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Director’s Welcome Dear Friends, Our community lost a long-time friend Barbara Fichtner, who passed away April 18. Barbara was devoted to our Museum family and had recently been elected President of The Committee for The Westmoreland. Enthusiastic and joyful describe her perfectly, and we will all very much miss her welcoming smile and positive can-do spirit. We remember Barbara's warm hellos and her example to always love and cherish the beauty around us. Please see page 16 for a remembrance of Barbara. In that spirit of remembrance, The Westmoreland Museum of American Art is preparing to welcome our members as well as essential workers on August 1-2 during a special thank you weekend. Then, a few days later on August 5, we will reopen our doors to welcome the community back to the Museum. Ensuring the health and safety of our guests and staff is our top priority, therefore when you visit, you will see some changes. While our staff will social distance and don masks, I can assure you that they are smiling. You will also notice that the Center for Creative Connections, our interactive hands-on space, is closed. Rather than keep the Center for Creative Connections empty, these spaces will become studios with opportunities for our guests to meet and learn from Artists-In Residence in partnership with BOOM Concepts, an organization dedicated to the development of artist and creative entrepreneurs representing marginalized voices. Learn more about BOOM Concepts and this important initiative on pages 4-6.
experiences. As we prepare for the school year, we are also developing a robust virtual fieldtrip program with the generous support from The Richard King Mellon Foundation. Although virtual, coming together to learn and create is tangible. Join us for upcoming virtual programs featured on pages 14-15. While it has been a difficult spring and summer, we hope that The Westmoreland provides you with a place for warmth, respite, and healing whether visiting in-person or virtually. With Gratitude,
Anne Kraybill The Richard M. Scaife Director/CEO
While we are open to the public for visiting our galleries, we will continue to offer our programs virtually. We have had great success in offering four weeks of a daily summer camp program to area youth at no charge thanks to the support of the Art Bridges Foundation. We will continue to offer classes for youth and adults, as well as artist conversations and our signature culinary thewestmoreland.org / 1
NEW POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR VISITORS AND STAFF The health, safety and well-being of our visitors and staff is always the highest priority of The Westmoreland, and we are committed to responding as quickly as possible to guidance and new information about COVID-19 provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pennsylvania Department of Health and Westmoreland County Department of Public Safety. Prevention of potential exposure is the primary objective in implementing the new safety policies and procedures as well as other measures for our public reopening. We appreciate your cooperation in following the new safety policies and procedures while visiting the Museum. Due to the fluidness of circumstances and guidance related to COVID-19, please note that these policies and procedures may need to be revised or adapted, so we ask that you check thewestmoreland.org/covid-19 on the day of your visit.
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NEW POLICIES TO ENSURE YOUR SAFETY • Masks or face coverings, which cover both one’s mouth and nose, are required and must be worn at all times by Museum visitors and staff.* • Advance online registration is required for visiting the Museum; this includes the first hour of admission, which is reserved for high-risk individuals. • Visitors, not in the same party, and staff must stay at least six feet apart from others when moving throughout the Museum. • Visitors and staff are reminded to follow recommendations for proper hand washing, which are posted in the restrooms. • Water fountains will not be in use. Complimentary disposable bottles of water will be available in the Museum Shop. Please dispose of these bottles in the recycling receptacles provided. • The Museum’s Café Marchand will not be open at this time. • Visitors should leave all non-essential items in their vehicle or at home. Storage lockers are not available. If bringing a backpack, it must be worn on the front of one’s body to prevent potential damage of artwork. Please no bags or backpacks larger than 16” x 18”. • If one is sick, experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, or has been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the past 14 days, please follow quarantining guidance, and therefore please do not plan a visit to The Westmoreland until you have been symptom-free for at least 14 days.
ADDITIONAL WAYS WE ARE SUPPORTING A SAFE SPACE • Daily cleaning and sanitizing of the Museum, including continual cleaning of high touch areas throughout the day. • Access to hand sanitizer stations throughout the Museum. • Addition of floor markers in key areas with reminders about maintaining proper social distancing of six feet. • Addition of Plexiglas barriers at the Lobby Welcome Desk and Museum Shop register. • Limits on the number of people allowed in gallery spaces and all other areas of the Museum. • To minimize contact with high-touch surfaces, The Westmoreland has temporarily eliminated hands-on art activities and therefore closed the Center for Creative Connections. * If you or a member of your party has a medical condition that prohibits wearing a mask or face covering, please do not complete your registration online. Instead, please schedule your visit by calling 724.837.1500 x116 during our new operating hours of 10am–5pm (Wednesday–Sunday), beginning on Wednesday, August 5. The Museum has a limited supply of disposable masks for visitors without their own mask or face covering.
