Itinerary for Pittsburgh Arts, Big and Small

Day 1   /   Day 2  /  Day 3

Summary:

Andy Warhol has a namesake museum, and the galleries of the Carnegie Museum of Art include artists with Pittsburgh roots such as Mary Cassatt and Romare Bearden. The Carnegie International draws visitors around the world for a look at the global scene of contemporary art. Venture beyond the halls of the major museums to the galleries and shops in Pittsburgh�s neighborhoods to explore the city�s current breeding grounds for creativity. You�ll discover the region�s established and emerging artists--and score local works to take home.

Day 1: Morning

North Side

The big arts draw of the North Side is The Andy Warhol Museum (1)�the world�s largest museum dedicated to the work of a single artist. But there�s much more to discover in the North Side�s art scene.

The Mattress Factory (2) has earned acclaim for its contemporary, site-specific installations in a former Mattress Factory in the Mexican War Streets residential district. Its ongoing schedule of exhibitions feature work created by local artists (see the recurring Gestures exhibits), as well as works created by artists from around the world who fill the rooms with light, sound, and sculpture during residency programs hosted by the museum. Permanent installations include works by James Turrell, Winifred Lutz, and Yayoi Kasuma.

Pittsburgh native Bill Strickland founded the Manchester Craftsmen�s Guild (3) in 1968 to �educate and inspire urban youth through the arts and mentored training in life skills.� What started as series of pottery classes has grown into one of the nation�s most respected arts organizations; Strickland received a Macarthur �Genius� Award in 1996. Today, their facilities offer youth and adults arts classes in a range of media; ongoing exhibit programming inspires the students by presenting the work of visiting artists. (Recent exhibits featured the work of Jerry Uelsmann and Rebecca Hutchinson.) The MCG Jazz program brings jazz legends like Nancy Wilson and Paquito D�Rivera for live performances in its intimate, world-class studio.

Drop into the studio at Artist Image Resources (4) to watch printmaking in action. Here, artists gather to share equipment and technique. The organization frequently hosts exhibits of fine art printmaking. Your visit may introduce you to the artist and work that will be featured in an upcoming show.

If Pittsburgh�s sites inspire your own photography, be sure to visit the experts at Bernie�s Photo Center (5), where true pros oversee an extensive supply of film and equipment.

Day 1: Afternoon

South Side

The South Side�s reputation for eclectic expression is reflected in its thriving arts scene. You�ll find fine galleries in the East Carson Street business district, and in the adjacent residential areas of the South Side Flats, you�ll discover works by artists who call the neighborhood home.

Silver Eye Center for Photography (6) is dedicated to fostering the practice and appreciation of photography as an art form, with exhibits of work by local and international photographers, including archival collections. Exhibits are often enriched with lectures, panel discussions, and workshops, making the center a destination for artists or collectors.

LaFond Gallery (7) has represented local and national artists from its Carson Street storefront gallery for decades. Fine painting is the specialty of the house, and full gallery services are available. In June, they host an annual, national juried pastel competition that draws collectors from across the country.

Venture off Carson Street to Fireborn Studios (8), where the artists have created pottery and operated their gallery since 1985. Their work demonstrates their dedication to the Arts & Crafts movement, and their store features functional and decorative pottery to grace your dinner table or mantle, including sushi ware, pasta bowls, and decorative vases.

Towards the back of the South Side Flats, the hulking Duquesne Brewery is a testament to the neighborhood art community�s vision and dedication. A group of artists adopted the building as their home, taking a DIY-approach to creating loft apartments in the upper floors and forming the nonprofit Brew House Association. On the first floor, the group presents exhibits and live music in Space 101 (9).

Day 2: Morning/Afternoon

Strip District

Starting in the Strip District and stretching into neighboring Lawrenceville is the 16:62 Design Zone, Pittsburgh�s interior design, home d�cor, and arts district. Among the 90 businesses included in the Design Zone are more than a dozen galleries and artisan studios. In the Strip District, the Society for Contemporary Craft (10), a gallery dedicated to presenting contemporary works using traditional craft techniques. The SCC frequently presents solo and group exhibits by international artists, and its biennial Transformation exhibit recognizes advancements in the field.

Regional artists are well represented in The Store, where visitors can purchase affordable works in ceramics, decorative and functional glassware, handbags and scarves from handcrafted fiber, handcarved wooden furniture, and fine silver jewelry. Regional artists also teach introductory classes in a variety of media that are easy to schedule into a weekend visit.

In the heart of the bustling grocery district sits Penn Avenue Pottery (11), a co-op of five prolific local potters that offers a wide selection of hand-built and wheel-thrown works in clay. If you find a piece to take with you, ask about the artist who created it�it might just be the person selling it to you!

