Art on the Walls at the Mayor's Office
Mayor William Peduto, City of Pittsburgh, brought together Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council's Art on the Walls exhibition program and the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh to curate, exhibit, and sell quality art by local artists from the administrative offices and chambers of the Mayor's Office in the City County Building. This showcase of art, on exhibition the length of Mayor Peduto's term in office, features artwork by the following artists represented by the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh: Robert Bowden, Alan Byrne, Fran Gialamas, Jon Hall, Yelena Lamm, Laurie Longenecker, William D. Pfahl, Miriam Scigliano, William D. Wade, Terri Wolfe Izzo. The collection also features artwork by the following artists represented by Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council: Ron Donoughe, Ramon Riley, Dylan Vitone The Pittsburgh-based artists' paintings, prints, photographs and multimedia works relate to the theme of Pittsburgh by depicting the people, places and feelings that make Pittsburgh special, interpreting Pittsburgh's past 200 years through diverse artistic lenses. Read about the AAP artists below.
AAP Artists
Alan Byrne
”Art for me has been a journey—an interesting and creative adventure which has taken me through the worlds of theatre and education, computers and fine art. I initially worked as a scenic designer in College and Community Theatre. My experience with computers and teaching graphic design has allowed me to become proficient with the Adobe programs, specifically Photoshop and Illustrator. Since my introduction to computers it has been my desire to incorporate new techniques into my work. I use programs to enhance my photographs and create images that serve as guidelines for my painting.
My most recent work has been cityscapes based on my own photography. Stage design has given me an appreciation of the timeworn and weather-beaten appearance one can observe in the urban landscape. It is these features, I believe, that give my subjects their character and interest. I rarely include people in my paintings and when I do they are usually incidental or background figures. Their presence is evident in the battered appearance of the environment and the details of “setting dressing.” In my painting I try to manifest the beauty of these objects and bring out the humanity.”
William D. Wade
William D. Wade is an artist, photo-journalist and a long time Associated Artists of Pittsburgh member. He has been published and exhibited internationally and is a former staff photographer and photo editor for The Pittsburgh Press and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He graduated with a B.F.A. in Photo-Communications from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, and is an adjunct associate professor teaching still photography at Pittsburgh Filmmakers.
”A Fireman's Lesson, is a news photograph of a fireman guarding downed electrical wires after an ice and rain storm in Squirrel Hill. A group of youngsters from three families came out dressed as mini-fireman, all as a result of fire education from their parents after an earlier house fire on their street. Blue Window Memorial, is part of a series, Portals and Passageways. The beginnings or portals are symbolized by the physical world, coming from everyday life and what I see. However, the true spirit of the photograph represents my inter-most feeling at the time of capturing the moment. The blue light in the window was a memorial response in 2009, to the three slain Pittsburgh police officers Eric Kelly, Stephen Mayhle and Paul Sciullo.”
Laurie Longenecker
”I am a social realist painter. My aim is to capture the spirit of the age and create contemporary portraiture that tells stories about my subjects through a strong visual narrative. The portraits that I paint allow for me to relate ideas that are a product of my observation and experience. I am a tireless people watcher. I am fascinated by both our amazing diversity and fundamental sameness. To capture someone, with all their complexities, through paint on canvas has to be one of the most challenging and rewarding undertakings in art.
This painting is one of a series of 20 portraits that eulogize individuals who are not simply unique individuals, but individuals who express a collective passion and devotion –- in this case to Pittsburgh Sports Teams.”
William D. Pfahl
”In addition to painting plein air, I regularly paint both figure and portrait and still life. I am a current and active member of AAP and PSA art groups. I have always enjoyed painting and drawing what is in front of me, the light and color I see and feelings that I have while engaged standing in front of a model, city scene or forest stream are what excites me to work. I enjoy exploring neighborhoods for unusual architecture, and light and perspectives. I have spent time exploring the woods and rivers and doing a series I call outside of urban. Currently, I am working on a series at the Aspinwall Riverfront park. The light and river background are great. I had a show of 40 paintings all done on Sharpsburg streets in 2017. The painting chosen by the mayor was done in 2007 - New Granada. I did another one of the same scene that is much larger and darker in mood. I met the man who did the temporary murals on this façade. He shared his story about living in the Hill district- another great perk that happens with the adventure of painting on site.”
Fran Gialamas
”Archival photography is the starting point and reference for my work in which I comment on themes such as identity, sense of place, time, and primarily the American worker. The American worker is a metaphor for change and self-definition in contemporary life. Women steelworkers often star in the worker series questioning traditional gender roles.
The photos are enlarged to the scale of a substantial painting which often alters the balance of its contents. I incorporate text, appropriated images, drawing, hand coloring, shards of color and gold - a variety of media which transform and recycle the original photo to a personal aesthetic. My grounding in painting and printmaking disciplines give way to the us of laser xerography, photography, drawing and assembling disparate images. They are my tools for communication and commemoration of the past and present.”