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Thomas Agnew
D.S. Kinsel
IN CONVERSATION WITH THOMAS AGNEW AND D.S. KINSEL OF BOOM CONCEPTS Beginning in September 2020, the Museum will collaborate with BOOM Concepts during a multi-year project with a focus on engaging Black and marginalized artists through an artist residency program that will include insightful community enrichment programming. Joan McGarry, Director of Education and Visitor Engagement, interviewed the founders of BOOM Concepts Thomas Agnew and D.S. Kinsel in order to share with you the important work of their organization and their thoughts on this new partnership with The Westmoreland.
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left to right: photograph by Sarah Bader photograph by Chris Ivy
JM: So, I wanted to start off by talking a little bit about how BOOM Concepts came into being and what the vision for BOOM Concepts was. DSK: BOOM Concepts came into being, just trying to fill a need for artists and creative entrepreneurs. Initially, it was a conversation -- or many conversations held in a digital space and real life, which led to a meeting with the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation and the Heinz Endowments talking about how black artists and/or black creatives could occupy a space, which was initially supposed to be a short term deal, like a short term kind of occupancy of a space on Penn Avenue in the Independent Arts and Business District in Pittsburgh, located in the neighborhood of Garfield. There were multiple people at the table that day. The last two at the table were Thomas and me, and we decided to move forward because one of the primary things we were both looking for was a space to work out of. When we were introduced to the space and knowing the legacy of Unblurred and even our experience in the arts region of Pittsburgh, we considered offering something more than a space that would reflect each of our practices. So, that's like a quick and dirty how BOOM Concepts came to be. Maybe my business partner can talk about our vision a little bit.
"BOOM CONCEPTS CAME INTO BEING, JUST TRYING TO FILL A NEED FOR ARTISTS AND CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS". TA: Yeah, I mean basically going over what you (D.S.) said. Originally, we both were looking for a space to work out of. We came together to talk about our initial ideas separately of what we wanted to do. I always laugh about the early days of BOOM because we opened up the space with no name. It was just a work space for both of us and people who were associated with us at the time. And, then Most Wanted, a business ensemble, asked us to host events in the space, because they had overbooked. I mean, we didn't have speakers or any of that stuff, but we hosted the events. And, then as soon as that happened, individuals were like, "Oh you're hosting events at the space?" And, we were like, "Well I guess we are now." So, we both came together and just started figuring out what that framework would look like as having the space open for a rental space or a community space and need. And, that came together pretty quickly, and we just started it. As the time went on, it formed into many different things. As you were asking us about the residency program before, it was like we were able to complete a microresidency program within the space. I mean, less than a year from when we were actually open, we had our first person in the space doing a micro-residency. And, through
the following year, we had four women, and then the next year, we had four men in the space who all utilized the micro-residency program. And basically, almost all those artists have gone on to do other great things outside of the space just because of the support and then being able to sit down and think up a vision of what they wanted to do later on with their practices. DSK: Yeah, and we just want everyone to have the tools and resources to live sustainable lives. We want people to have ownership over their ideas, over their crafts, and then ownership over their community and just having people feel free to express themselves in a way that reflects their ideas, their values, and their vision. And, being able to kind of see that this was a need and specifically centering on black artists, black creatives, black entrepreneurs, it just led to a lot of support, a lot of success. And, here we are six years later launching a full-residency program with The Westmoreland Museum of American Art. So, we're really happy about this growth and how our original microresidency program began at BOOM turned into creating new partnerships with other institutions. JM: I know that community engagement is really important to you and, as you said, really working with artists to help them with sustainable practices so that they can go on to have really great meaningful careers outside of their time at BOOM. Could you tell me more about this work? DSK: Well, we're just really excited to be connecting with peers locally and nationally. We're not the first artist run space, so we're really inspired by AS220 in Providence, Project Row Houses in Houston, the work of Theaster Gates of Chicago, and just really the creative placemaking and spacekeeping as one of the tenants of BOOM and what we do and how we serve artists. I don't know if we've supported people, or if we've been lucky in picking really cool amazing artists. It's like Phil Jackson. Is he a good coach or does he always get to coach superstars? And, we just feel like we're always working with superstars, whether it be locally or nationally. We've had the opportunity to connect with national partners such as Common Field and Allied Media Conference, where we get to kind of test our skills and test our knowledge and really showcase our expertise on the work of BOOM. And, we haven't done that as individuals, we've done that as a movement. So, we've taken groups of students and artists to these different places and really started to work to making cultural pipelines between different cities. DSK: We're currently working with a group from Providence. We have some connections in the Bay Area where we've hosted artists here and brought them in for residencies. We're making connections and been rooted strong with artists in Houston. So, it's all been very organic, and we're happy because we've been up front with artists from the door that we work with that thewestmoreland.org / 5
