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W W W. P I T T S B U R G H S O C I E T Y O FA R T I S T S . O R G
6 3 0 0 F I F T H AV E N U E | P I T T S B U R G H , PA 1 5 2 3 2
D e c e m be r 2 0 1 0
President’s Letter
by Marty Ressler
The planning committee for our
spring event “Celebrate PSA”
has had two meetings and plans
are underway. We changed
the date to March 12, 2011 to
accommodate a request by
the Pittsburgh Center for the
Arts. The main event will be
a video – interviews with PSA
leaders past and present. If you
have a story to tell, let us know
and we’ll fit you into the video. We designated a subcommittee to organize an “Artist-to-Artist Silent Auction.”
Those who participate donate a small piece of art, with
the proceeds going 50/50 to the artist and the PSA. We’re
hoping it works as a way to plug the gaps in paying for
the event, and give us a chance to buy from each other.
We’ve had three “Meet your PSA zip code neighbor” living room meetings. Each was very different, depending
on the people present. (See elsewhere in the newsletter
for articles on these events.) If you would like to host a
meeting – a chance for PSA members to bring a piece of
art, meet other members, and get a special report on PSA
plans and prospects – please call or e-mail me.
Christian Walter, Pittsburgh, 1937
News from the Board of Directors. At our October meeting, PSA welcomed two new at-large members: Yelena
Kukharenko and Cristina Saucedo. From time to time, I
have asked board members to take on extra tasks: Ruthanne Bauerle to attend a Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
meeting; Carol Skinger to put a PSA ad in the Pennsylvania Art Education Association (PAEA) program for their
conference in October; Kathy Sickels to accompany me
to the Bob Brust memorial meeting; and Jay Ressler,
Cristina Saucedo, Ruthanne Bauerle and Kathy Sickels to
attend “Meet your PSA zip code neighbor” meetings. My
thanks to them all for the extra effort, and to the entire,
wonderful board for their hard work.
I was recently reminded of the importance of intellectual
input for an artist. Knowledge of art history is very useful
in discussions with each other as well as curators, gallery
owners and patrons.
What are you reading – art and art history-wise? I’ve
gotten interested in the painters of SW Pennsylvania and
their depictions of industry. I bought “Born of Fire, The
Valley of Work,” by Barbara L. Jones of the Westmoreland Museum of American Art. That lead to “Industry
in Art: Pittsburgh, 1812 to 1920,” by Rina C. Youngner.
Poring over the images makes me think about a lot of
things. Like how it took a century for artists to want to
paint the smoke, soot and fire of the “Steel City.” They
were instead hungry to get out of the city and paint the
fast-receding countryside. Makes sense – and yet – the
industrial paintings have their own distinctive power and
drama. I’m glad Aaron Henry Gorson, Martin B Leisser,
Joseph Pennell, Jean-Emile Laboureur, Otto Kuhler,
Johanna Knowles Woodwell Hailman, and many others
responded artistically to what was right under their noses.
•
Carol Skinger Publicity committee chairperson and is in
charge of PSA’s Facebook page.
• Cristina Saucedo Membership Committee chairperson,
• Kathy Sickels is the new PSA representative to the PCA
Exhibitions Committee.
• Yelena Kukharenko will be exhibition chair for the 2011
Allegheny Court House show, now in the early planning
stages.
ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS
PSA Living Room Meetings
New PSA Dues Structure
Shelter Exhibit
1
tal painting, we sat down to introduce ourselves. Each
person brought a piece of his or her art. Mary Mason is
a metalworker who makes unique jewelry pieces out of
found or re-used pieces of metal. Walter Jones is a water
colorist, and Duane is a digital painter. Ruthanne and Jay
brought photographs, Cristina her ink drawing, and Marty
brought a piece of her fiber art.
PSA “Living Room” Meetings
Art in the “Northern Hinterlands”
October 17, 2010
By Marty Ressler
Rhoda Taylor hosted a meeting in her home for PSA members in, as she put it, the “northern hinterlands.” Nancy
Connelly, pastel artist and faux painter, came and met
with PSA President Marty Ressler on October 17.
Taylor, a fiber artist who specializes in rusted fabric
pieced into well-crafted compositions, has a piece in the
Hoyt Mid Atlantic Juried 2010 Exhibition, and Nancy is active with a group of nine artists who just finished a show
(Aug. 3 – Sept 24, 2010) at the Hoyt called “Beginning
with Nine: An Expanded Invitational.” Each of the nine
artists invited one other to participate, and Nancy invited
Rhoda.
