Pittsburgh Art Events: 12/ 4-5/09.

Friday

The calendar informs us that it is once again time for Unblurred, on Penn Avenue. Instead of giving you a full rundown here, I'll merely divert you to the official website of the Penn Ave. Arts initiative, which has ALL the details. I do, however, insist that you make it a point to stop at Most Wanted Fine Art to see the work of fellow Unicorn Mountain denizen Tibi Chelcea.

If you have a taste for a bit of music, I recommend you check out Slim Cessna at Club Cafe (in the SouthSide) at 10:20PM. While his legendary Auto Club is a burst of mad energy and revelation, his local band is shaping up as a formidable act to be reckoned with. Sure, there's gospel and country roots included... but don't fool yourself- these guys rock. Believe me, you need a dose of this to get yourself in the mood for the holiday season.

Saturday

Sometimes it's kind of pleasant to have something to do midday, before its time to head out for your particular brand of nightlife. So why not grab a cup of coffee, and peruse some art by Hannah Reiff at the Morning Glory Coffeehouse (1806 Chislett Street) in Morningside from 5-8PM? She's advertising "wintry prints / drawings / collages". While you are at it, check out the neighborhood's new Sprout Fund mural nearby.

Over on the South Side, the Michael Berger Gallery (30 S. 6th St.) has an opening for your enjoyment earlier in the day (12-5PM). It's entitled Sundown of the Last Dynasty Hung Liu: Tapestries & New Prints. That's an explicit enough title to give the prospective viewer at least an inkling of what one might see.

Pittsburgh Art Events: 5/29-30/09.

My apologies for not posting a weekend round-up here last week… I needed to get out of town, and I focused on preparing for that instead. But this weekend holds some surprises for you and yours, so grab a cup of coffee and peruse your options.

Friday/Saturday

While it’s true that I simply don’t go out to movies anymore, I feel compelled to mention a documentary film playing at the Melwood Screening Room in Oakland (8PM, both Friday and Saturday). “New Muslim Cool” concerns a former drug dealer named Jason Perez, who formed a community of Muslims, and moved to Pittsburgh’s own North Side. I won’t belabor you with the details, but I do encourage you to read more about the film over on the Pittsburgh Post Gazette’s website. There is a reception at 7PM on Saturday night.

Friday

At first I didn’t think anything art-related was going on this weekend, but my internet meanderings brought light to a number of events that I believe would be worth checking out.

If you are so inclined, you might want to check out “Comin at Ya ... Another 15 Minutes of Photos by Eric Holmes” at La Fond Gallery in the South Side (1711 East Carson St) sometime between 6 and 8PM. There are so few galleries left in this neighborhood that it’s pretty much off my radar anymore- but I know Holmes from back in the day, and I’d like to see him get a good turnout. He’s been a local supporter of Pittsburgh arts for years, and so y'all should return the favor.

On the Larryville tip, Fe Gallery (4102 butler St.) will host a reception for new works by local art school undergrads. It’s great to see this non-profit so active in the scene, and it’d be a shame if its productions weren’t well-attended. Go see “Grade A” some time between 7 and 9PM.

Fortunately for you and your tired dogs, your next destination is only a few yards from Fe. Your Inner Vagabond (4130 Butler St.) is having a “Granada Arts Education Project Benefit” featuring an art and poster exhibit, as well as bands (starting at 7P). The idea behind this thing is that teachers can integrate the arts into any subject area they teach. That’s good stuff I can get behind. Plus I do enjoy the venue AND Machete is one of the bands performing. If I wasn’t already committed to seeing another musical performance tomorrow night, this is where I would be.

Instead, starting at 10PM I’ll be over in the North Side at the New Hazlett Theater (6 Allegheny Square East). My buddy Slim Cessna is performing with his son George and local bass guitar hero Rob Loveclutch. Cessna’s been on a European tour with the Auto Club for the last couple of months, and it’s just a good feeling to know he’s back in town. If you haven’t seen his local combo (and you haven’t unless you were at the Zombo Galley in December), then you need to make an appearance. It’s an all ages show, but I implore you not to let that put you off- it’s only $3 stinkin’ bucks and there’s a bar area too.


Saturday

Occasionally the gall of local organizers, planners, and city functionaries is so prominent that I have to remember to breathe. Such is the case with the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. They have planned a “Children’s Carousel Tea” to be held at Schenley Park at 11AM. Now, that’s all well and good until you consider the price tag- $25 per kid and $50 per adult. For that nominal fee, attendees are promised lunch, treats and rides on the Merry-Go-Round. Awesome. Global recession, anybody?!