BOOM Concepts may not be the place for you if you're a hobbyist. We're really trying to develop artists, help them grow their practice, and find different ways for them to generate revenue from their practice. So whether it's consulting contracts, art sales, they want to operate a space that's in community, smaller goods, grant writing, contracts with institutions, we're really transparent on how we've grown toward success and the mistakes that we've made. And, we openly share that with all of our artists who come through the door. So, we're really blessed and just happy and proud to be standing together, and one of the best pieces about BOOM is the partnership that it's founded on. So, Thomas and I, being together for six years, we've each put pressure on each other to evolve and grow our personal practice, our team practice, and even how we manage BOOM as a project and an institution itself. JM: So can you talk a little bit more about some of the ways or the programs that you are using to support artists right now? DSK: So, the first program that we're running is Sidewall Public Art Project that's located in the Bloomfield community of Pittsburgh. That'll be rotating artists. We have three artist featured so far. We'll be doing about eight artists total this season. To compensate for the cancellation of our monthly Unblurred, we have transformed our monthly exhibition that we did in conjunction with the First Friday on Penn Avenue with all the other artist's projects in independent run galleries. We've turned that into a residency. So each artist per month that was supposed to have an Unblurred opening exhibition and traditional art show where people visit has now been turned into more of an incubator where they temporarily move into Boom Concepts, work in the space on their project, develop it further. Thomas and I do critique sessions with them weekly on the work and help them to be goal focused and motivated. We were just alerted of support from the census where we will be identifying artists that work in memes and gif content online for the purpose of going viral and creating census focused content encouraging black, brown, queer, and low income community members to participate in the 2020 Census. We'll also be doing window displays to support the census and as part of that small program. We're working with the Carrie Furnace and Rivers of Steel to create a two-year program, this year and next year. We'll be launching that in late August, early September centering on black artists and muralists at the Carrie Furnace. We are working with Fresh DigiFest, this year's iteration of FreshFest. This is the first black centered beer festival, which was launched in Pittsburgh, where we will be featuring seven artists working, doing live painting for FreshFest. And, one of the biggest things we're excited for, which is in two weeks - so I don't know if this magazine article's going to catch it - is Hotline Ring which we will be participating in and led by the Kelly Strayhorn Theater and 6 / Summer 2020
other Pittsburgh based nonprofits and arts organizations that are led by black people, POC, or queer people.
"... WE'RE JUST REALLY EXCITED TO BE CONNECTING WITH PEERS LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY". TA: And, we are just as busy as ever if not even busier during this time. So, we took a small hibernation directly after COVID and really pivoted our attention to the neighborhood in which we reside which is Garfield here in Pittsburgh. We made some donations and did some flyer distribution and connected folks with resources. But the past 30 days or so, 45 days, we're back in action. And, the only difference is that our community members are not gathering at the space in the usual manner. So, we're just as busy as ever, and we're excited to be announcing this partnership with The Westmoreland, which is just increasing our footprint here in western Pennsylvania. JM: We are very excited to be working with you. Knowing that you started off with something that was kind of fluid and organic is really great, because it's kind of an organic process for us to have the artist-in-residency program here at the Museum with you. So, I think this is a great opportunity for the Museum to benefit from your expertise in that area. TA: Yeah. And, I think one last thing I wanted to say too was that obviously we're able to do these partnerships, and I hope that it gives light to other larger organizations or businesses to see, "Hey, you don't always have to do everything on your own. You can call upon people like us to do some programming where you may feel like, 'Oh, we've been wanting to do this for forever, but we don't have the capacity to do so.'" There are many people like us who can step in and do the programming successfully, I mean, we have such a long sheet of things that we've done already in the last six years. So, we just want people to know that, hey, just because you may have to budget or the staff isn't there or whatever, whatever it may be, you could always reach out and ask somebody for help. It's not a problem. Big or small, we're always available to do this with other people too. That's like another lane that we always want to be in too. It's like, "Hey, we're also here to help other institutions and other organizations build in the areas that they feel like they need some help in." JM: Wonderful. Well, hopefully, this program that we're building together will be an inspiration for other museums and institutions. Thank you both so much for your time.