Rhoda Taylor
Walter Jones, Jay Ressler, Marty
F. Walter Jones views original PSA
charter
Ressler, Ruthanne Bauerle, Duane
Cacali,
Mary
Mason
and
Nancy
What followed was a unique opportunity afforded by this
particular grouping to get to know the oldest living charter
member of the PSA, F. Walter Jones, and generally to get
to know each other better. Walter recounted the founding
years of the PSA. The first PSA show was in Oakland at
a bank -- outside in the parking lot. It was up for one day.
There were 8 painters, and most or all of the work sold.
Walter related how the early members all participated in
some way to help with the logistics: from receiving the art
for a show and registering the artists, to hanging the art,
providing food for the openings, etc. Meetings provided
an opportunity to see an artist demonstrating their work,
same as the PSA does now.
Nancy Connelly, Marty Ressler and
Rhoda Taylor
The Hoyt, Rhoda and Nancy explained to me, comprises
“Two big old Victorian mansions connected by a glass
walk-way” with gift shop, classes and exhibition space.
But they also are familiar with other art venues such
as the Bottle Brush Gallery in Harmony, the Merrick Art
Museum in New Brighton (a well-kept secret Rhoda says,
and well worth a visit), and various stores for special
fabrics, such as Muddy Creek in Portersville.
We all felt enriched by this person to person experience,
and hope other PSA members will organize similar events
to “talk art.”
*******************
Nancy lived in Pittsburgh before moving to Mercer. She
attended Ivey School for Professional Art before it disbanded 15 years ago. She was a founder of “The Store”
in Verona, which evolved into the present day Society for
Contemporary Craft. She is married to painter Tom Connelly.
Living Room Meeting in Wilkins
October 10, 2010
by Marty Ressler and Kathy Sickels
Maureen Hahn hosted a meeting in her Wilkins Township
home. Those PSA members present at the meeting were:
Maureen Hahn, Rita Lee Spalding, Debbie Walker, Peg
Caine, Kathy Sickels, Michael Rosella, Rich Seech, Marty
Ressler, Kathy Gilbert and Helen Naimark. Debbie, Rita
and Helen joined PSA approximately 7 years ago. Peg
Caine joined in 1999; Rich Seech joined about 1979 and
was on the Exhibition committee for a period of time.
Both Nancy and Rhoda are planning to submit pieces to
the PSA Annual this year following the meeting.
******************
Living Room Meeting in Cranberry
By Cristina Saucedo and Marty Ressler
On August 22, Duane Cacali hosted the first of our “meet
your PSA zip code neighbor” meetings in his home in
Cranberry. In attendance from the Cranberry area, in addition to Duane, were Mary Mason and F. Walter Jones,
and joining them were board members Jay Ressler,
Ruthanne Bauerle, Marty Ressler, and Cristina Saucedo.
Walter’s daughter, Nancy accompanied him.
Rich now teaches 7th and 8th grade art at Gateway
School District. Debbie Clark told us about her work with
“Pilgrim Progress” a Christian outreach program based
at the Victory Stable, Apollo, Rt. 380 past 380 Auction.
Debbie and stable owner have been painting a giant
mural in their indoor riding arena that is also used for the
church. She suggested a PSA outing to photo/paint/draw
the horses.
After Duane plied us with delicious snacks and delighted
us with a brief introduction to his unique art style of digi2
Peg says her watercolor group at Boyce CCACcampus
took 2 vans to Youngstown and it was a good trip.
The Business of Art
Preparing a Portfolio
Michael Rosella showed us his photo from 1953 “The Ice
Ball Man,” from negatives he kept and recently printed. He
told the story of buying his first camera, a 120 mm mid-format camera for $150. He was 18 and had to get his mother
to co-sign the loan: $10 a week for 15 weeks. He was a
Pitt student at the time and got interested in photography
through John Bush and John Reiger, recently returned
home from WWII. He took pictures around Oakland.
Kathy Sickels, Michael Rosella,
Rich Seech
By Nina Sowiski
I recently attended a workshop entitled “From ‘Starving’
to Successful – Art Marketing for Professional Artists”
presented by Jason Horejs, owner of the Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ. He developed the workshop after
noting that most artists are not aware of the best way to
approach a gallery to represent their work. The presentation was packed with information, some of which may
be useful for many PSA members.
