Pittsburgh Weekend Art Events: 4/29-30.

Friday

The seasonal Downtown Gallery Crawl is once again upon us. If you missed the openings at 707/709 Gallery, you can check out the exemplary work of Katherine Young and Bovey Lee. Jesse Hulcher's "Straight Outta CompUSA" is still at Space Gallery, and the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council hosts the photographic work of Brian Sesack at 707 Penn. There's a show to benefit BikePGH at 805-807 Liberty (featuring the work of 30 artists) and Urbanic 3, a group show, will be at Future Tenant. Everything (and more!) gets underway at 5:30PM.

If you wonder what the kids from CMU are up to (besides Future Tenant), check out the seniors exhibition at the Miller Gallery in the Purnell Center for the Arts (5000 Forbes Avenue). The reception runs from 6-8PM.

Satuday

It's time once again for Art All Night, Lawrenceville's overnight art celebration. Just like last year, it's slated to be held at the former Iron City Brewing facility at 3340 Liberty Ave. It gets underway at 4PM and stays open until 2PM Sunday. Last year 12,000 people came by to see one piece of work each by 1200 artists. If you want to participate in this "no censorship" show, you must drop off your work between 10AM and 2PM and be ready to pick up your work when everything comes down the next day.

Felicia Feaster is guest-curating at the Fe Gallery (4102 Butler St.) in Lawrenceville. "Homebound" stars artists Meg Aubrey, Anna Watson, Mary Turnipseed, Patrick Heagney, Nate Kamp and Seth Clark. The reception runs from 7-9PM.

Meanwhile, relative newcomer Gallery 4 (206 South Highland, Shadyside) keeps rolling out the openings. This week it's for "Gamma Gods", featuring the work of Jesse Best. Grab some refreshments between 7-10PM.

And Boxheart Gallery in Bloomfield just keeps plugging its way through the years. This weekend they have a reception for Jason Mann's "acrylic collage paintings". Show up between 5-8PM.

Oops!

c. David Grim (taken 4/13/08)

I'll say this without reservations- this year's Art All Night was fun. Even dropping my piece off was entertaining, due to the alleyway between industrial ruins that we had to proceed down in order to get our work there. I turned up Munly and the Lee Lewis Harlots, and listened to it bouncing off the walls. It was both gritty and sublime, if you know what I mean.

However, I did do something I have never done before in all the years I've been displaying at this annual event. I forgot to go back on Sunday and pick up my piece. According to the Art All Night website, stuff that gets left there becomes their property. But I don't even know who "they" are exactly. I tried to e-mail them, but I haven't heard back yet. There are absolutely no contact names listed.

If I don't ever get the piece back, I'll be bummed mainly because my image was in a very expensive frame. I can print out another shot, and I wouldn't mind if someone likes it enough to hang on their wall. By the way, if the person that ends up with the photo ever reads this- I'd like to request that they hang it sideways as indicated above. I think it looks better that way.

Pittsburgh Art Events: 4/23-24/10.

c. David Grim (taken 8/19/08)

Friday

The seasonal Downtown arts crawl is upon us. I already mentioned Responding at Future Tenant, so if you need the details on that show, just scroll down to last week's posts. Other highlights include photos by Robert Raczka at the 707 Penn Gallery, Thad Mosley's sculptures at the August Wilson Center, Joan Milsom at Shaw Galleries, and Wood Street Galleries offers a mix of music and art created by Claudia Hart and Ella Buckley. Events get underway around 5:30PM and last 'til 9PM. Get there are close to six o'clock as possible if you want a parking space near the festivities. If you are into DVDs, comics, and/or CDs, stop by Eide's Entertainment (1121 Penn Avenue) for their annual anniversary sale.


Saturday

Three words- Art All Night!! Yes indeed, hundreds of artists (of all levels of skill and experience) will hang up their work for one night only at the ol' Iron City plant in Lawrenceville. What makes it especially interesting is that there is no jurying whatsoever. Anyone can get anything up on those walls. Most of the stuff is for sale too, and there are often some pretty great bargains to be had. This is the 13th straight year they've done this, and it is worth a visit. There's no excuse for missing it either, as it runs from 6PM on Saturday evening until 2PM on Sunday. Come at an especially odd hour, and you'll avoid the throngs that attend. All the details (including a schedule of free entertainment) can be found right here.

Whoah, kids... Neil Hamburger is in town at the Smiling Moose (1306 East Carson, 7PM). This truly post-modern comic presents the vision of awkward Catskill-style comedy, heavily-laden with tasteless humor, and inane pop cultural references. Good stuff, indeed. Come and snicker.

Once again, I don't have money for Attack Theater's "Dirty Ball". It's at Lydia's in the Strip, if you are considering ponying up for a ticket.