Price Bennett- Street Musician on Liberty Ave
Bedford, PA- Home of the National Museum of the American Coverlet
Laszlo Zongor explains the system of Jacquard Loom(see below) and the punched holed cards, each card a single line of weaving.
A two hour drive from Pittsburgh. My book club had a fun and memorable getaway weekend trip. We stayed at the Historic Bedford Resort.
Sunday, Joan and I went to see the National Museum of the American Coverlet- housed in a beautiful Historic Common School. A coverlet is a woven bed cover, although there were some floor coverings, too. The coverlets display changes every four months. We learned a lot about the history of the coverlets with our knowledgeable guide explaining the differences. The last photos are of the gift shop where you can purchase reproductions of the antique designs and fabric for quilters.
from the National Museum of the American Coverlet
The Museum and Museum Shop are open daily, year round.
Hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
Admission is $6 ($5 for age 60 and over). Kids under 12 are free. Group rates available.
Laszlo Zongor explains the punch cards used in the Jacquard loom.
If you have a coverlet, you can bring it to Melinda and Laszlo Zongor and they can help date it and identify the weaving method.
The Jacquard Loom
There are looms and spinning wheels on exhibit.
People at Work: Body Artist
This is not your ordinary face painting!
Last week one of my student’s moms came in to create a special gift for the Communications student teacher as a farewell present on her last day of student teaching. The timing of it fell on Friday afternoon when they were scheduled for Art class and they asked if it would be okay and I agreed it would be fun to see an artist at work. ( I think she is going to return for Career Day, too)
Michele Johnson is the owner of 7 Heirs Body Art Co/ 7 Heirs Media and was telling us about how she was doing body art painting during the Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears concerts, drawing a crowd as concertgoers looked on at her work. It is true, she is quick and creative and the design appears rapidly and beautifully and the addition of jewels tops it off. The students gave a nice round of applause and it took no time at all!
Have an event and need some pizazz, call Michelle 412. 586.5006 or email her – kristal_klere(at)yahoo(dot)com
Elvis the Penguin Paints at National Aviary for Persad Patron Party
Pittsburgh’s National Aviary was the happening scene on Friday night in the city. Steel Band music. Desserts.
Artist Reception and Patron Party was in full swing.
Elvis the African Penguin Makes Art to Auction Off to Benefit Persad Center
His feet were all aflutter. Perhaps he enjoys making art without an audience.
Here is the piece I donated. They invited a group of artists to create a commemorative artwork to celebrate their fortieth anniversary. I know one should just make a donation and not tell about it but it is a good cause and perhaps some of my students might seek counseling here in the future and be helped as my good friend J always tells about a former student the organization helped a long time ago.
Below is the photograph I created to commemorate their 40th Anniversary.
Thanks to Steve I was able to get 40 candles lit and photograph quickly in the dark dining room at night.
Had to bake the cake first before I could photograph it and I chose the wedding cake recipe from the Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum and used lots of gel food color by Wilton. Buttercream icing.
UPMC presents Celebrate Life, Celebrate Art
Monday, May 14, 2012
August Wilson Center for African American Culture
980 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
6:00 – 11:00 p.m
“Persad’s signature event is both a verbal and silent auction featuring over 200 pieces of art from local, national and international artists including photography, painting, sculpture and jewelry. Come enjoy great food, drinks and entertainment and take home some fabulous artwork.
To purchase tickets to the event or to purchase an underwriting package, click here.“
Joyce Captures A Construction Worker’s Image in NYC
My college friend took the train into Grand Central and met my sister and me in Bryant Park today. We walked to the Museum of Modern Art, saw the Cindy Sherman Show and Eugene Atget Show.
Joyce is an adventuresome street photographer, capturing all sorts of people in the city. This worker was happy to oblige. I photographed her photographing him. We had a fun time at the MOMA Sculpture Garden, dueling photographers.