REINVENTING ARTSBURGH TO HIGHLIGHT VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES AND SHARE INFORMATION ON REOPENING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OF THE REGION’S ARTS ORGANIZATIONS The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, in partnership with a working group of more than 40 regional museums and cultural institutions, which The Westmoreland is proud to be a participant, is launching an expanded version of Artsburgh.org. Artsburgh is the Council’s major events website to promote arts and culture in the region. Re-engineered in response to COVID-19, the expanded Artsburgh website will now include two additional resources: direct links to an organization’s digital programming and information regarding an organization’s re-opening procedures, including new safety guidelines for visitors. The initiative to expand Artsburgh started through a regional museums and cultural institutions working group, originally convened in April. Within the working group, more than 40 organizations, spanning Allegheny, Westmoreland and Fayette counties, meet regularly to collaboratively plan for facility reopenings and share best practices. Hayley Haldeman, Mattress Factory Interim Director, convenes the working group’s communications efforts in coordination with the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. She states: “The working group recognized that cultural organizations have all developed creative and engaging digital programming in response to COVID-19. Artsburgh will serve as a ‘one-stop shop’ to conveniently access and explore compiled content from dozens of organizations, as well as to review helpful information relating to re-opening.” Although the area’s museums are piloting the expanded effort, any arts and cultural organization can create or update an Artsburgh profile. It is free to create a profile and is not limited to Arts Council members. Mitch Swain, CEO of the Arts Council, is excited for the growth of Artsburgh and the collaboration amongst the region’s museums: “The expanded Artsburgh website will serve the evolving needs of our arts community in response to COVID-19. We look forward to other organizations updating their profiles, sharing their own content and re-opening information, and digital or in-person events in the weeks to come.” The Arts Council launched Artsburgh in 2015 as the region’s comprehensive events website designed to promote arts and culture to Greater Pittsburgh. The user-friendly website has a variety of customizable filters for accessibility, genre and price so that it’s easy for potential patrons and visitors to find the type of art experiences that they want. Artsburgh events are also automatically listed on six local websites: Burgh Vivant, Pittsburgh Current, Love Pittsburgh Music, Pittsburgh in the Round, Unisound, and VisitPittsburgh. thewestmoreland.org / 7
NEW SCHEDULE OF EXHIBITIONS A MESSAGE FROM CHIEF CURATOR BARBARA L. JONES Because of the uncertainty of what the months ahead will bring, we have made major changes to our upcoming exhibition schedule. We were fortunate to obtain approval to extend our current exhibition, African American Art of the 20th Century until January 17, 2021. We then worked with lenders and other museums to postpone all of our planned temporary exhibitions for the Cantilever Gallery for one year. Please see below and opposite page for the new Cantilever Gallery exhibition schedule through the fall of 2022. Also, I wanted to share the sad news of the passing of a long time friend to the Museum and passionate collector of western Pennsylvania art and antiques R. David Brocklebank. We will further remember Dave and his contributions to the Museum in a future Perspectives.
Cantilever Gallery
African American Art in the 20th Century February 16–January 17, 2021 African American Art in the 20th Century is organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The C.F. Foundation in Atlanta supports SAAM’s traveling exhibition program, Treasures to Go. The William R. Kenan Jr. Endowment Fund provided financial support.
The Permanent Collection – A Sneak Peek February 7–May 9, 2021 An exhibition of works of art from our permanent collection in collaboration with students from the Department of History of Art and Architecture at the University of Pittsburgh. Selections will be made primarily from the Museum’s fine art vaults offering a behind-the-scenes look at works not always accessible to the public.
Border Cantos: Sonic Borders May 30–September 5, 2021 Traveling exhibition organized by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art with additional loans from the artists Richard Misrach and Guillermo Galindo. Support provided by Art Bridges and Opportunity Fund.
All exhibitons are supported by the Hillman Exhibition Fund of The Westmoreland Museum of American Art. Free admission to exhibitions is generously supported by:
right: Richard Misrach (b. 1949), Wall, Los Indios, Texas, 2015, printed 2017, Pigment print, 58 1/2 x 78 1/4 in., Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, 2017.12 Photo: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas. © Richard Misrach, courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco, Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York and Marc Selwyn Fine Art, Los Angeles. opposite page: Doug Cooper (b. 1946), 9 18th St Valley, 2020, Charcoal on paper on board
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Cantilever Gallery (cont.)
Simple Pleasures: The Art of Doris Lee September 26, 2021–January 9, 2022 While the exhibition has been delayed, the catalog will be available for sale in our Museum Shop at the end of August 2020. Simple Pleasures: The Art of Doris Lee is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. This exhibition is also supported by a major grant from Henry Luce Foundation. The Museum also acknowledges support from The Barrie A. and Dee Dee Wigmore Foundation, The Richard C. Von Hess Foundation and The Fine Foundation.
Stephen Towns: Declaration and Resistance January 30–April 24, 2022 In collaboration with Guest Curator Kilolo Luckett.
McKenna Gallery
Doug Cooper: Knowing and Seeing the River City July 19–October 11, 2021
Pittsburgh-based muralist Doug Cooper responds to works of art in the Museum’s Scenes of Industry collection.
Robertshaw Gallery
Proposed Gifts and Purchases August 1–October 11, 2020
Museum collections are built primarily through gifts and strategic purchases that undergo a lengthy approval process before they are accessioned into the collection and revealed to the public. Ultimately, the most important part of this process is to see the works of art in person, and for the first time, The Westmoreland is offering our visitors a rare opportunity to view the proposed gifts and purchases as they are being considered.
