Treading Art

Flashback Friday: Lawrenceville Art All Night 2012!

Let’s just say Treading Art has come a long way in the last year! Here are some photos from Lawrenceville Art All Night last year. A small enticing factor to get you ready for this weekend’s adventures!

To set the scene: Christine was living in Cannonsburg and Melissa was visiting Pittsburgh for the first time. We had spent the weekend before meticulously planning our future and that of Treading Art.

A year later we both live in Friendship and often can be found working long hours over our dinning room table, bouncing to and from events and taking a lot of walking-meetings (weather permitting, of course).

Our photo taking/editing skills clearly are improving based on this post, is that a pair of hands?! Who would let someone post that? We’d like to complain to the editors….

All jokes aside, posts like this were the beginning of what has been a very wild and exhilarating journey. We are excited to be living in such an amazing city with so many awesome followers!

Thanks for all your support Pittsburgh!

Entertainment for your Walls

Whether you’re an art patron, enthusiast or just looking to fill the white space throughout your humanly habitat, we’ve got some great resources to share with you about where to find affordable and locally made creations!

Art purchasing doesn’t have to be an intimidating or bank breaking task. Instead, it should be an adventure - one that has the potential to introduce you to new friends, encourage you to explore your surrounding neighborhoods and get you to perhaps stretch your comfort zone.

Here are a few ideas to get you started. We would love to hear what your go-to’s are, Pittsburgh local or not!!

Society for Contemporary Craft - A beautiful space in the Strip District that showcases, not only, local artists both in their showroom and store. Public programming and an artist studio downstairs are two additional features.

WildCard - A fun card shop on Butler St in Lawrenceville (insiders tip: they will make custom cards) that also hosts workshops, art openings and community craft nights. Tangled within the shop are all sorts of prints, crafts and handmade goods to adorn your naked walls.

Just Seeds - This artist cooperative boasts artist members all over the country and world but the admin gents and gals are stationed right here in Pittsburgh. Check out their vast array of prints online in varying themes, styles and methods.

The Shop in East Liberty - This newer shop, run by a fellow art history lady, carries beautiful artisan goods for all the surfaces in your home, not just the walls. Check back often because the curation of the store is in constant rotation and always eye-catching.

Tugboat Printshop - This husband and wife + baby team work right out of Pittsburgh and create masterfully crafted woodblock prints. The method itself is something to marvel at and the product falls nothing short of that. Take it from personal advice, their work looks great on any wall!

I Made It! Market - Dubbed as the “nomadic indie crafts marketplace” this pop-up arts fair pokes it’s head into various neighborhoods throughout the Pittsburgh region. Started by two local ladies this is the party to check out if you’re looking for a generous amount of art to choose from at affordable prices.

**SPECIAL NOTE: this content is recycled from a special feature included in our Weekend Treadings newsletter. To recieve more fun tips and bits like this, sign-up!

Since we’re always in a constant search for cool shows and underground happenings it was quite the delight to finally pin down The Inn formally known as the College Inn Project. The Inn’s new location can be found in upper Lawrenceville. This is a tiny fact Christine and I did not check before deciding to “walk” to the opening of Ryan Woodring’s show, (RE) RELEASED. After two and half miles and a few snow flurries, we made our way down Butler to the fifty-sixth block.

The gallery sits unmarked (for now) up a narrow set of stairs that opens into a house of rooms. In true Pittsburgh fashion the renovations are still in progress, giving the show an extra home-grown touch.

The exhibition (RE) RELEASED is in response to a tragic event that occurred in 2011 where 49 exotic animals were released into the suburbs of Zainesville, OH. In Ryan’s work there is a portrait for every animal, painted on round wooden blocks hung in rows beside each other. Sprinkled throughout the space is a photographic series that documents the release of mirroring Chinese lanterns (RE RELEASED). The project was curated by The Inn’s Owner/Director Sarah Humphrey.

I couldn’t help but tap into a theme of remembrance that seems to flow through this seemingly ethereal but engaging body of work. It nostalgically brought up memories of Southeast Asia and the exoticism of the animals that roam there. Yet, after watching the video of the, RE RELEASED, one is reminded of the violence and tragedy that this work represents through the harsh sounds of a shooting gun.