I am new to the art “business,” only working with my
photography since retiring 2 years ago; so much was
new information for me. I will start with portfolio presentation, and hope for some feedback from members, and
then continue with other topics. Remember that what I
present is what Horejs has found to be the most effective
way for artists to approach him to be represented in his
gallery.
Kathy Gilbert, Maureen Hahn, Rita
Spalding, Debbie Walker, Peg Caine
For two dimensional art, the portfolio should contain
20-30 pieces, for three dimensional, 15-20. Avoid “art
schizophrenia” - instead have 1 or 2 cohesive bodies of
work represented. If you create art in more that one medium or style, consider making more than one portfolio to
be used in approaching appropriate galleries.
Maureen Hahn told a story about a customer coming to
her house to pick up art he had bought from her and asked
her if she knew Kathy Gilbert. Maureen said she did, and
the man related that a friend of his had bought a Gilbert
painting of a garden with trellis, and loved the painting so
much he hung it near his bed so he could look at it. The
man was dying, and liked to think he would be “entering
that garden” soon..
For the portfolio itself, Horejs recommends using a
loose-leaf binder with transparent plastic sleeves which
can be exchanged as new pieces are produced. Use
Helen remembered that Betty Elias was Exhibition Chair
high quality photographs of the work, each page to
include 1-2 pieces along with all pertinent informawhen Helen joined. She came up to Helen and asked her
to be Exhibition chair for the next year. Said, “It isn’t hard!” tion – title, medium, size and price. Include 2-3 photos
of work displayed in collector’s homes – also include a
Helen turned to Zivi Aviraz and recruited her on the spot
few photos showing the type of framing being used. Do
to co-chair. Helen and Zivi co-chaired Exhibitions for two
not include the date on the page. The images of the art
years and had fun doing it.
should come first in the portfolio, followed by the artist’s
biography, statement and resume. A gallery owner wants
New PSA Dues Structure
to see the work first, not to read about the person stand ing in front of him/her.
by Anne Lee
Horejs does not recommend using a CD or DVD as a
way to present your portfolio – it will most likely end up
in a pile on the owner’s desk, never to be looked at. A
CD can be a useful adjunct, however, to be left with the
gallery if the owner wants to see more examples after
having seen the loose-leaf portfolio.
In order to encourage new and renewing members to pay their annual dues by the January 31
deadline, the PSA Board voted on October 24,
2010 that annual dues for all members will be
reduced to $35.00 if payment is postmarked by
January 31, 2011. Members paying after January 31, 2011 up until May 1 will owe $40.00. After May 1 members who haven’t paid their dues
will be dropped from the organization.
He also does not recommend printing a book, via an online publisher such as “Blurb”. Although such a presentation method looks very professional, it outdates quickly
and is expensive to maintain. Remember that your work
is what you are selling, not a book of your work.
Dues can be paid online at the PSA website with
a credit card, or through PayPal. Members may
also send a check to Anne Lee, PSA Treasurer,
at 6627 Dalzell Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15217.
Members are encouraged to email treasurer@
pittsburghsocietyofartists.org if they have any
questions regarding their dues.
He recommends the direct, personal approach. Do not
call first or email to schedule an appointment – seldom
will the owner have the time to spare. Do not follow the
submission guidelines outlined on the website – usually
the owner will not get around to viewing artwork submitted. The best approach is to show up in person, and to
be positive, friendly and direct.
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2010 NEW MEMBER SCREENING
Held at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, October 24, 2010
Busy, Busy, Busy
Members On The Move
PSA Welcomes the following new members:
Philip Bauerle
Carl Modery Kilkeary
John Caringola
Brian Kloock
Kathryn Carr
Paul McMillan
Kenneth Cotlar
Meghan Olson
Betsy Cox
Bernie Pintar
Chris Groschner
Brian Plank
James Henderson
Noele Reynolds
Mayota Hill
Emma Strong
Mary Joan Hopper
Gloria Tutera
Peter Johnson
B.J. Wettach
Lorie Lee Womack
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL !!
•
Oct 3 (ended): The Merrick Art Gallery Associates, 1100
Fifth Avenue, New Brighton Pa. Artists include PSA members:
Carol Volz Begley, Duane Cacali, Morry Moskovitz, Don Nelson,
Jan Pociernicki, Rhoda Taylor.