Lawrenceville

As you continue through the 16:62 Design Zone into the adjacent neighborhood of Lawrenceville, you�ll have more opportunities to watch artisans in action and purchase work from regional artists in unpretentious galleries. Visiting an opening reception for a new gallery exhibit puts you the center of the art scene; an exhibit schedule is available on the 16:62 Design Zone website.

Gallery on 43rd Street (12) features handmade jewelry, ceramics, paintings, photography, as well as the vividly-colored rugs woven by gallery owner Mary Coleman. At Digging Pitt Gallery (13), the artist/curator John Morris has assembled a �flat file� filled with contemporary works on paper that is becoming the most comprehensive archive of the city�s art scene. Gallery staff will guide you through the files to select a work that�s right for you. The Gallery also presents frequent exhibits.

The Slaughterhouse Gallery & Studios (14) is home to a collective of woodworkers, painters, and mixed media artists. Housed in a former provision company and butcher shop, the front gallery features new works by local artists amidst architectural details and hardware from its former use. Trinity Gallery (15) features evocative black-and-white photography by local artst Dan Gaser and hosts regular art openings. ASHgalleries (16) also hosts frequent exhibits of sculpture, painting, and other works on paper from regional artists.

More hot spots for artists in action: the ornamental ironwork studios of Iron Eden (17) and Gerald�s Forge (18), and the glassmaking at Gallery G Glass (19), which sells decorative and functional glassware from its shop.

During Art All Night (20), everyone has the chance to be an exhibiting artist for one all-night show. Held every April, Art All Night draws upon the dedication of community volunteers to collect art from all ages and abilities and turn it into an all-night art party with music, children�s activities, and art for sale. The 2005 exhibit featured nearly 800 pieces of artwork.

Day 2: Evening

Bloomfield

Most folks venture to Bloomfield for the dining, but Liberty Avenue galleries lure in an arts-appreciative crowd. Visit during daytime gallery hours or during special evening events such as opening receptions for new exhibits.

At BoxHeart Gallery (21), the ongoing schedule of solo exhibitions is complemented by a gallery filled with works from 450 artists from around the world. You�ll find distinctive pieces in sculpture and ceramics, jewelry, handcrafted accessories and textiles, and paper arts. Moxie DaDA (22), a newcomer to the Bloomfield scene, is carving out its niche as gallery for emerging arts from the city. Their schedule is booked with solo and group exhibitions in sculpture, photography, works on paper, and installations.

Day 3: Morning/Afternoon

Oakland

With the presence of the Carnegie Institute and the fine arts departments on university campuses, Oakland is infused with the arts�from century-old collections to contemporary works.

You could easily spend an entire day�or weekend�in the halls of the Carnegie Museum of Art (23). Founded by Andrew Carnegie, its original collections focused on exhibitions of contemporary art of the late 1800s, including the likes of Winslow Homer, Camille Pisarro, and James McNeill Whistler. You�ll find these works on exhibit today, as well as a works from around the globe dating from the late 17th century to the present. The Museum also houses the Heinz Architectural Exhibit, the Hall of Architecture, and the Hall of Sculpture.

Beyond the Carnegie Museum, the galleries of nearby universities present a regularly rotating schedule of exhibits of national and local work. Lectures and children�s programming can further your understanding of the artists� work and historical context. The University of Pittsburgh operates the University Art Gallery (24). At Carnegie Mellon University, the Regina Gouger Miller Gallery (25) presents contemporary art; and the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation (26) showcases work from its archives of historic botanical prints. Landscape art also has its place on campus at The Kraus Campo (27), a garden designed by Mel Bochner and Michael Van Valkenburgh.

Local performing arts companies also take centerstage in Oakland. Connections with university drama departments foster collaborations between professional and student performers.

At the Pittsburgh Playhouse (28), professionals and students from the performing arts department at Point Park University present innovative productions of stage drama and dance.

At Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre (29) presents a seasonal schedule of performances of dramatic masterworks to Pittsburgh premieres of new plays by Brian Friel and Martin McDonagh.

Kuntu Repertory Theatre (30) is guided by the steady vision of the renowned Dr. Vernell A. Lillie, who founded the performing arts company in 1974. A program of the University of Pittsburgh�s Department of Africana Studies, Kuntu embraces the stage as a means to examine Africana life with plays that are both provocative and entertaining. See new plays written by Dr. Lillie and playwright-in-residence Rob Penny, as well as masterworks by Pittsburgh legends such as August Wilson.