For more information on our exhibitions, visit thewestmoreland.org/exhibitions. thewestmoreland.org / 9
TAKE A WALK DOWN A COUNTRY ROAD Even though Westmoreland County has moved into the Green Phase of the Plan to Reopen Pennsylvania, many of us are still practicing social distancing and still experiencing a bit of cabin fever. Some good ways to help cope with cabin fever are establishing a routine, transporting yourself to someplace else, and connecting with nature. Today, we invite you to transport yourself to George Hetzel’s Country Road. Country Road is a prime example of artist George Hetzel’s landscape paintings. The location could be any one of Hetzel’s favorite countryside locales in Southwestern Pennsylvania; it shows a dirt road,
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deeply rutted by wagon wheels, winding its way into the interior of a forest. In the far distance, a man can be seen walking the length of the road. Dense trees and foliage to the right and left allow only a small area of blue sky to be seen, a convention found in many of Hetzel’s landscape views. To the left, a stream replete with tiny rapids meanders through a secluded meadow. The attention to detail, dark palette, and filtered light are all characteristics of Hetzel’s mature style. Hetzel’s family had immigrated to America and settled in Allegheny City, now part of Pittsburgh’s North Side, in 1828, two years after he was born. After a four-year apprenticeship to a house and sign painter, Hetzel enrolled in the Dussseldorf Academy in 1847, one of
the foremost art schools in Europe at that time, where he was trained to observe naturalistic detail, render them in a precise manner, and utilize the technique of chiaroscuro, which uses light and dark to achieve mass and dramatic three-dimensional effects. He studied for two years until 1849 when Germany’s growing political unrest forced his return to Pittsburgh. Once home, Hetzel painted highly detailed portraits and still life paintings in the precise style he acquired in Germany. In 1855, he exhibited for the first time in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, submitting three still lifes. Two years later, his first submissions to the annual exhibition at the National Academy of Design in New York City were two landscape paintings: Saw Mill and Trout Stream in the Alleghenies. During the mid-century, Hetzel was already traveling the countryside looking for subject matter, and found it at Paint Creek near Scalp Level, Pennsylvania, located near Johnstown. The region offered diverse views of woodland interiors, like Country Road, and small, picturesque farms. For the next decade, Hetzel would return to this region, bringing with him fellow artists and students to paint the terrain. The group of artists with whom he associated came to be known as the Scalp Level
School and included Charles Linford, Jasper Lawman, Alfred S. Wall, William Coventry Wall and Joseph Woodwell. Hetzel was key in the formation of the Scalp Level School, which like the Hudson River School, was not a formal place of learning, but an informal association of artists who shared an interest in preserving the pre-industrial landscapes in paint and enjoying outdoor activities unavailable to them in the city. After learning a bit more about George Hetzel and taking a virtual walk down Country Road, we hope we’ve inspired you to channel your inner Hetzel and traverse the country sides of PA! If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, we recommend visiting Laurel Highlands website and checking out their information on the best hiking trails in western Pennsylvania. Bibliography: 1. O’Toole, Judith H. “George Hetzel (1826-1899) Country Road, 1878.” Picturing America: Signature Works from the Westmoreland Museum of American Art, by Barbara L. Jones et al., Westmoreland Museum of American Art, 2010, p. 87-89. above and opposite page: George Hetzel (1826–1899), Country Road (detail), 1878, Oil on canvas, 22 x 36 inches, Gift in memory of John H. Coulter by his friends and family, 1994.36
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FOUR LITERARY ARTISTS SELECTED FOR BRIDGING THE GAP PUBLIC ART PROJECT THE WRITERS WILL BE COMMISSIONED TO CREATE ORIGINAL TEXT TO BE FEATURED OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS ON ARTIST JANET ZWEIG’S ANALOG SCROLL The Westmoreland is pleased to announce the selection of four literary artists from Southwestern Pennsylvania to be featured on artist Janet Zweig’s Analog Scroll as part of the ongoing Bridging the Gap public art project. Located on the North Main Street Bridge in downtown Greensburg, Zweig's work utilizes threedimensional letters held by tracks fastened to the concrete walls of the bridge to reveal text through a manual scrolling process. Each writer will create original text that will relate to the site specifically; the concept of bridges or bridging; or the idea of “Bridging the Gap” between downtown Greensburg, the Museum, and the surrounding neighborhoods or communities. Their text will appear over the course of one year, from February to February, with new stanzas installed on a monthly basis.
Currently, Michele Stoner’s poem Mile Marker 322 appears on Zweig’s Analog Scroll. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a delay in the schedule for installing new stanzas, which is a manual process overseen by Curatorial Assistant Bonnie West and completed by her with help from a small group of dedicated volunteers. Stoner’s poem is expected to conclude in January 2021.