•
Oct 17: Nina Sowiski: opening of Cafe dez Arts in
Swissvale. Nina also had work in the Katerbean Coffee House in
Regent Square starting October 13.
•
Octo¬ber 23 Hot! Hot! Hot! Dark Waters Metals Open
House was held. PSA Member Stephan Douglas: “Dark Waters,
(darkwa¬tersmetal.com) held it’s first shop open house!
•
November: “Mill Memories,” a Cynthia Cooley show of
steel mill paintings and watercolors, in the lobby of the Federal
Court House, 700 Grant Street.
•
Nov. 1: Holiday Show @ East Side Gallery, Eastside
Village, Penn Ave., East Liberty. Artists include PSA Members:
Kathy Sickels, Kathleen Zimbicki, Susan Winicor.
•
Nov 7: Anne Lee, painter, illustrator, and PSA Treasurer
pre¬sented her new book, Old Abe, Eagle Hero, at Carnegie
Library of Pittsburgh in Oakland. She showed how illustrators
work and how books are created.
•
Nov. 12: A painting by Julie Bernstein Engelmann has
been accepted into the Allied Artists of America 97th Annual
Exhibition 2010 at the National Arts Club, NYC.
•
Nov. 13: Lawrenceville Studio Tour, included studio of Marty & Jay Ressler, 5239 Butler St.
•
Dec 1: Barbara Jamma Smith accepted in Nationwide
3rd Juried Catholic Arts Exhibit at Saint Vincent College, 300
Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, PA.
PSA Membership Meeting
Sunday, November 14 – 1:00 PM
Our program was presented by one of our members, Roger
Costello, whose exquisite photographs of Vietnam captured the
spirit of the people, the colors of the country, and the beautiful
landscapes. His photographs show a far different country today
than the war-torn country that he had experienced when he went
to war there for his country, Australia, at age 18. Roger is a wonderful story teller as well as a gifted photographer and his program
was a very entertaining and enriching experience.
The Nominations Committee (Marty Ressler, Lynn Deppen, Holly
Pultz, Sheila Golding and Ruthanne Bauerle) made the following
nominations for vote by the membership at the Nov. 14 meeting.
Jay Ressler, who is also Corresponding Secretary, is stepping
down as Membership Chair, but will remain on the Membership
Committee. Suzie Sparks is stepping down as Publicity Chair to
take the reins of the Exhibitions Committee for 2011.
Paul J. Dadowski, 1926 – 2010
Paul, a long time member of the Exhibitions Committee and
Board of PSA, died Dec. 14, 2010. The PSA sent flowers and
condolences to the family.
Cristina Saucedo was elected Membership Chairperson. Cristina
has been on the Membership Committee, learning the ropes. She
screened into the PSA in the spring of 2010, and is a photographer and pen and ink artist. Her 3D drawing was awarded first
prize in the “Urban Dreams” show at the Fein Art Gallery in June.
Kathleen Zimbicki remembers: Paul took watercolor
lessons from me in the 70’s. But he loved black and white
drawing best. When he retired from USS he would hang around
Studio Z Gallery, bringing his twin grandsons & other grandchildren when he baby sat. After he got into PSA, he was such a
help on the board for years -- put up chairs, took them down,
whatever was needed.
Carol Skinger was elected Publicity Chairperson. Carol screened
in to PSA in 2009, has been on the publicity committee for about
four months, taking responsibility for setting up and administering
PSA’s Facebook page. She is currently a member of the board
as an at-large member. Carol is a painter, and won an award in
Urban Dreams for her imaginative “East Liberty -- Urban Renewal/
Nightmare/ Dream.”
He was our representative to the PCA Guild Council for years.
Such a great guy, have NEVER heard anyone saying a negative thing about him He loved going to Panza Gallery for figure
drawing. He got into AAP. I do miss the Saturdays at Studio Z
when Paul, Tony Vitale & friends would hang out. One son said I
should have a wine bar instead of a gallery!
Besides officers reports, the above 21 new members were welcomed at this meeting, and we heard a report on the upcoming
“Celebrate PSA” event March 12, 2011.
