Celebrating Life as a Clay Artist

“I’m Celebrating Life as a Clay Artist.”   Bernie Pintar

Meet Bernie Pintar.

Today  I went to see him in the Sculpture Studio in the basement of the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. 

He graciously agreed to be in my People at Work Series.

Originally from East Pittsburgh, he’s a 1972 graduate of the Ivy School of Professional Art which was a six story building in downtown Pittsburgh Market Square ( no longer there)-  I looked it up and saw that Artist Activist Keith Haring went there, too.

And here is the amazing part of Bernie’s story- He started in clay in 2009.  WOW!

img_1183

img_1227

IMG_0988.JPG

img_3905A tribute to Cecil the Lion

River Styx Cruise and Detail

img_3909img_3910img_3914img_3932

So here is how Bernie packages his stunning ceramic artwork-

he has “nests” for them and see where it says HEAD?  He learned how to package his artwork like the Television Repairman who used to come fix his mother’s Zenith- Frank G. smelled like mothballs he remembers

He’d come with a box and say “I have the tube for your set.” and it was in a box with handles, just the way Bernie now makes his carriers.  That’s where he learned that method. Frank G the TV repairman.

img_1031

 Dragon Peacock Teapot

An entry for the International Invitational Teapot show at Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery in Shadyside  April 9- May 29th 2017

 

The Piece below is titled Da Burgh

an entry for upcoming Pittsburgh Society of Artists- da Burgh Show to be held at the FrameHouse and Jask Gallery in Lawrenceville Friday June 9- Friday June 30, 2017

img_3937

That tiny piece that looks like wire or spaghetti?  It is CLAYimg_3938img_3939img_3940

Everything on the sculpture moves

img_0924

img_1028

Da Burgh

from a different angle

img_1071img_0909

 

img_1086

 

Below- a bisque ware piece. What it looks like before the glaze-

img_3948img_3952img_3960

Here’s another quote from Bernie

“I don’t go to bed to sleep anymore…..I go to dream.” He shared with me that Transcendental Meditation saved his life.

 

Lighthouse on Anastasia Island- St. Augustine, FL

IMG_0683.JPG

The Lighthouse Keepers House

IMG_0681.JPG

“At the top, the original, first order Fresnel lens still serves the beacon, but today is lit by a 1000 watt bulb, and maintained by the museum and volunteers. The St. Augustine lens consists of 370 hand-cut glass prisms arranged in a beehive shape towering twelve feet tall and six feet in diameter.”

from the Lighthouse Story

IMG_0630.JPG

Our selfie in the mirror with the lighthouse.

IMG_0644.JPGIMG_0628.JPGIMG_0635.JPG

219 stairs to the top on your own power.  We walked up one flight and went back down.

IMG_0653.JPGIMG_0640.JPG

We could barely lift up this oil bucket and it was empty.  I can’t imagine carrying it filled up all 219 stairs every night.IMG_0679.JPG

A Good Match- Weekly Photo Challenge

The Weekly Photo Challenge- A Good Match

screen-shot-2017-02-23-at-8-27-03-am

 

screen-shot-2017-02-23-at-8-01-55-am

screen-shot-2017-02-23-at-8-24-05-am

screen-shot-2017-02-23-at-7-58-41-am

 

screen-shot-2017-02-23-at-8-04-52-am

 

screen-shot-2017-02-23-at-8-09-35-am

screen-shot-2017-02-23-at-8-30-45-am

 

from the wedding and anniversary archives

A valentine collage of some of the couples I’ve had the privilege to photograph on their special days, capturing them loving one another. 

Artist Bill Pfahl-“Scenes of Sharpsburg”

You can still see the “Scenes of Sharpsburg” between 5-8 PM through February 28th at Roots of Faith, 800 Main St., Sharpsburg.

Steve and I went to the reception Saturday night.

There’ s a wonderful article about the artist and his work by Tawnya Panizzi at TribLIVE.

screen-shot-2017-02-21-at-9-44-11-pm

Artist Bill Pfahl

screen-shot-2017-02-21-at-9-43-33-pm

 

 

An Artist’s Palette

16th Street Bridge on Canvas

 

 

Lightner Museum Houses Countless Collections

The title a bit misguided because of course  each and every collection is carefully cataloged and counted.

It was just that there were so many collections.

After going through the museum you felt as if you wanted to get home and start purging stuff.  Look around and eliminate the collections in your house.

 

Lightner Museum in St. Augustine Florida had that effect on my friend  Joanne  and me.

My favorite collection was the Leonard H. Baer  Toaster Collection.

img_0522

img_0523Their website lists the collections.

From typewriters to Tiffany,
Otto Lightner’s collection of fine
and decorative art from the 19th century
is impressive and extensive.

The Museum’s eclectic collection
ranges from a mummy, shrunken heads,
human hair art, cigar labels, buttons,
salt and pepper shakers, to Tiffany glass,
cut glass, porcelain, fine art paintings,
furniture and sculpture all housed
throughout the four floors of
the original Alcazar Hotel.

 

IMG_0495.JPG

IMG_0457.JPG

img_0472

 

 

img_0506

Dressing Downton    Changing Fashion for Changing Times    October 4, 2017 – January 7, 2018 

 

Yes, that’s the cafe in the old swimming pool.

IMG_0538.JPG