Pittsburgh Art Blog: Downtown Pittsburgh Art NCECA Events Exhibits Guide March 2008

Downtown Pittsburgh NCECA Art Related Events:

NCECA? It's the National Council on Education for Ceramic Arts. Pittsburgh Convention? It's their national convention happening from Wednesday March 19 through Saturday March 22, 2008. It means there's a lot of art to be seen during March of 2008 and beyond. Over 5,000 visitors will be in Pittsburgh to participate in the conference and many art groups, galleries, and artists are taking part by displaying art work.

The following art exhibit information was adapted from the NCECA schedule in order for anyone in the Pittsburgh area to find out what's happening during this exciting time for the NCECA and for Pittsburgh art. Conference members will most likely be on a tour bus on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 seeing these exhibits throughout the area.

Check the home page of the blog www.PittsburghGalleries.blogspot.com to see the other area guides for March 2008. Each listing has start and end dates as well as hours for the venue so you'll know when you can check out all the art.

You can download the pdf with all the area art exhibit info and conference activities here http://www.nceca.net/pdfs/2008/2008exhibitionlisting.pdf .
To learn more about the NCECA Pittsburgh Conference check out http://www.nceca.net/conference/2008/index.html .

Brought to you by photographer Rick Byerly, http://www.pittsburghgalleries.blogspot.com/ has daily lists of Pittsburgh art events. His photography websites are http://www.uniquetake.com/ and http://www.rickbyerly.com/ and his Pittsburgh Art Gallery Directory is http://www.pghgalleries.com/ .

209/9 Gallery (of the August Wilson Center), 9th Street, Liberty at Penn Avenue, 412-281-5484.
· Black Clay in PA: A Dialogue In Flux, Sharif Bey, Syd Carpenter, Michael Clemens, Justin Coleman, Vanessa German, Marica Jackson, Mary Martin, Malcolm Mobutu Smith, Paul Andrew Wandless. “Clay is found all over the globe in various shades and textures. While ceramic wares are not as prevalent as in the past, clay continues to be a utilitarian and artistically expressive material that has also spurred major innovations in science and industry. Organized by Dr. Sharif Bey of Winston Salem State University, a Pittsburgh native who discovered ceramics as a teenager through Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, this exhibition presents vessels, sculptures and installation art by nine African American ceramic artists who are from or reside in Pittsburgh or Philadelphia. The cultural history of these artists and clay’s potential to inform their personal excavations of identity are explored through a broad range of processes and techniques. Several of the artists employ traditional African ceramics processes and hand-building techniques, and draw from their interests in African rituals, African design and symbolism, slave narratives and folklore. Others, however, use European techniques while drawing inspiration from art history, popular culture, media representations, graffiti, and religious, political, and historical references. A distinguishing feature of African American cultural identity is that, like clay, it is continually reconsidered, redefined, and reshaped. Mar 14-May 31. Wed-Sat, 12:00-5:00p.m. Reception Mar 14, 6:00-8:00p.m. Area restaurants: Nine on Nine, Monte Cello’s Downtown, Sonoma Grille, Seviche.

707 Penn Gallery, 707 Penn Avenue, 412-456-2961.
· Suggestion/Submission, Ian F. Thomas and Jeffrey A. Schwarz. The idea of transcendence manifestsed through water, implied sound, reflections and real movement. Curated by Murray Horne. Mar 14-Apr 5. Tue-Thu 11:00a.m.-6:00p.m., Fri-Sat 11:00a.m.-8:00p.m. Reception Mar 21, 5:00-7:00p.m.

709 Penn Avenue Gallery, 412-471-6078.
· hum, Michel L. Conroy. hum is an Installation composed of clay, light and sound. Mar 7-22. Tue-Thu 11:00a.m.-6:00p.m., Fri-Sat 11:00a.m.-8:00p.m. Area restaurants: Manny’s Chop House, Bossa Nova Café, Zao.

Alcoa Corporate Building, 201 Isabella Street, 412-553-2578.
1) Alumni Show = first floor main lobby,
2) Student Show = first floor conference room (adjacent to the lobby).
· Edinboro at Alcoa (Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and student exhibitons)
TWO concurrent Exhibitions from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania;
1) an Alumni Exhibition, and 2) a Current Student Exhibition. Organized by Alumni
Exhibition: Donna Nicholas and Lee Rexrode; Student Exhibition: Chuck Johnson. Feb 29-Mar 21.

Art Institute of Pittsburgh, 420 Boulevard of the Allies, 412-749-0134.
· Earth and Fire, Gerry Dinnen, Eric Hahn, Donn Heddman, Betty Heddman, Dale Huffman, Paul Jay, Ron Korcynski, Lee Rexrode, Justin Rothshank, Jack Troy, Gerry Wagner, Bruce Woyt, Paul Jay. Clay Invitational. Organized by Eric Hahn, Gerry Dinnen and Donn Heddman. Mar 11-23. Wed-Sat 8:00a.m.-7:00p.m. Reception Mar 21, 6:30-8:30p.m. Area restaurants: Many, located in Pittsburgh’s little China town.

MCG @ 800 Penn Avenue Gallery, 800 Penn Avenue, 412-322-1773 x 196.
· Between Surface and Self, Paul Wandless and Pittsburgh teen artists. Collaborative tile works created by Pittsburgh teen artists and Paul Wandless through a partnership of Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, the Andy Warhol Museum and Artists Image Resource. Curated by Heather Powell. Mar 7-Apr 25. Wed-Fri 9:30a.m.-5:00p.m. Reception Apr 25 5:30- 8:30p.m. Area restaurants: Nine on Nine Restaurant and Bistro, August Henry’s City Saloon, Tonic, Bravo Franco, Café Zao.

