Pittsburgh Weekend Art Events: 11/5-6/10.

c. David Grim (taken 10/23/10)

Friday

It's once again time for the critical mass of the arts scene on First Friday. Of course enough is packed into this one day to fill the social calendars of discriminating viewers for the entire month, but we'll take what we can get and try to jam as much as possible into our limited hours.

Start with Unblurred in the Penn Avenue Corridor. As always it's a great opportunity for you to see a lot of stuff by a lot of different artists in one compact area. Check out Fumino Hora's installation at the Pittsburgh Glass Center- "The Way of Samsara" has to do with the cycle of reincarnation. Perhaps that's just the angle of perspective we need going into another cold season. Or maybe William W. Wade's non-characteristic attempts at experimental photography is more your speed? You can see that at Imagebox (4933 Penn Ave).

"Round 5: An exhibition of the Brewhouse Distillery Art Program" will be opening at C Space: Collective (4823 Penn Ave), and highlighting the efforts of Aimee Manion, Meghan Olson, Jaci Rice, Kara Skylling. and Ryan Woodring. And Unblurred veterans Jason Rosemeyer & Christian Breitkreutz will display their stuff at Modern Formations (4919 Penn Avenue). Meanwhile Garfield Artworks (4931 Penn) is jam-packed with work by Dennis Warner, Obsolete, Tom Jefferson, Ian Green, John Fox, Gnome, and Elma.

You could also head over to swellsville and check out Gallery Chiz (5831 Ellsworth Avenue). They have a selection of ceramics artists to honor the AAP Centennial. Perpetual favorite Laura Jean McLaughlin is one of the featured participants (along with Jane Freund, Marcia Winograd & Jordann Siri Wood). That runs from 5:30-8:30PM. The one-word descriptions included on the press material should be all you need to understand what each artist is up to. Meanwhile the German-born Jens Jensen is showing his colorful abstract paintings at the Steve Mendelson Gallery (5874 Ellsworth Avenue) from 6-8PM.

Did you check out the Three Rivers Arts Festival this year? If you did you likely saw the work of prize-winners Deanna Mance and Maria Mangano. And you can see it again at the 709 Penn Gallery (Downtown) at their opening reception between 6-8PM. But if you want to step off the beaten path, go to Point Breeze for an exhibition of Steve Hankin at his studio space (408 Lloyd Street). His realist style of painting can be appreciated from 6-8PM.

Saturday

Unfortunately some venues seem so far removed from the center of activity on the local arts scene that events tend to be neglected. Don't let that be the case forever. Get out to Hopmestead to visit Artspace 105 (105 East 8th Street) and see the drawings and watercolors of Rachna Rajen. The artist was a refugee from the first Gulf War, and is reputedly interested in electronica and other"aspects of modern life". This gets underway at 7PM.

Yelena Lamm unveils her sharply rendered paintings at Panza Gallery (115 Sedgwick St, Millvale) in an opening reception for "Forbidden Fruit" from 6-9PM. Naturally I'll be looking forward to that.

The Christine Frechard Gallery (5871 Forbes Ave) over in Squirrel Hill is also hosting a reception from 5-8PM. Jane Haskell and Jeffrey Schwarz are the featured artists.

All weekend

Will this year FINALLY be the one that marks my long-awaited return visit to the films of the Three Rivers Film Festival? Who knows? But YOU can check out the entire schedule at the official site.

Pittsburgh Art Events 4/16-17/10.

c. David Grim (taken 6/22/09)

Friday

It seems like it's been awhile since the Zombo Gallery (49th and Hatfield, Lawrenceville) had an opening. This week, Kersten Ervin opens "High School" (6-10PM), a project featuring vintage yearbooks. I don't have any more details, but I suspect that all the awkwardness and discomfort of adolescence will be on display.

Meanwhile, Future Tenant unveils "Responding", a group show that includes local artists Rose Clancy, Vanessa German, Maria Mangano, David Montano, and David Pohl. Curator Anna Mikolay asked these creators to convey a lingering sense of place, and the results will be shown from 6-9PM at this Downtown gallery (819 Penn Avenue). Although I usually avoid the mess following a work week in the Golden Triangle, these particular artists are an experienced bunch with a long tradition of involvement in the Pittsburgh arts scene. A visit should be worth the inconvenience.

And Fiberart International 2010 gets under way at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and the Society for Contemporary Craft. The reception at both locations runs from 5:30-8PM. I have very little experience with the medium, so your best bet is to go to the official website for an explanation of what you might see.

Also at PCA is a grab-bag of solos shows featuring the likes of Elin Lennox, Elizabeth Mooney, Thea Augustina Eck, and James Southard. One might get the idea that the PCA is presenting the visual arts as an essentially solitary pursuit, were it not for the collaboration between Ben Hernstrom and Frank Ferraro, as well as the AAP-sponsored, Eric Shiner-curated exhibition entitled "Interplay". Anyway, it's a lot to see in one location and costs (as per usual) just $5 to get in.

Saturday

My experience at the Braddock Chili Cook-off last weekend reminded me just how worthwhile the efforts of Fetterman and company are for that community. I simply have too much trouble finding the neighborhood to make regular visits. It's as if the esteemed gentlemen and ladies who run Allegheny County were conspiring to keep people away from the denuded community. Anyway, a place called The Garage Art Space (1216 Maple Way) will host a reception for the work of Jenn Myers and Daniel Luchmann from 6-9PM. Grab a map, get adventurous, and make your way to it.