After meeting a few new friends and excitedly, “taking on” our long walk home, Christine and I were both very inspired and interested to see what the future holds for The Inn as it develops.

*Photographs were contributed by Ryan Woodring and Ryan Lammie.

Ryan Woodring, (Re)Released #08, Photograph

Weekend Treadings March 14th -17th

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Weekend Treadings of the cultural nature. Some bites and sounds, some artistic expressions and whatever else you add to the mix.

THURSDAY, MARCH 14th
Spring in the City
This Thursday’s networking event includes an interesting panel of speakers along with free hors d’oeuvres and drinks specials.
Little E’s Jazz Club @ 949 Liberty Ave - Downtown
6pm // $5

Artist Talk: Jonathan Chamberlain, David Montano & William McAllister
Join local artists as they discuss their work at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts.
Pittsburgh Center for the Arts @ 6300 Fifth Ave - Oakland
6pm // $3-5

Unspoken (March 14-18)
Pittsburgh Ballet and Theatre brings together three magnificent performances; Tudor’s Jardin Aux Lilas, Balachine’s Serenade and Morris’ Drink to Me with Thine Eyes.
August Wilson Center @ 980 Liberty Ave - Cultural District
7:30pm // $26-69 // times vary with date

FRIDAY, MARCH 15th
Good Fridays
Every Friday the Warhol offers half off admission and a cash bar! Check out their most recent exhibition and don’t be shy to try Felix Gonzales’ candy installation.
The Warhol @ 117 Sandusky Rd - Northside
5pm // ½ price admission // cash bar

Visiting Artist Lecture
To get excited about this years Fiberart International, one of three jurors, Paula Ortiz gives a public talk this weekend.
Society for Contemporary Craft @ 2100 Smallman St - Strip District
7-9pm // $5 suggested donation

SATURDAY, MARCH 16th
2013 Pittsburgh Saint Patrick’s Day Parade
Don’t miss the 2nd largest Saint Patrick’s day parade in the USA! Watch as it weaves its way from the Strip District to Downtown and watch the madness ensue. Where is your favorite viewing spot!?
10am // FREE

Double Tapped
Featuring beer from the Gentlemen’s Brew Company, the music of five different bands and an after party that’s heading to Bloomfield’s Fukuda; Bar Marco intends to host a fabulous party.
Bar Marco @ 2216 Penn Ave - Strip District
10am-3pm// $10

Art Lab: Wonder Bred
Art goers will get to interact and view the work of Derek Reese, artist and MF educator, as well as create themselves. Kids are always welcome at Art Lab.
The Mattress Factory @ 500 Sampsonia Way - Mexican War Streets
1pm // free w. admission

The Vagina Monologues
If you haven’t checked out Roboto Project yet then now is a great time. Eve Ensler’s famed performance piece will be on display in a high-quality, low-budget, local kind of way.
Mr. Roboto Project @ 5106 Penn Ave - Garfield
7pm doors, 8pm show // $5

2nd Annual St. Patrick’s day Belly Dance Hafla (Party)
This family friendly community event offers a buffet potluck, live pipes and drums, and of course, lots of belly dancers! It’s a good alternative to the rowdy holiday shenanigans.
Wilkin’s Community Center @ 7604 Charleston Ave - Regent Square
7:30pm // $8 adults, $5 kids // BYOB

SUNDAY, MARCH 17th
New Member Screening
Pittsburgh Society of Artists will be holding their new members screening this Sunday. If you’re looking for a creative group to join, check this one out!
Pittsburgh Center for the Arts @ 6300 Fifth Ave. - Shadyside
12:30-1pm drop off, 3-4pm pick up// $40 for membership

Breath & Imagination by Daniel Beaty
This is the story of the first African-American classical vocalist to reach abundant fame! His ambition to share his talent took him from the heat and struggle of Georgia to the sparkle and stages of Europe.
City Theater Mainstage @ 1300 Bingham St - Southside
2pm // $40

Whole Hog Dinner
Join revered Cure chef, Justin Severino, and his team for a delicious dinner with wine pairings by Michael Kreha. If you’re in the mood for a wild culinary experience - here it is!
Cure @ 5336 Butler St - Upper Lawrenceville
5pm // $95 // reservations required

Do you know of cultural happenings that weren’t listed this week? Don’t forget you can submit your events to info@treadingart.com.