Believe it or not, cheaper entertainment is to be had on Saturday evening. Panza Gallery (115 Sedgwick Street, Millvale) offers an opening reception for the works of three artists-
Mark McLaughlin, Gloria Dufresne, and Pat Lee. The hours for this event are 6-9PM.

Afterwards pay Gooski’s (3117 Brereton Street) in Polish Hill a visit, and support the “Art What You Got Benefit Show” (starting at 9PM). This annual arts festival is only in its second year, so get on board while it’s still hip. UkuLizzy, DJ Mary Mack, and folk-pop band Horse Or Cycle will be providing you entertainment for the mere price of $5.

My Show (w/ Dave English and Special Guests) @ Zombo this Weekend.

Last night I got my work on the walls for this weekend's show. I am exhibiting more drawings (prints) than I ever have at one time, and the vast majority were completed in the last two months. I always dread set-up for some reason, but it's rarely as onerous as I anticipate. Fortunately I was able to talk two of my friends into meeting me at the gallery to help. Both of those guys have plenty of experience in hanging artwork, so I knew I was in good hands. The owner of the space was good about getting out of the way and letting us do our thing. I'd have to say that it was the smoothest hang I have ever experienced. We were in-and-out in under 45 minutes. That was a relief given the fact that I thought I might have to return tonight to finish up.

I can't express how grateful I am to have people willing to assist me in the display of my work- especially guys that are (for all intents and purposes) professionals. The two gentlemen in question are artists themselves, they pay attention to the details, and they can rely on intuition to get everything right. We put up 20 pieces, and I would have probably just thought to hang them in a straight line. Getting them plumb would have been a time-consuming task without a laser level. Instead they were installed at marginally different heights, creating a staggered effect. It really was the perfect strategy given the uneven brick walls and rods we were dealing with. And it didn't take a lot of deliberation for my friends to decide upon that strategy.

In addition I was able to get my prints made by a meticulous artist and framesmith, who values precision and clean aspect. He has complete mastery over every aspect of appearance. The scans were right on, the papers and inks of the highest quality, and the attitude was informal and helpful. That same craftsman also devised a way to frame the work that was simple and elegant. When I went to pick up the stuff, it was boxed neatly and efficiently in a single container. Its transport could not have been easier. From four previous solos I realize just how much can go wrong from start-to-finish. All the unexpected hassles can take the enjoyment out of having a show. But it's refreshing when it all comes together.

This particular event is limited to this weekend, Friday and Saturday, from 6-10:30 PM. It's at Pittsburgh's only "lowbrow art" venue- the Zombo Gallery in Lawrenceville (4900 Hatfield St). I'm showing my work along with Dave English, who is a local puppeteer with an affiliation with the annual Black Sheep Puppet Festival. It's entitled "Phone Books and Wine Corks", which expresses the primacy of the materials used to make our art. Tomorrow night is sort of "below-the-radar", as my friend Slim Cessna has generously agreed to perform an hour-long set with his son George and Rob Levkulich (another buddy of mine) on bass guitar. Their participation further reinforces how blessed I am to be part of such a supportive community.

If you don't already have plans, you really shouldn't miss this. The official reception is on Saturday evening, but since you read my blog, I'm happy to let you know about the aforementioned special musical treat. If you haven't seen Slim (or his Denver-based band The Auto Club), you don't realize the sheer joy you've been missing out on. But if you can't make it for that, allow me to suggest that a visit the next day is in order. I feel confident that you'll find something to appreciate about the artwork we are presenting. Dave English and I have tried to cut through some of the artifice, and I think the results are rewarding. Still you won't know if that's true unless you show up. We hope you will.

Song of Myself.

What is a birthday? An arbitrary observation of the day when you were born, which recedes in twelve month segments. Now that I am approaching the "middle age" phase of my life, this birthday phenomenon is becoming more complex. How should it be recognized? Is it to be celebrated, as if there were nothing so special as your arrival on Earth? Is that not merely a recognition of one's own vanity? Or is it a simple reminder that you are aging, and that you have expended yet another of your all-too-limited years of life. Naturally when you are younger, you tend to see things according to the former view. But eventually you are almost bound to start thinking about passing time, and your birthdays will tend toward the melancholy.

Of course I do recall the birthdays of my youth, when I waited until late summer to mark another milestone toward adulthood. My family was by no means wealthy, but I could always look forward to receiving gifts. I'll admit that getting that booty was my main focus. I came to expect it as my proper due. I guess it's just a bit ironic that I don't remember any specific presents I ever got on those long ago days. I know the stuff was nice, and that my parents always made sure I was satisfied... yet I still have difficulty dredging up any of the particulars. I know that we did get to choose what kind of cake we wanted. And I know that it was a time to spend with my extended family.

