end of the gallery stand the richly detailed sculptures of Oleh Bonkovikyy. His “Eagle” with its wings spread and perched on a sphere has the folk art feeling of a Nineteenth Century weathervane. By contrast, the individually fashioned feathers and menacing talons proclaim the hand of a skilled artist. And by the window, against the backdrop of the nocturnal city, stands “Glass Sun.” The weight and symbolic majesty of the piece could easily cause one to mistake it for a shrine from some ancient mystic civilization.
There were many other events on the Crawl some with refreshments and entertainment. And an after hours party on Sixth Street. But the best part is there will be another one in a few months.

Matthews Arts in Bellevue

Bellevue, famous for the “Live, Worship, Shop” sign, offers several unique and interesting establishments. The Creative TreeHouse and Affogato (the big red a) are regular stops on the blogosphere—enough so to attract several attendees of last year’s Pod Camp 2 to this sleepy little community in the North Boroughs. Also to be found here in the main business district is Matthew Arts.
If there is such a thing as the art version of the general store, Matthews is it. Local residents sit and discuss politics, provincial news and “what ever happened to…” All that’s missing is the potbellied stove. The offerings at the art center are as varied and colorful as its denizens. The lower level is reserved for studio classes; the main level offers an eclectic gallery interdisbursed with displays of art supplies, racks of postcards and bins of reproductions.
Matthews Art features a different artist every month exhibited in a salon style. The featured artist for January is Thomas Smith, aka Behon. Smith is a slightly eccentric (witness his unusual pricing scale) primitive artist who specializes in landscape painting. His naivety is less John Kane and more the stuff of Albert Pinkham Ryder. “Southern Maine” (oil on canvas) perhaps exemplifies this best with its dark and light striations. Its eerie, surrealistic mood is reinforced (as are several other works) by the delicate balance of a low chroma scheme. Included in Smith’s show are several pencil portraits of pop culture icons. His technical handling of this medium is superb and his draughtsmanship is outstanding.
Matthews Art is located on Balph off Lincoln and is open Tuesday through Saturday. The Art of Thomas Smith continues through the 29th of January.

Good on Paper at Fe

Considering its central location and longevity, the Fe Gallery may very well be the anchor of the Art Community on Butler Street. The current show, "Good on Paper" is an exhibit by ten regional, national and international artists; not limited to simply a show of drawings, the pieces here incorporate a variety of mediums, styles and techniques. One of the simplest offerings, in terms of materials and style, is Karin Bergdolt's "Power Lines." Executed in ballpoint pen on fifteen sheets of notebook paper arranged in a grid, Bergdolt shows us the huge man-made drawing in the sky. That intricate play of power lines is always there, changing with weather, wind, time of day and perspective. And so rarely do we even notice it.
Bergdolt, a Munich native, has established a Pittsburgh connection with her "Topology", a map of Lawrenceville gridded with hand-written notations and note card-size sketches of everyday life. Bergdolt continues her "tour of Pittsburgh" on First Night with the presentation of "Strollology" at 709 Penn Gallery.
Deanna Mance's "Teabag Series #1—5" is reminiscent of the cartographer's art as well. The small free-hand drawings are executed with a variety of media including ink, graphite, wood, teabags and transparencies and embody a love of the little things in life—intricate lines of often overlooked details. With their delicate lines and orange-sepia washes, the series evokes the visage of the map-makers engravings found in ancient books.
Also in the show are Craig Kirby's "Presciptions: Drugstore Memories" a brightly-colored array of faux labels offering remedies ranging from protective ointments to artificial tears. And the "Encyclopedia Destructica", an art-zine inspired collection harvested from sketchbooks and journals, has a display of some dozen issues. First published in 2007, the zine started as a concept in the mind of Chris Kardambikis and is available at local bookstores and coffee houses. Several stunning drawings by Ryan Roth comprise "Time Flies." The ink on vellum portraits with their mask/headdress overlays of animals, clocks and flashlights bring to mind the fantastic paintings of Arcimboldo.
Fe Gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday, 12—4; "Good on Paper" continues through February 9, 2008.