The four selected writers and the schedule for their text to appear are as follows: Fred Shaw, February 2021-February 2022; Sarah Williams-Devereux, February 2022-February 2023; Joy Katz, February 2023-February 2024; and Karen Dietrich, February 2024-February 2025. Please see below for information about each of the writers.
In 2018, Janet Zweig’s Analog Scroll was recognized by the Public Art Network (PAN) Advisory Council in their 2018 PAN Year in Review Trends and Themes: Site Responsive Projects. More information on the Bridging the Gap public art project is available at thewestmoreland.org/visit/bridging-the-gap.
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The poems Main Street Bridge, Greensburg by Jan Beatty and Ohr Ein Sof – Light Without End by Jacob Bacharach were shown previously on Analog Scroll. In total, ten writers will be selected for commissioned works. A call for artists to select the final three writers will be issued in the future.
Funding for the project was provided in part from a National Endowment for the Arts Our Town grant program award, The Heinz Endowments, Westmoreland County Tourism Grant Program, Community Foundation of Westmoreland County/Revitalizing Westmoreland, Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area, Carol R. Brown, The Tomahawk Hill Foundation and supporters of an Indiegogo campaign hosted by the Museum. Throughout the project, technical support has been provided by the Office of Public Art, Pittsburgh. ABOUT THE WRITERS: Fred Shaw is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, and Carlow University, where he received his MFA. He teaches writing and literature at Point Park University and Carlow University in Pittsburgh, PA. His first full-length collection of poetry, Scraping Away, was published by CavanKerry Press this year. He is also the author of the chapbook, Argot (Finishing Line Press). His poems have been published in 5AM, Poet Lore, Briar Cliff Review, Permafrost, SLAB, Spry Literary Magazine, Floodwall, Nerve Cowboy, Mason’s Road, Shaking Like A Mountain, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and Pittsburgh City Paper, where he currently reviews books, and he serves as poetry editor for Pittsburgh Quarterly. In a parallel life, he has also worked in the service industry for the past twenty-five years. He lives in Pittsburgh with his wife and rescued hound dog. https://www.littsburgh.com/literaryroster/name/fredshaw/ As a poet and teacher of writing, Sarah WilliamsDevereux frequently draws upon her background— multiracial African American, Buddhist, living with chronic mental and physical illness, and an abuse survivor—to explore issues of race, sexuality, human connection, compassion, mental illness, and recovery. Many of her past personal and professional projects have focused on using words as vehicles for transformation. She leads poetry workshops for the Madwomen in the Attic Creative Writing Workshops at Carlow University and is the managing editor for the annual Madwomen anthology, Voices from the Attic. She is pursuing her MA in teaching writing from Johns Hopkins University and is a member of the Pittsburgh Poetry Society. Her poetry has been published in Snapdragon: A Journal of Art & Healing, Sampsonia Way Magazine, Pittsburgh City Paper, multiple volumes of the Voices from the Attic anthology (Carlow University Press), and the anthologies Nasty Women and Bad Hombres (Lascaux Editions, 2017) and Pittsburgh Love Stories (The New Yinzer, 2004). https://sarahwilliamsdevereux.com/
Joy Katz is a poet and essayist. In her forthcoming poem, The Color Cure, she documents every minute of whiteness in her life. Her previous collections include All You Do is Perceive, a National Poetry Series finalist and a Stahlecker Selection at Four Way Books; The Garden Room (Tupelo Press); Fabulae (SIU Press); and two chapbooks, Which From That Time (Argos Books) and White: An Abstract (Bonfire Books). With Kevin Prufer, she co-edited the anthology Dark Horses: Poets on Overlooked Poems (University of Illinois Press). Since 2015, she has collaborated in the activist art collective Ifyoureallyloveme, using word, music, and performance to create social change in Pittsburgh and other cities. She teaches off the tenure track in Carlow University’s Madwomen in the Attic workshops for women and in Chatham University’s MFA program. She is an editorat-large for Copper Nickel. Trained in industrial design, she worked as a graphic designer for a decade before starting to write poems. She lives in Pittsburgh with her husband and son. http://joykatz.com Karen Dietrich is the author of GIRL AT THE EDGE, a psychological thriller from Grand Central Publishing. She is also the author of THE GIRL FACTORY: A MEMOIR and several poetry chapbooks. Karen plays drums in the indie rock band Essential Machine. She received a BA in English from University of Pittsburgh and an MFA in poetry from New England College. She has worked as a college professor and high school English teacher. She is currently a Language Arts substitute teacher, grades 6-12 at the Greensburg-Salem School District. Karen lives east of Pittsburgh, PA with her husband, son, and three cats. https://www.karendietrich.net/
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Bryce Bowyn
Toni Tipton-Martin
Chef Aziza Young
Virtual Community Events
Virtual Culinary Experience
PRIDE Celebration Week
Discussion & Cooking Demo: Toni Tipton-Martin & Chef Aziza Young
Monday, July 27–Friday, July 31 Like so many other organizations, The Westmoreland has had to move our planned programs into the virtual realm. While we had planned a one night event to celebrate Pride at the end of June, we have decided to have a virtual weeklong celebration instead! This very special Pride Celebration Week will be offered virtually July 27–July 31 in partnership with PFLAG Greensburg, The Westmoreland LGBTQ Interfaith Network, and the Keystone Pride and Equality Coalition. Sponsored by First Foundation Energy. Each day we will present a special program to highlight the talents of LGBTQIA+ artists, performers, with fun and creative programs including a Drag Bingo, performance by dance-pop artist Bryce Bowyn, Q&A with local LGBTQIA+ organizations, Drag Queen Art Critiques, and much more! All events are free and will be shared on The Westmoreland's Facebook and YouTube. FREE Check out the full schedule here!