What I’m Thinking for 2012
Postaday 2011 is coming to a rapid close. I accomplished a daily photograph post on my rutheh.com blog. It became part of my day. Everyday. And then I started the Keep or Pitch blog and was thinking how I would clean out my house of accumulation and clutter and inherited items. Grown up children moved out but left their “stuff” and I photographed and posted and wrote stories of possessions and it went pretty well everyday for a good while. Months even. Even got voted Freshly Pressed for the Ceramic Squirrel Family post. But when it came time to get serious and actually pitch a LOT of stuff, I stopped photographing it and feeling nostalgic and made donations big time, had a failed yard sale, and loaded up some heavy duty construction bags and dragged them to the curb. That task is not completed and the third floor beckons to me to get up there and PITCH.
Starting another blog to illustrate where this blog travels in the blogosphere is the plan.
I recreated a “cardboard me”, not because I want to look thinner but need to fit in the mail. Made color copies on card stock. The copies appear a little dull but then I was called two-dimensional! I am already in business size envelopes traveling to friends and bloggers who have agreed to “guest blog” and return photo(s) of my visit with them.
Many of you know Flat Stanley and have helped school students with their Social Studies projects. Now it is the Elementary Art Teacher’s project. And your creativity.
Right now I am thinking of one post a week. I will continue with my daily photography blog and then link to Cardboardmetravels.com as the photos and narratives are returned to me.
If you want a visit from Flat Ruthie/Cardboard Me, email your snail mail address to cardboard.me.travels@gmail.com. We’ll see where the blog travels, visit faraway friends, highlight fellow bloggers blogs and have fun. I’m already headed to Canada, Omaha, Croatia, Missouri and Arkansas.
The only thing I’m now worried about is that I’m going to be wearing the same outfit everyday for a year.
Oprah might be on every cover of her magazine but at least her hair and outfit are different!
Cardboard me/Flat Ruthies cut out and ready to travel. Doing my part to support the USPS.
Mona Lisa Lying Down on her Side in Short North Alley
Friday afternoon we (guests from Florida) and my brother and sister, explored the neighborhood of Short North after we ate lunch in German Village. When asked what we should be sure to see, a woman recommended this painting of Mona Lisa. (painted by artist Brian Clemons) We had fun trying to find it, asking several residents where she was……uh, oh, yes, I know I have seen her….not far….hmmmmmm
A short diversion from the task at hand . We had coffee at Cup of Joe afterwards.
All set for the wedding on Saturday afternoon.
Guest Blogger- Suzanne- in Response to Balloon Seller Man Post
I love the dialogue and exchange the blog posts evoke.
From my friend Suzanne in an email Saturday morning…
Ruthie — your blog post today was great! Reminded me of a photo I took in Oaxaca — hard to figure out how they don’t float away!
So I wrote to Suzanne and invited her to be guest blogger today. I love that my photo of the balloon seller created such a response.
Suzanne wrote:
In Oaxaca, Mexico in 2005 another balloon seller busy every evening as the town square, the zocolo, filled with families for the evening’s music, strolling and visiting. Every small child had one of these tied to their wrists, and eyes filled with wonder at the beauty of it.
Suzanne is an artist and her website and artwork can be seen by clicking here .
I love that she captured the conversation/sale between seller and child and look a those balloons!!!!
Anna and Her Best Friend
Anna is eight years old today. I remember going to the hospital in the dark, and then watching the sunrise over the Monongahela River from the window. Then I went to school after she as born and everyone was so happy for our family. It was a happy day. Here is a portrait of her with Murphy the Airedale when she was one. It hangs in her bedroom.
And a recent photograph of Anna and Murphy….
The artist of the painting , Alison Zapata, is a new mother herself and paints wonderful pet portraits. Her website is here
Sunlight Through Paint Jars
When I teach students how to put markers away I teach them the order of the spectrum. Kindergarteners can do it! We sing a little song, red orange yellow green blue purple a few times and they line them all up in the boxes. I say, “Don’t forget the brown and black. SNAP THE CAPS!” And a box of eight markers is in pretty good shape for the next class.
Anyway, the paints were lined up in order on the counter and when I came upstairs after the buses left, I saw the sunlight coming through the jars of glitter paint we’d used earlier. I have no idea how we received a box of glitter paint but we did. The colors were brilliant and I got excited as I rushed to get my camera. Here’s what I could catch.