Let us know if you make it out to any of these events by hashtagging (#) weekendtreadings on Twitter!

Part 1: The Artist

Name: Oreen Cohen
Age: 27

Where are you from?
Originally, Rochester, NY along with two older sisters and one younger brother. Oreen is the first in her family to be born in America. Her family is from Israel and besides her immediate kin, they all still live there. Lucky for her, having family ties overseas allowed her to spend summers in Israel as well time during the school year while growing up.

Where do you live? Lawrenceville

What mediums do you practice in?
Installation, urban intervention (massive pop-up sculptures appearing both w/ and w/out permission-we like a thrill too), sculpture, video performance work (as she did in Barcelona), audio, and painting.

What inspires your work?
Rust, decay, beaten down things, machinery and the way it works, how the human body is a tool, how we use it and the similarities between machines and how we mimic them. Construction, agriculture, anything can inspire as long as she looks at it in the right way.

What artists do you admire?
First and foremost - Oreen “bows down” to Anselm Kiefer! Also Doug Aiken, Diana Al Hadid, and El Anastsui.

Your work in a few sentences or words?
Intuitive, physical, labor intensive, re-envisioning/mining a space, bringing consciousness to a space or people who are affected/blinded by gentrification, specifically in industrial cities.

Do you have any pieces permanently installed?
While all of Oreen’s work is site-specific she points out her guiding goal is not to gather a long list of collectors or permanent installations. Beyond one lasting relic, her work is not meant to last forever. She conceptualizes the idea, the piece comes to life and then shortly thereafter it comes down and the pieces are hauled back to the dump or wherever they belong.

How many hours a week are you in your studio?
10am to midnight. At this point its just the studio and teaching on Tuesdays.

When did you learn to weld?
During her Junior year of undergrad. Now, she is hooked!

Favorite/secret spots in PGH? Carrie Furnace, although she is still looking for a way into it (shoot her an email if you have any top secrets).

The first time I met Paul Roden, one part behind the Tugboat Printshop duo (well, three including their bambina), was at the Gallery Crawl’s Night Market in October of last year. I am a huge lover of woodblock prints so their tent immediately caught my eye. Melissa and I both loved their story, personalities and the quality and character of the work.

After this initial encounter I became a bonafide fan and regularly stalked the website for new work. And when the “Four Elements” set became available it was the perfect time to pounce because the work compliments both my personality and loves in life. Being the lucky gal I am, I ending up receiving the set as a holiday gift from the silly and wonderful man that brought me to Pittsburgh!!

Now they happily live in the Treading Art gathering room and are enjoyed everyday!

The Studio!

One of our favorite forms of visual art is installation, so you can imagine how ecstatic we were to wander through Atticus and Garry’s sculpture garden of a work space. From wall hangings and floating mobiles to delicate standing sculptures each piece stood mirroring the others in a curatorial cohesion. It was very apparent that both of their eyes for design go well beyond their loft living space.

Atticus Adams: Growing up in Morgantown, West Virginia, Atticus spent time living in New England, including Boston, before moving to Pittsburgh. While he tried to forge a more “practical” path throughout his school days, his passion for fine art caught up with him in a permanent manner. Atticus uses metal mesh including aluminum and cooper, to sculpt his pieces that range in size, orientation and placement. He recently added paint to his sculptures, expanding his color palette and bringing another dimension to his pieces.

Garry Pyles: Gary is originally from a small town in Ohio. The Art Institute brought him here in 1981 and he never left! He started as a painter and sometimes practiced with Lawrenceville’s Ron Donohue. Eventually his interest in sculpture developed into a regular practice where he worked with plastics to create visually complicated mobiles. Now his work is more refined and takes the shape of wall hangings, standing pieces on metal pedestals and mobiles made of wire. Another fun fact, he has been experimenting with Crayola Crayons, melting them at different temperatures to incorporate color into his pieces

Garry Pyles, Come what May. 2012, Aluminum

Garry Pyles, I thought about you, 2012, Wire Encaustic Wax

Garry Pyles, the Fight against Inertia, 2012, Stainless Wire

Atticus Adams, Tidal, 2012, Bronze, Mesh, Gesso, Wire, Grommets