Community Day
Saturday, August 8, 7–8:30pm Enjoy a FREE live-streamed virtual discussion and cooking demo, focusing on the rich and varied history of African American cooking, with two-time James Beard Award-winning author Toni Tipton-Martin and Chef Aziza Young! Tipton-Martin will discuss the evolution of African American cooking and her book Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking while Chef Young, a former contestant on Fox Network’s Hell’s Kitchen, will demonstrate how to make recipes adapted from Tipton-Martin’s book. The recipes Chef Young will demo include Hibiscus Tea, Apple Hot Toddies, Pickled Shrimp, and Salmon Croquettes with Sweet Potato Salad & Green Bean A La Creole. Signed copies of Toni Tipton-Martin’s book Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking will be made available for purchase during the Virtual Discussion & Cooking Demo! FREE Advance registration is required. Registration deadline is Thursday, August 6. To register to attend, click here! Sponsored by
Sunday, September 6, 10am–3pm The Westmoreland is going virtual with Community Day. Each community day we will present a variety of programs filled with fun and creative activities including art activities, musical performances, dance party, and much more. Please watch our social media and website for more details. Events will occur throughout the day beginning at 10am. All events are free and will be shared on The Westmoreland's Facebook and YouTube. FREE Check out the full schedule here! Community Events are made possible with support from the McKinney Charitable Foundation and the Brooks Foundation through the PNC Charitable Trusts Grant Review Committee.
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Book cover and Toni Tipton-Martin photographs reprinted with permission from Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking by Toni Tipton-Martin, copyright © 2019. Photographs by Jerrelle Guy. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc.
For Museum Members
Virtual Pop-Up Studios
Museum Members Reopening Weekend
Pillar Candy Assemblage
Saturday, August 1–Sunday, August 2, 10am–5pm We are opening first for you, our members, who supported us before COVID-19 and are continuing to do so while we all navigate towards a new normal, and for the essential workers who have been tirelessly serving on the frontlines during COVID-19. It’s our pleasure to invite you to a Museum Members & Essential Workers Exclusive Reopening Weekend. FREE Advance registration is required. To register to attend, click here!
Your health, safety and well-being are our highest priority, and when you visit you will notice a number of new policies and procedures, including timed ticketing to prevent crowding, required face masks for visitors and staff, enhanced cleaning procedures, all of which were developed in accordance with recommendations and directives from the Process to Reopen Pennsylvania and Center for Diseases Control. Read more about our Safety Policies and Procedures online at thewestmoreland.org/covid-19. We can’t wait to welcome you back to the Museum! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Ginnie Leiner, Membership & Development Coordinator, at 724.837.1500 x127 or gleiner@thewestmoreland.org. *If you or a member of your party has a medical condition that prohibits wearing a mask or face covering, please do not complete your registration online. Instead, please schedule your visit by calling Ginnie Leiner, Membership & Development Coordinator, at 724.837.1500 x127 or gleiner@thewestmoreland.org by Thursday, July 30 at 5pm.
To register or purchase tickets for these events, visit thewestmoreland.org/events or call 888.718.4253.*
Wednesday, August 19, 6:30–8pm Build a simple candle holder for a pillar style candle from wood and aluminum. Please note that your creation will be a combination of the two example styles shown. Specific class materials will be provided in a kit to participants. Additionally, you will need a Philips head screwdriver, 1-2 paintbrushes, craft paint of your choice, and masking tape (optional). Self Pick Up of Kit & Pop Up Studio Cost $10 member/$15 non-member Mailed Kit & Pop Up Studio Cost $15 member/$20 non-member Advance registration is required. Registration Deadline: Wednesday, August 5 Kits will be available for pick up or will be mailed out approximately one week prior to class To register to attend, click here!