What I Saw as I Left the Warhol Museum
Friday night,Warhol Museum, Northside -Poetry reading- Undressing the Body Jan Beatty and Soham Patel. Went up to four and checked out (The Word of God(ess): Chitra Ganesh is the third exhibition in The Word of God series
(Read more at warhol.org:
http://www.warhol.org/webcalendar/event.aspx?id=3241#ixzz1Wr8meDi0
, R and I went to see the Silver Clouds floating in the air, back down to one and head to the car. Looked over my shoulder and saw the young girls dancing to the Bollywood music spun by DJ Chai. A quick shot with the iPhone but there was Andy when it came up on the screen. Fun!
Paint Splats in an Art Room Sink
Six years ago when I came to the school I am now, there were dried out paints in containers that had been moved to our school. I soaked them to reuse the containers. And when the water went down the drain, this is what was left. I taped newspaper over the sink and made a little sign. DO NOT USE SINK. I didn’t tell them why, The next day I brought in my camera, removed the newspaper and photographed the paint splats in the sink. It was really interesting to me. So this is another from the archives. Abstract expressionism.
Maura Plays by Uncle Frank’s Garage-Line Study
From last weekend’s visit to Pittsburgh.
Custom Framing for 30 Years and He’s Not Even 50 Yet!
That’s what he told me. And he’s been in business for 25 years! I went over to Panza Gallery in Millvale and owner/artist Mark Panza was busy busy busy. He really didn’t need me there Thursday afternoon but he was gracious. Kept on working. I broke his concentration at first by showing up and wanting to shoot him for the People at Work Series, even though we had talked about it on the phone, when it is actually happening it might not be so convenient.
Let me tell you I have a new understanding of why custom frames are not inexpensive. Lots of steps and precision, measure, measure, measure. Concentration, strength, math, craftsmanship. Thanks Mark for allowing me to capture you working. And remember he’s open Wed-Friday 10-5 and Sat 10-3.
That is a pneumatic stapler and you can hear the compressor gear up!
Cat Out of the Bag at Panza Gallery
The other day I took this watercolor painting to be matted and framed. I painted it at least twenty years ago. I found it in a closet and thought I would frame it to remind myself why I use photography to express myself instead of painting. But I like the way the bag looked in the light. So did Panza’s cat in residence at the Gallery. Oh my. Maybe she thought it was a 3-D bag and not a 2-D bag. She really went for it. Knocked it on the floor twice and I am sure if it had been a precious artwork it would have been a concern but it was pretty funny. Just liked the painting of the bag so much. Art critic feline? It definitely spoke to her. You know how cats love it when you introduce something new in the house and they think it is for them.
Pittsburgh Artist Captures 16th Street Bridge on Canvas
Thursday evening Bill Pfahl was painting the 16th Street Bridge down in the Heinz Plant parking lot. I was on my way back from Sheraden and headed home. I called Bill to tell him about the churches I saw in McKees Rocks Bottoms- two Ukrainian and one Orthodox and one Byzantine. The sun was dropping on their domes and I pulled off to photograph them. Turns out Bill has already drawn them in pastels and they were sold and are on display in a Wyndam hotel in Oakland 3454 Forbes Avenue
A man came out to his car to go home and he complimented Bill on his artwork. I asked him about the ketchup. Hasn’t been made in Pittsburgh since the 70′s. They made ketchup packets for fast food chains here but all the ketchup is made in Ohio.
I have the Most Holy Spirit Church in Millvale painting on my living room wall. I bought it from Bill during the Art Teacher Show at the Board of Ed a few years ago.
My People at Work series has taken twists and turns this week focusing on artists- emerging and established. Bill is the artist who painted the church Mark and Erika were married in and gave it to them as a gift. I learned about armillary spheres and how the four of them on this bridge were brought by truck and boat as they were too wide for the railroad. Remember the recent Artist’s Palette Post? Bill was gracious to allow me to photograph him while he was trying to paint before the sun set and the light was gone.
Here is Bill’s
palette for this painting.