4
Rita Lee Spalding had a painting accepted in the AAP’s 100
Annual Exhibition at the Carnegie Museum of Art The show ran
through September 19. Rita also had three watercolor collages
accepted into the 1st Annual Mr. Fred Rogers Fine Arts Regional
Juried Exhibition September 1—September 30 at the Latrobe
Art Center in Latrobe. It is sponsored by the Latrobe Art Center
and GLSD Conservation Trust. Rita also won the Dave Smith
Award at Penn Hills Arts and Music Festival in July.
art world, craft has been a dirty word for decades. For
instance my alma mater California College of Arts and
Crafts finally remedied this problem in 2003 by changing their name to California College of the Arts. Some
people find this amusing as 2003 was the year that the
indy craft movement built up a big head of steam- which
has not slowed down since. Plus superstar Dale Chihuly,
solidly craft connoisseur approved, was widely known by
then. It’s a bit like throwing out your neon orange puffy
vest from the 1970’s and the next day orange turns the IT
color! Locally CMU got rid of their weaving looms in the
early 1980’s. Bruce Metcalf http://www.brucemetcalf.com/
an artist/maker who writes amazingly well about craft,
found that the art students at CMU were then scavenging the parts and pieces from the defunct looms to make
statements in their art.
Locally, the indy craft DIY venues are- I Made It Market
and Handmade Arcade. You can either come and shop or
you can apply to be a vendor. Though directly descended
from quilt making and other traditional crafts, today’s
indie craft is driven by a post-punk DIY ethos -- a conscious, living-small alternative to a consumer culture of
goods mass-extruded in Global South sweatshops and
UPC-scanned in big-box retailers. Few of a kind, or one
of a kind is more the mantra.
The next “I made It for the Holidays” Market is Friday,
December 3, 2010 5 – 10 pm and Saturday, December
4, 12 – 5 pm at Southside Works (near REI) 428 S. 27th
Street Pittsburgh, PA 15203.
I have participated in several of their markets as a vendor
and find the atmosphere infectious. I will be a vendor
Friday night Dec 3, 5-10PM
Handmade Nation
by Carol Skinger
Pittsburgh Filmmakers and Society of Contemporary Craft
(SCC) brought the film, “Handmade Nation” to Pittsburgh
for a one day showing as part of Three Rivers Film Festival 2010 . It is Milwaukee-based curator Fay the Levine’s
feature-length 2009 documentary of interviews with artists, including visits to their stores and craft fairs. Fay the
Levine was present at the film and the reception. The film
was well attended. Some audience members moved on
to the wine and cheese reception at Society of Contemporary Craft where they have a “Do It Yourself” related
show. For a limited time you can get the Handmade Nation book and DVD at SCC.
“DIY is about more than making cute stuffed owls and
ironic t-shirts. There is a real sense of counterculture and
environmentalism that defines the community. Everyone
Levine profiles (in Handmade Nation) is actively taking
a stance against a mass-produced culture. To meet the
person who designed and constructed what you buy is a
very different experience from purchasing something at a
chain store that was made in a country you can’t find on
a map” says Jessica Mosby.
As a measure of the movement, Wikipedia, itself a manifestation of the DIY movement, has three entries (and
more titled differently) on the topic: DIY, DIY Culture and
DIY Ethic.
Among the “makers” interviewed in the film are young
people who got a BFA (though the movement has enormous space for “creatives” even if not BFA toting) and
began the climb in the gallery and art show world. They
may have had some success, but had an overall feeling
of…”is that it?” after the show they juried into was over.
In short they were not satisfied, were working at various
jobs to pay the bills, yet still wanted to create, produce,
sell and meet their audience. They are distinctly uninterested in the big box retailer approach where we get all
we need at chain stores throughout the land- all identical.
Neither do they hew to the “craft fair” ethos of the 60’s
and 70’s though it very much is a relative of that. The
DIY movement is having a vibrant effect on our culture as
well as an entrepreneurial outcome evident on Etsy and
at indy craft fairs. Initially not accepted by the existing
craft connoisseur establishment, and likewise at that
level of craft shows, the DIY movement has gone ahead
anyway- with their own ethos -not always in line with former benchmarks of what constitutes excellence. For now,
they are still shaking things up… and are here to stay.
It will be interesting to follow the DIY effect on art
schools (and business schools for that matter). In the
The Colorful World
of
Robert Brust
Exhibit
August 2 – 29, 2010
A memorial celebration of the life and art of
Rob Brust was held on Saturday, Aug. 28, in
the Art Gallery at Penn State New Kensington.