McGuinn Gallery, Heinz History Center, 1212 Smallman Street, 412-454-6352.
· Out of Madness – Seven Potters Follow Ohr, Georgette Ore, Bart Fetz, Megan Quinn, John Britt, Tony Merino, Lisa Orr, Susan Filley. Features the work of seven potters whose work has been directly influenced by a condition of Mad-Pottery started by Ohr. Organized by Bart Fetz. Mar 19-May 18. Wed 9:00a.m.-6:00p.m., all other days 10:00a.m.-5:00p.m. Reception Mar 19, 4:30-6:00p.m.
· Pots by the River: Treasures from the Waynesburg University Collection. Historic exhibit featuring regional companies. About 60 pieces of Western Pennsylvania made salt glazed ceramics from the 19th century. Curated by Susan Phillips and Kyle Hallam. Mar 19-May 18. Wed 9:00a.m.-6:00p.m., Thu-Sat 10:00a.m.-5:00p.m. Reception Mar 19, 4:30-6:00p.m.
· Women with Wood – Three Generations, Susan Beecher, Joy Brown, Julie Crosby, Linda Christianson, Charity Davis-Woodward, Carol Grocki Lewis, Louise Harter, Jane Herold, Robin Johnson, Jody Johnstone, Karen Karnes, Tania Kravath, Robbi Lobell, Liz Lurie, Peg Malloy, Sara Patterson, Mikhail Zakin. Explores the broad range of wood-fired work from a female and multi-generational perspective. Organized by Susan Beecher. Mar 19-May 18. Wed 9:00a.m.-6:00p.m., Thu-Sat 10:00a.m.-5:00p.m. Reception Mar 19, 4:30-6:00p.m. Area restaurants: Eleven, Lidia’s, Sports Rock all within two blocks of the History Center.

Robert Morris University Gallery, 600 5th Avenue, 412-397-6881.
· Brit by Brit: Contrasting contemporary ceramics by British artists Rod Bugg and Steve Dixon. Floor and wall-based modular ceramic sculptures by Rod Bugg, that despite a minimal aesthetic, display an influence of the Italian landscape, are contrasted with Steve Dixon’s powerfully charged social comment, utilizing ceramic forms borrowed from traditional models. Curated by Sarah Nichols. Mar 12-Apr 19. Wed-Sat 10:00a.m.-8:00p.m. Reception Mar 20, 5:30-8:00p.m. Area restaurants: Steelhead Bar and Grille, William Penn Hotel Restaurant.

Three Rivers Arts Festival Gallery, 937 Liberty Avenue (3rd Floor), 412-281-8723.
· Material Transcendence: Clay as Commentary, Tanya Batura, John Byrd, David East, Rain Harris, Thomas Hirschler, Jeannie Hulen, Nicholas Kripal, Jeffrey Mongrain, Richard Notkin, Adelaide Paul, Denise Pelletier, Jeanne Quinn, Robert Raphael, Kaja Witt, Julie York. This exhibition is intended to showcase a group of artists who have embraced the possibilities and potential of the material, but who don’t rely on clay’s innate qualities as the overriding concept. The artists in the exhibition, while adhering to the philosophy of clay as concept, still maintain individual creative agendas. They use clay as a tool, looking beyond the material; they confront and explore issues related to gender, hypocrisy, dualitiy, irony, consumption, and the ephemeral. They question our perceptions, our politics, and our culture, at times creating a new language or narrative. They are influenced by history, architecture, iconography and domesticity. They are cynics, seducers, and subverters, in the most sublime and perverse manners. Curated by Benjamin Schulman. Mar 17-22. Wed-Sat 10:00a.m.-7:00p.m. Reception Mar 21, 6:00-9:00p.m. with a curatorial talk @ 7:00p.m.
· The Greatest Show on Earth, Ben Ahlvers, Bernadette Curran, Brendan Tang, Carla Potter, Carmela Alfaro-Laganse, Charity Davis-Woodard, Chris Antemann, Steve Godfrey, Gerit Grimm, Hope Rovelto, Ilena Finocchi, James Tisdale, Jeffrey Mitchell, Jennifer Allen, Jennifer Holt, Jeremy Kane, Joe Bova, Josh DeWeese, Judy Onofrio, Kathy King, Lorna Meaden, Maria Kretschmann, Matt Wilt, Melissa Mencini, Melody Ellis, Nikki Blair, Peter Morgan, Ralph Scala, Russell Wrankle, Sergei Isupov, Sunkoo Yah, Tom Bartel, Rosalie Wynkoop. The Greatest Show on Earth is a theme show about the circus and the carnival, celebrating the history of the outcast in society. Organized by Lorna Meaden and Ilena Finocchi. Mar 17-22. Wed-Sat 10:00a.m.-7:00p.m. Reception Mar 21, 6:00-9:00p.m. Area restaurants: Café Zao, Nine on Nine, Seveche, Pittsburgh Fish Market, Tonic, Six Penn.

>>>

Click here to add Pittsburgh Galleries blog to your favorites!

Subscribe to the Pittsburgh Galleries Blog here (Atom)

>>>

Post from Rick Byerly

pittsburgh art events: http://pittsburghgalleries.blogspot.com/

pittsburgh art gallery directory: http://www.pghgalleries.com/

photography from rick byerly:

http://www.uniquetake.com/

http://www.rickbyerly.com/

>>>

check out
http://www.PghGalleries.com