NAHC at CMU

One of the lesser-known art shows in the Pittsburgh area is the Native American Heritage Committee Arts Exhibition. But for seventeen years, under the guidance of Lee and Earl Dingus, the NAHC has endeavored to improve the awareness and understanding of Native Americans and Native American culture. Entry in the show is open to all artists and the current exhibition, "Our Land is Our Life" celebrates the environment and Our Mother the Earth. It runs through November 20 at the Carnegie Mellon University Center Art Gallery; hours are Monday through Friday, 9 to 4.
The NAHC show is as much about education as it is about art. To this end, each artist has submitted a statement that explains their research and how each piece connects to the theme of the show. In the past years themes have included "Keeper of the Harvest", "The Native American Rainbow" and "Daughters of the Turtle Island." This year's theme encourages us to learn respect and reciprocity as realated to the land and all our relations.
Works in the show are divided into three categories: two-dimensional art, three-dimensional art and wearable art. Each category has brought together an assortment of entries in a variety of styles and mediums. Visually, artists artists have drawn their inspiration from sources as diverse as Cherokee mythology, the photography of Edwin Curtis and Baha'i iconography. Each piece is exhibited with the artist's statement.
Several pieces are noteworthy for both their form and content. Judith Gentile's "Picture Jasper" is an elegant wire-wrapped necklace which draws its inspiration from a Crow tale, "Old Man Coyote Makes the World." The myth relates not only the creation story, but also explains the division of the peoples of the earth into tribes.

The Peoples Choice Award was won by Pat Blackbird Laughlin's "Chief", a large stained glass in the tradition of Western Art. By stark contrast, Ms Laughlin's "Mask" is an interpretation of a Zuni burial mask and symbolically embodies the four directions of the earth.
Earl Dingus has several stunning pieces in the show. "We are the Land-the Land is Us" is a hand-hammered silver sculpture which celebrates the Earth our Mother and all that is on her. Essential to the work are the four colors of the Cherokee medicine wheel which represent (among other things) the four seasons, the four stages of life and the four living worlds.
Brad Migyanka's "Mitakuye Oyasin" is a sweat lodge ladle constructed from buffalo horn, pipe stone dust, epoxy and turquoise pebbles. The artist has drawn inspiration from Black Elk, an Oglala Sioux holy man, and symbolizes the balance and harmony of the natural world.
There are many lessons we can take from this show. We cannot separate ourselves from our earth and all that exist upon her. Above all, the show is about respect--respect for cultures and ways of life that may differ from our own; respect for art and expression.

AAP at the Carnegie

Pittsburgh is unique among major cities in that it's museums offer local artists the opportunity to exhibit along with the Old Masters and Modern Icons. This year the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh have the honor of holding its 97th Annual at the Holy Grail of venues, the Carnegie Museum of Art. The exhibition was jurored by Polly Apfelbaum, a delightful (albeit slightly eccentric) New York artist. She has chosen a show which is wide in its diversity but still has a depth of insight representative of the Pittsburgh Art Scene. Pieces run the range from from digital video to installation to found art. Mixed in along the way is a rich variety of painting and sculpture, fiber arts and photography. So many styles and techniques—surely something for every taste.

Many pieces celebrate the rich heritage of Pittsburgh Art. Or at very least, they seem to draw inspiration from the region's past, present and future. Gary Zak's "PhotoSHOPPING the Pop Legend's Epitaph" is a whimsical installation that captures the spirit of Pop Art without imitating the '60s style. Ripe with puns and "Warholisms" this piece is well-deserving of its award-winning status.
The stark, almost brutal paintings of Daniel Bolick are most commanding. The vibrant color and strong brushstokes give the appearance of Photorealism gone mad. Socially and artistically "Portrait #24" and "Angry Youth" are powerful pieces with an important message.
Mark Panza's color photo panels are impressive in their scale and technical proficiency. The subdued color range and subtle multi-layered imagery create a fantasy-like world from familiar Pittsburgh locations.
"Archive XX" by Adrienne Heinrich is cast silicone with inclusions and conveys a time capsule-like view of then and now. A Daguerreotype frame set in the silicone has a Victorian feel, while the hand and manuscript gives a futuristic impression to the piece.
Matthew Forrest's "Icon Line Sheep I &II" reflect the juror's desire to "(let) the viewer see more of the work and thinking of each artist." Executed in silverpoint (a drawing medium that predates graphite pencils) the "Icons" are ghost-like in their subtlety and restraint. And yet, even with their traditional technique the pieces have a look as modern as any digital work.

The crowd attending the opening was as varied and interesting as the exhibition. They virtually exploded with exuberance and their excitement contributed to an evening of celebration of the Art and History of AAP. The 97th Annual runs through January 21, 2008 and includes the "Popular Salon of the People"—a show-within-a-show that celebrates the rich tradition of AAP in Southwest Pennsylvania. But the review of that show will have to wait for another day.