The most memorable birthday I had was when I turned 16, and went to Action Park in Vernon, NJ. That was truly the big-boy destination of my adolescence. There were a lot of attractions at this oddly perilous amusement park that required a driver's permit. It's true that I had fun, but I also got more than I bargained for (as a lot of other fun-seekers did at that place). Still it made for an interesting day in the sun. Other birthdays were spent at the neighborhood pool that we belonged to. We always got to hold parties at this members-only hot spot. The best thing about those events was that they were held at night. There is something special about being able to splash around in the dark. It also didn't hurt that those evening frolics were lightly chaperoned.

Nowadays I usually don't make a big deal about my birthday. It's a bit embarrassing for me to be the focus of attention on a day that I had very little to do with in the first place. I certainly don't remember choosing to emerge into the external world on that particular date. But M. likes to make a big deal of these occasions, and always asks me what kinds of treats I would like on my "special day". This year she brought up the idea of having a party at the house. Because my actual birthday falls on a weekday, she suggested that we have people over on the Saturday before. While it seemed a bit indulgent to invite folks over to celebrate my existence, I decided that it would probably be a lot of fun.

Hey, what the hell, right? Any excuse to have my buddies over for some concentrated relaxation. I guess I don't really care if it comes off as self-importance. This will be the first party we have had here since Baby E. was born. When he's ready for sleep we're planning to move the shindig to 31st Street Pub, where my buddy Slim Cessna is opening up for my other buddies, Local Honey. If you are reading this and feel that you missed your invitation, I'd advise you to pick up your phone when I call. Because I tried not to forget you, and that only means that we got our wires crossed. If you do happen to read this and have some free time this evening, stop on by and we'll do a shot.

A Sunday Drive.

So I managed to escape my house and do something useful today. On Saturday, I had a nice night out seeing Slim Cessna play at Sonny's Tavern, and after getting home I fell into a deep, uninterrupted sleep that lasted until almost noon. M. made some nice breakfast burritos and we watched an episode of Oz. Stepping outside I knew right away that the stage was set for a nice aimless car ride in search of interesting imagery. The sky was deep blue, the light was extraordinarily crisp, and there was a nice breeze. These were exceptional weather conditions, and I was physically (spiritually?) compelled to venture forth. I've been slacking when it comes to photography, and I wanted to once again engage the camera. I decided to drive east, find a side road, and explore.

It's certainly hard to get lost after eighteen years in Western PA. The first few streets I tried led me to enclosed housing developments with only a single access road. Nothing to see there. But there were plenty of curious folks wondering what a stranger was doing in their neighborhood- especially a stranger driving a beat-up foreign car with a smashed fender held together with a Sponge Bob Squarepants band-aid. Obviously people are increasingly gravitating to these little suburban enclaves, where they can insulate themselves from the rest of the world. Maybe if they can't see poor people they can believe that all is well with the world. Anyway, I finally caught some roads on the outer ring of our fair "metropolis", and drove down the forest-lined back-roads that lead to where the very rich people live. The next thing I knew I was in Harmar.

Driving through West Deer, I spotted a sign for some soccer association bordering a senior citizen center, and surrounded by decaying service buildings. What really drew me in was the sight of a degraded basketball court with tall weeds busting through the many cracks in the asphalt, and rusty net-less hoops. It looked like the playground at the end of the world. The property wasn't posted with any "no tresspassing" signs, but I knew that I probably wasn't welcome. But I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to take a few shots. Across the road there was a man mowing his lawn, so I tried to be unobtrusive. Then I was tempted to drive back through the site, and I got out and poked around a bit. At one point a man in an SUV drove up, and I spied on him through a smashed window. At that point my adrenaline was kicking in. But whatever the man saw didn't interest him enough to leave the safety of his vehicle. Perhaps he caught a glance of my great woolly head. Once the guy pulled away, I got back in my car (which was parked behind one of the buildings) and beat a hasty retreat.

After talking to a friend, I had a destination in mind and planned to make a rendezvous. I made a visit to the Rainbow Castle for a pleasant afternoon in the sticks. As always, it's pleasant sitting on the crumbling dock overlooking the pond and talking with the good people. You don't need much more than that, but I picked up some lettuce anyway. I took some photos of the rippling pond, and the vegetation which floats on the surface, and watched as the quality of light transformed with the approaching evening. Afterwards there was still enough of the sun to take a walk through the woods, and I was liberal with the camera. I was maybe even a bit wasteful, as I found my lithium battery running quickly out of juice. I didn't anticipate that being much of a problem, as I believed I had my backup somewhere in the car. Alas I didn't, and so I couldn't even obsessively review my photos as I am wont to do.

With the photography over for the day, I relaxed on the porch and ate dinner with good company. Although I was mildly disappointed about the missing battery, I was able to enjoy the time without being distracted by technology.