The works of the late artist were on display
throughout August in the gallery. The exhibit,
“In Memory: The Colorful World of Robert G.
Brust,” featured more than 40 paintings of the
Pittsburgh native who passed away unexpectedly this year at the age of 65.
Kathy Gilbert, a long time friend of Rob’s,
has confirmed that she got permission from
Bob Brust’s relatives to put a painting of his in
the PSA Annual.
5
.PSA Shelter Exhibit
New Mural in the Strip District
by Eva Trout
by Kathy Sickels
I have been watching the progress of this mural and it
seemed like it appeared really quick. Then I discovered
that PSA member Holly Pultz has been assisting her
daughter, Shannon Pultz and artist Carley Parrish to
create this fantastic new mural on the side of the Hermanowski Building on the corner of Penn Avenue and
20th street in the Strip District. Carley Parrish and
Shannon Pultz were selected by Sprout and the Strip
District Community. If you are familiar with the Strip you
really can’t miss this vivid piece of artwork, it’s huge!
“Shelter... during a time in which society feels threatened
by economic, social and global uncertainties, shelter or
the simplistic desire for refuge becomes a universal pursuit. Whether psychological, emotional, spiritual or physical, shelter can take on a variety of forms all of which
bring an elected solace or comfort to a basic craving or
need.
The PSA exhibit opened with a fantastic reception on
Friday, October 1st. The opening reception, being held
in the SCC satellite gallery venue: the T-station at One
Mellon Center, was an unusual venue for a reception. It
proved to be in keeping with the theme of the exhibit as
the venue itself was not the typical gallery space. The 16
selected works by juror, Kati Fishbein of SCC were well
displayed within the expansive gallery space as over 100
guests enjoyed the reception fare among the few subway
travelers who were passing by.
Cristina Saucedo, Carol Skinger,
RuthAnne Bauerle
The Shelter Exhibit audience
Juror’s picks were awarded to artists, Bifei Cao for
“Wondering Wood”, Martha Ressler for “Shelter Lost”, and
Rhoda Taylor for “A Shelter for My Alaskan Hilltop”. The
exhibit proactively demonstrated the theme of Shelter
as PSA made a monetary donation to a Pittsburgh food
service and Clothing distribution charity, House of Bread
Outreach. House of Bread’s president, Barbara Garlington and volunteer staff were present to receive the
contribution.
Heather George, Brenda Roger
“Enclosed Heart”
SAVE the DATE!!
SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 2011
6:00 - 9:00 PM
Celebrate PSA
Reception • Dinner • Artist-to-Artist
Silent Auction • Displays • Video
PITTSBURGH CENTER
FOR THE ARTS
Simmons Hall
6300 Fifth Ave • Pittsburgh, PA
15232
Eva Trout
“Ruins”
Ron Coleman
“Click”
Artists and charitable organizations can and need to work
together in cooperative efforts to heal our society and this
exhibit proves that there is no compromising of the artists
works in an attempt to be practical and proactive. The
opposite is true, art and action can accentuate the common good. The exhibit will run until November 28th”.
Ticket Price $25.00
Formal Invitations to come!
Volunteers needed!
Contact Marty Ressler or
Ruthanne Bauerle
Also need to borrow
other PSA photos
and memorabilia.
Eva Trout, Barbara Garlington
Eva Trout, Rhoda Taylor
6
4. How long have you been a member of the
PSA?
I was juried into the PSA in spring 2009.
5. Which other art organizations are you active in (if any)?
I belong to the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh, the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh (since spring 2009), and the
Studio Art Quilt Association.
Five Questions to a PSA Member
Rhoda Taylor
“Shelter” Exhibit Prize Winner
1. Can you tell us about your art -- which is
your preferred medium at present? How has
that evolved in recent time?
I have been “artistic” all my life, dabbling in a variety of
art media, but following retirement I took several quilting
classes and fell in love wih the variety of fabrics that are
available. I began making quilted wall hangings. In early
2007 I joined the Fiberarts Guild and my life changed because of interaction with Guild members. I have become
an artist who creates her own original fabric art. I have
taken a variety of workshops through the Guild and at the
SCC which taught me to hand dye and rust print my own
fabrics. Recently I have begun to create mixed media
pieces, using my rust printed and hand dyed fabrics and
adding various embellishments to the fabrics.
2. Can you share a bit about your life -which part of town you live in, family, job or
other interests?