Vintage Owl Paper Cut Wednesday, September 23, 6:30–8pm We will make a vintage style Halloween Owl from the 1940s made by the Beistle Company. This will be a paper cut design using X-acto knife and color of your choosing. Materials and design will be provided but you will need an X-acto knife, cutting mat, and a paint brush or two. Self Pick Up of Kit & Pop Up Studio Cost $10 member/$15 non-member Mailed Kit & Pop Up Studio Cost $15 member/$20 non-member Advance registration is required. Registration Deadline: Wednesday, September 9 Kits will be available for pick up or will be mailed out approximately one week prior to class. To register to attend, click here!
*Please note that $1/ticket fee is added to phone orders for paid events only.
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A Remembrance of Barbara Fichtner Barbara A. Fichtner (October 2, 1951-April 18, 2020) was committed to supporting The Westmoreland and its education and exhibition programs. She became involved with The Committee after attending her first Art on Tap event at The Westmoreland @rt 30, the Museum’s temporary location during its building expansion campaign. Thereafter, Barbara was a regular friendly face at Art on Tap events joining fellow committee members in coordinating event raffle baskets, and in subsequent years, supporting the successful Art as Fashion events, and auction efforts for the Big Art Party. Over the last 5 years alone, more than $150,000 has been raised by The Committee for The Westmoreland.
Barbara at December 2019 Art on Tap
Barbara Fichtner was a wonderful friend of The Westmoreland and we were deeply saddened by her passing this spring. Barbara had most recently accepted the role of President of The Committee for The Westmoreland in January after serving two years as The Committee’s Treasurer. Most often described as enthusiastic and energetic with a can-do positive spirit, she saw the very best in everyone and always had an encouraging word for friends, family and colleagues.
Barbara began her Presidency for The Westmoreland Museum of American Art in January 2020 and was excited for the year ahead. She was an optimist, ready to face any challenge with vigor. As as we find ourselves in challenging times and look forward to our reopening, we do so fondly remembering Barbara’s spirit to greet everyone with a warm hello and to forge ahead optimistically, positive we will thrive. We will miss her greatly and extend our condolences to her husband Jim and daughter Briana.
Barbara was a “true Pittsburgher” who grew up in Glassport, PA during the height of steelmaking in the Monongahela Valley. Looking back on this time, she enjoyed visiting the McKenna Gallery at The Westmoreland where she could closely relate to the industrial scenes and people that she saw depicted in her favorite paintings. Barbara loved The Westmoreland and was anxious to learn more about the Museum’s permanent collection and excited about what new could be discovered with the announcement of upcoming exhibitions. Museum staff looked forward to her warm hellos, and she was quick to celebrate anyone’s achievements and success. Proud of her strong, Pittsburgh work ethic, Barbara also knew how to have fun while getting the job done, and as a devoted member of The Committee
Otto August Kuhler (1894–1977), Steel Valley, Pittsburgh, c. 1925, Oil on canvas, 45 x 50 inches, Gift of Mr. Richard M. Scaife, 2004.2 thewestmoreland.org / 15
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THE RICHARD KING MELLON FOUNDATION AWARDS THE WESTMORELAND AN IMPORTANT GRANT TO DEVELOP VIRTUAL FIELDTRIP PROGRAM The Westmoreland was a recipient of a recent grant award from The Richard King Mellon Foundation supporting COVID-19 Response Initiatives. The funding will support the development of a virtual fieldtrip program serving K-12 students and teachers that includes live streamed Museum tour experiences and turnkey pre- and post-tour classroom curriculum. Additionally, the grant allows for the creation of a Learning Management System (LMS) that meets the unique needs of the Museum in presenting virtual fieldtrip content and those of K-12 schools. The Museum plans to launch the program in fall 2020.
CREATE A LASTING LEGACY From its very beginning, planned gifts from our Legacy Society members have helped to sustain The Westmoreland. The foresight of these generous donors starting with the first bequest from Mary Marchand Woods in 1959 ensures that our Museum continues to provide healing and inspiration through art in all the times that we live.
Please consider joining The Westmoreland Legacy Society. For more information and to request a brochure, please contact Rhonda Madden, Director of Advancement, at rmadden@thewestmoreland.org or 724.837.1500 x130. Guy Pène du Bois (1884–1958), Studio Window, Anticoli, 1928, Oil on canvas 37 x 29 inches, Gift of the William A. Coulter Fund, 1977.84
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221 North Main Street, Greensburg, PA 15601 724.837.1500 thewestmoreland.org info@thewestmoreland.org Hours: Wednesday–Sunday: 10am–5pm First hour of each day reserved for high-risk individuals
Advance registration is required for Museum visit. Find out more here. Follow us on:
Want to stay informed with the latest news, exhibitions and events? Visit thewestmoreland.org and subscribe to our email list. The Westmoreland Museum of American Art receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.