Bill packs up his paints and brushes as the sun goes down
Click here to see more Pittsburgh painting by Bill Pfahl
Jennifer Panza: Emerging Artist
I went to Panza Gallery in Millvale on Wednesday. Took a watercolor to be framed and wanted to shoot Mark Panza the owner as he said he would be happy to be part of the People at Work Series. But something came up and his daughter helped me choose a nice mat and frame for my painting and I asked Jennifer if she would be part of the People at Work series. She graciously agreed after I explained the project. So I photographed her a few times in the gallery and then I asked her if she still made jewelry and she said yes but she said she had some ceramics downstairs. So right then and there I created a new project- I am starting an EMERGING ARTIST series of photographs! If you know any emerging artists who are in the area and would like to be featured on the blog I would be happy to photograph them and some examples of their artwork. Why not? It is hard to get started and I know a ton of people who make, buy and collect art so why not use the blog to show some of their work and them? Jennifer just got her braces off and paid the final payment on them and check out the ceramics with the teeth. Surely her othodontist needs that piece in the office on display!!! If you want to see more of her ceramics or jewelry just call Panza Gallery 412.821.0959.Or leave a comment and she can contact you. Jennifer is still in school AND working at her dad’s gallery, and when I was there she had opened the place, was working on invoices, taking calls and selecting frames and mats. Thanks Jennifer.
An Artist’s Palette
I was talking to my artist friend Bill Pfahl and asked if I could post a photo of him painting a scene of a church in Lawrenceville. Part of my people at work series. He agreed. Turns out I shot him in 2006. Tuesday I’m going to ask when he’s painting, if I can find him in the city and shoot another portrait. Here is his palette. He painted the church where Mark and Erika were married and gave it to them as a gift. It hangs in their front hall where it changes as the light changes throughout the day.
Artist Helène Aylon at the Warhol Museum
I asked Ms. Aylon if I might take her picture (with my iPhone these days) and she graciously agreed. Then she suggested we take one under the portrait of Julia Warhol, Andy’s mother. It was Mother’s Day.
Her exhibit The Word of God: Helène Aylon, The Liberation of G-d and The Unmentionable runs through June 26th.
To read about Helène Aylon and her art visit her website.
Photographer Rick Byerly runs the Pittsburgh Art Blog click here for more information.
Details also at the Warhol calendar
A solo exhibit
at the Warhol
is very cool.
Right here
in River City- Pittsburgh.
(Photograph posted with artist’s permission)
Paints in Muffin Tins- A Still Life
from the archives Click here and checkout the Royal Wedding Towel from 1981 on Keep or Pitch today
Paints in Muffin Tins
{
Thanks for the well wishes
and emails. I’m coming along.
Today is one from the archives.
Reminds me of an abstract painting
on a museum wall.
My Sister Examines the Artwork on the Hotel Wall
An enamel. But when I saw her looking at it I saw all of the surrounding items as well. Quite a gallery.
A sign that says PAY PHONES , written in braille underneath
Skywriting Over Pittsburgh -11 second video and a still image below
Looked out the back door window in the kitchen. Saw the first letter “A” started. Already on the “L” when I got out to the yard with the camera. After I took all the photos I googled to see who was having a sale. Turns out an artist Kim Beck has the skywriting project as part of her “The Sky is the Limit” exhibition. (click for article in Pittsburgh Post Gazette) Each part of the letter is a mile long. Scroll down for still photo. Uploaded my first YouTube this evening so we’ll see how that works.
Panza Gallery, Millvale- Interior/Exterior
Formerly a German Dance Hall. There is always an art exhibit, portrait (Mon) and Figure Drawing(Th) classes and expert framing. PANZAgallery 115 Sedgwick Street Millvale Pa 15209 412.821.0959 panzagallery@mac.com Wed.Thurs.Fri.10-5 Sat10-3 Click here to see Mark Panza’s photographs.
Monday Night Portrait Class at Panza's
Where I get all my framing done.
Sebastian, 8 wks & his Parents- Fair in the Park
Grada Mosaics artist Adalgisa Bosonetto and her husband in their booth at the Fair in the Park. When I first walked in it was just the Dad. He was measuring the photo size in the frames for me. I bought two colorful mosaic picture frames. When Mom returned to the booth I suggested I take their family photo and Sebastian gave me a nice smile as I shot it. Seeing this young family made me feel happy!
He looked at me and smiled! What a lovely family. We are going to have to photoshop in his brother!
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