Jon Hall
”Photography is an active and engaging process that provides me an opportunity to capture the perfect moment and tell a story through my camera. Whether that story echoes the soul of a city, captures an occasion in someone’s life, or documents a unique experience, I bring that story to focus. When photographing urban landscapes, I venture through the cities I’m visiting and engage with local citizens, constantly developing a rapport with people and learning about the region itself. My photographs are an extension of that conversation and I begin to understand why people love the city they live in. I’ve had the good fortune to photograph urban and natural landscapes in numerous locations, both connected and hidden, and I’m always looking forward to traveling to new places, having new experiences, meeting interesting people, and embarking on unique adventures with my camera. In congruence with capturing the personality of both people and cities, I use light and color to lead the viewer around the composition and heighten their experience. I’m constantly seeking to push the contrast of natural light and dark tones to create a more vibrant and rich experience for the viewer. Each photograph is a way for the audience to expand their awareness of their surroundings, present a unique point of view, and bring a new meaning to an otherwise average scene.”
Yelena Lamm
Yelena Lamm was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, where she received her formal art training from the N. K. Roerich Fine Arts School. After moving to the U.S.A. with her family in 1995, Yelena pursued a career as graphic artist. She furthered her education at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, where she received her degree in Graphic Design. Meanwhile, she kept on painting, working on various subjects and developing her own artistic style. Yelena’s illustrations are featured on interpretive panels at one of Pittsburgh’s major tourist attractions, Grandview Promenade. She had two solo exhibitions and participated in numerous juried group shows, notably, at the Pittsburgh Heinz History Center and Westmoreland Museum of American Art. Yelena is a member of Associated Artists of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators.
Terri Wolfe Izzo
Painter Terri Wolfe Izzo seeks to express the unique energy of each place and subject she paints. Through color, shape, and texture, both urban and rural landscapes are reduced to the essential elements—real, exaggerated, or invented. Atmospheric conditions and time of day form the basis of this exploration.
Robert Bowden
”Since graduation from Carnegie Tech (CMU) I have had a career as a professional artist, both in fine art and graphic design. Four books of my watercolors have been published and in the design field I had my own design office servicing many Pittsburgh corporations, foundations and institutions. My paintings are in four museum permanent collections, with the Carnegie having three.”
Miriam Scigliano
”It is in the rebellion of the new social norm of living in a "plugged in" culture that I create my artwork. Using an impressionistic application of oil and acrylic paint I celebrate figures, landscapes and objects in the simplicity of a single moment. I dream of creating a peaceful presence for the viewer and selfishly enjoy the beauty of this state of mind as I create each work.”
ABOUT THE G.P.A.C ARTISTS
Ron Donoughe
Ron Donoughe, a native of Loretto, PA, now living in Pittsburgh has been painting the Western Pennsylvania landscape for nearly 30 years. His work features the many textures of the region. Ron is a full-time professional artist. He has taught outdoor painting workshops throughout the United States and France. Ron is a Distinguished Alumni of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Additional painting studies have included the California College of Arts & Crafts in Oakland, California, (Now California College of the Arts) Ron was awarded best of show at Three Rivers Arts Festival, 2003, and his work was selected for Salon International, Masters of Contemporary Fine Art, 2004. He was a featured artist on a special for PBS, Visionaries, which showcased the Westmoreland Museum of American Art. Ron’s was also featured in a one-person exhibition at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts in November 2006 with a book released at that time, Essence of Pittsburgh. Ron is a member of the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh and his paintings can be found in many corporate and private collections as well as The Westmoreland Museum of American Art and The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, The Duquesne Club and The University Museum at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. His work was featured at the Pennsylvania Governor’s residence in 2011, in an exhibition titled Across the Alleghenies. Most recently, his collection of 90 Pittsburgh Neighborhoods has been acquired by the Heinz History Center as a permanent exhibition.
Ramon Riley
Ramon Riley, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, earned a Master of Art Degree at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2013, with a concentration in painting. While Riley’s work draws from realistic study, he utilizes his poured paint foundations to integrate the representational with abstract expression. In 2015, Riley was the featured artist on WQED’s Pittsburgh 360, which spotlighted his solo exhibition, BRADDOCK Coming Home. Riley’s BRIDGES works were exhibited in Dallas, Texas in January 2016. A career art teacher at Pine-Richland High School of over 17 years, Riley’s belief in a strong art education in public schools stems from his own testimonial. With his 2014 “Where I Am From” project, Riley connected his Pine-Richland students and students from his alma mater, Woodland Hills High School, in a communal studio environment to create art works, which he showcased in his exhibition.
Dylan Vitone
Dylan Vitone is a photographer based in Pittsburgh. He holds a BA from St. Edward's University and an MFA from Massachusetts College of Art. He is Associate Professor in the School of Design at Carnegie Mellon University. His photographs have been exhibited widely and collected by museums including; The Museum of Contemporary Photography (MoCP), The Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History, George Eastman House, Portland Art Museum, Nelson-Atkins Museum, Brooks Museum of Art, Harry Ransom Center, Polaroid Collection, Carnegie Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. His photographic projects are based around geographical location where he uses those locations to speak about greater social and cultural phenomenon.