I live in Slippery Rock, and was a professor of Biology at
Slippery Rock University for over 30 years. I have two
children (one in Alaska and the other in Dormont) and two
wonderful grandchildren (in Dormont). I have travelled
extensively, visiting over 50 different countries. I participate regularly in the Slippery Rock Institute for Learning
in Retirement (ILR).
3. Can you describe your studio and/or
working methods?
My studio is spread throughout my house, according to
my husband. I use my kitchen island to cut out fabrics
and to iron pieces, my dining room to lay out pieces and
store my fabric stash, frames, and other items, my living
room to display pieces, and our sunroom on the back
of the house where my two sewing machines and other
materials are kept.
Rhoda Taylor’s prize winning fiber art,
"A Shelter for My Alaskan Hilltop".
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2010-2011
All email addresses are: @pittsburghsocietyofartists.org
President:
Marty Ressler.......................................president@
Corresponding Secretary:
Jay Ressler................................correspondence@
Treasurer:
Anne Lee.............................................. treasurer@
Membership Chair:
Cristina Saucedo.............................membership@
Members at Large:
Sheila Golding ............................... sheilagolding@
Alice Lieb ............................................... alicelieb@
Holly Pultz............................................. hollypultz@
Vice President:
Kathy Sickels................................. vicepresident@
Exhibition Chairpersons:................ exhibitions@
Eva Trout (2010),................................... evatrout@
Suzie Sparks (2011), ..................... susansparks@
Publicity Chairperson:
Carol Skiinger.................................. carolskinger@
Recording Secretary:
Ruthanne Bauerle .................... ruthannebauerle@
Yelena Kukharenko........................................yelena@
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Become a Fan of PSA on Facebook
Don’t forget, The Pittsburgh Society of Artists is now on
Facebook. Here is a link to our page. (You can also find it
by Googling Pittsburgh Society of Artists.)
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Pittsburgh-Society-ofArtists-Guild/121353274562512
*******************
PSA UPCOMING EXHIBITION
SCHEDULE
Pittsburgh Society of Artists Celebrate the
Season and Their 45 Year History!
Dec 7, 2010 - Jan 28, 2011
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh -Gallery
420 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1301
The Pittsburgh Society of Artists Guild (PSA), founded in 1965,
celebrates 45 years with its annual exhibit this year, held in the
heart of the city of Pittsburgh at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh
–Gallery. During the year, many of the PSA exhibits are open to
all artists and have a central idea, a concept, which applicants
must be aware of in creating work for submission. The annual
exhibit is for members only and artists can exhibit their choice in
terms of concept and media. To wrap up 2010 the PSA welcomes
the public to come to our annual members exhibition. On this
45th anniversary, PSA Charter Members Cynthia Cooley, Peter
Calaboyias, F. Walter Jones (retired Shadyside Academy history
PITTSBURGH SOCIETY OF ARTISTS
Pittsburgh Center for the Arts
6300 Fifth Ave,
Pittsburgh, PA. 15232
www.pittsburghsocietyofartists.org
psa@pittsburghsocietyofartists.org
teacher of David McCullough) , and past presidents of PSA Kathleen Zimbicki, Paula Klein and Judi Charlson will all have work in
the exhibit.
“PSA presents the Many Sides of Pittsburgh”
at the United States District Court for the
Western District of Pennsylvania
PSA Artists are asked to create their interpretations of the greater
Pittsburgh area. Works can be in any 2-D media. Deliver and
hang the exhibit on Monday February 28th, opening reception on
Thursday, March 3. Pick-up tentatively is Monday, May 23.
“Halo – An Exhibit of Things Solar and
Sacred” at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts
Juror: Mchael Loterno; screening is digital. All entries are due to
PSA by March 11, 2011. Drop off of accepted works is Sunday,
March 27. Opening reception is Friday, April 8th
Exhibit runs from April 8 through May 22, 2011. Pick-up of unsold
works is Sunday, May 22, 2011.
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“I dream a lot. I do more painting when I’m not
painting. It’s in the subconscious” Andrew Wyeth
PSA Voice is produced under the direction of the
Board of Directors, Pittsburgh Society of Artists.
Phiris Kathryn Sickels, Editor
Charlene “Pudge” Cunningham, 5 Questions to a Member
Photos: Marty Ressler, Kathy Sickels, Cristina Saucedo