Where to go when GA/GI is OVER?....the PMS All-Female Showcase and more!

Looking or more Cool Events in the upcoming weeks? GA/GI will keep you in the loop. Check out our "Events After GA/GI" tab on this page.  

Our Go Sees for Saturday, May 2...

Buy New and Used Art Supplies at 60th and Harrison in Lawrenceville. 9 am to 4 pm

Make Seed Bombs to Save Monarchs  from 2 pm to 1 am. Info here

PMS PROMOTING OUR SISTERS Vol 3 @ Hollywood Lanes in Dormont 9 pm

TEE REX is RIGHT ON THe COTTON with Special Deals @ GA/GI

WOW! we are so proud to have Tee Rex (5440 Penn) as write-in venue for this GA/GI Festival. This will the iconic company's last Unblurred on Penn and they've chosen to go out with a big bang for all of us. So stop by and add a little local flair to your wardrobe with Tee Rex's irrationally affordable hand-printed tees, designed by artists from the 'Burgh. Tonite: Hoodies are just $10 and all else is $5! Their special guests: Brassero Grill and East End Brewing Company. Like their event on Facebook.

Boom-ing Concepts, Sidewalls, Band Reboots, Yes--Paradise... Mruk funds give Native Americans Art opp...and That one Poison Apple? It's all Good! @ GA/GI

                                                    An Event at Boom Concepts 

GA/GI Fest is booming at the seams, so DON'T MISS THIS FEST...
Boom (5139 Penn) it's Pittsburgh's POC Zine Distro Launch. A full youth focused whirlwind of personal memoirs, afro-futura, political and social commentary, poetry, comics, queer and trans experiences, feminists, yoga, herbal remedies for cures, and much more. The Distro facilitates collaborative efforts to create zines that are available to educators to aid in discussions about, social injustices, healing wellness and art. Opens 8 pm.

Work goes up at the Sidewall Project 

Sidewall (608 S. Millvalle) premiers Jennifer Howison's new work. Sidewall is a private residence dedicated to showing a local or national work each month to increase opportunities for artists to display their work publicly as well as to inspire, verbal and visual dialogue around current issues.

Paradise Gray, Activist @ LOCAL 412

LOCAL 412 (4901 Penn) will feature the Paradise Collection. Selected works that include original photography by Paradise Gray, iconic Pittsburgh activist, member of the hip hop group X Clan and co-curator of the Hip Hop Museum of New York City. 




At the Roboto Project (5106 Penn) view VOLKSBEAST-- a collection of 50 band posters from New York artist Joe Mruk of Red Buffalo Illustration. Posters will be for sale and will fund Mruks travels to teach art summer camp at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Also LIVE band: Polar Scott and Sea Rights. $5 recommended donation at the door.

Joe Mruk @ Roboto

Adrienne Rozzi of Poison Apple  @ Artisan

Artisan Tattoo (5001 Penn) brings you Poison Apple Print Shop. Handmade art and fashion inspired by the magic, witchcraft and the occult, created by artist Adrienne Rozzi a talented local printmaker, and historian with a love of all things mystical. Her designs are hand drawn onto paper or fabric that can easily be sewn onto almost anything or hung on the wall.

There's a New Night "LIGHT at 5122" @ GA/GI!

Potoczny with Light Project Art  Photo by Bill Wade/Post Gazette

Brace yourself! Light: A Luminous Project (5122 Penn) is the newest pop up gallery in Pittsburgh that's getting glowing reviews and adding Vegas-style glitz to the newly reopened Penn Avenue business corridor in a Garfield space that once housed a daycare. The "project" is actually a collection of neon signage and art curated by Martin Potoczny, who is sharing these works (some of which he created himself) with the public through July 24. The grand airy venue is also the pop up site for Regent Penn--The future of the East End", an architectural design and build firm that is displaying some of their best work as a photography exhibition. Two of the principals of the firm--father and son team Mark and Zach Restelli--have numerous projects to their credit that amaze in nearby communities, including 233 Main and 4603 Plummer in Lawrenceville. Want more? click on their company name above or follow their blog here.

Space design by Regent Penn

GA/GI Updates from our Fashion Editor, The PGC ROcks with Mindblowing Glass and a "Keene" Mind

Janine Bonilla, GA/GI Fashion Editor is flying these days! She's putting the last touches on REINVENTION (5472 Penn) our signature annual fashion show at the Pittsburgh Glass Center, Friday, May 1 at 8 pm featuring some of Pittsburgh hottest designers and artists. For this GA/GI segment Bonilla has pulled no punches on the looks and lengths she's gone through to get eco fashion showcased. She's even GA/GI rebooted a few designers from Richard Parsakian's recent Eco Fashion show-- looks designed expressly for one showing--that will have a second chance for ooohs and ahhhs at GA/GI! Participating designers in our 2015 extravaganza include: Hemp Authority--promoting sustainable living through eco-friendly clothing and accessories, Pheonix boutique--who says "fashion is immortal" creating re-purposed fashion; renowned Pittsburgh fashionista and designer, Elaine Healy; a gold standard, fall-ward look from Rae Gold; The Paper Lady-- Kay Dement--whose looks put print on another level; high-end gear that turns heads will come from [DIG] Clothing; and "The Warped Weaver" LaVerne Kemp, does spring fashion like its never been done! Giving the show its unique sound and lighting is DJ, Bill Yadesky from Firebyte Audio. Since 1997 this father/son entertainment team has been providing excellent services for every event from simple affairs, to weddings to grand spectacles with state of the art equipment. Also at the Pittsburgh Glass Center: From 6-8: Glass blowing experts employ their craft in the PGC Hot Shop; check out ABC@PGC a multi media exhibition in the Hodge Gallery where you can arrange and rearrange letters to suit your style. The interactive exhibit is by Seattle artists, Jen Elek and Jeremy Bert. Plus "Story Arts Explosion'-- a 3 hour story project produced by Adam Keene combines the talents of Tracksploitation, expression in the form of music, rapping and raw storytelling and interviews with the GA/GI crowd. 

Firebyte Entertainment

Adam Keene of Speak Life Storytellers

Art Exhibition ABC at PGC

Latina Dance, Technology and Art. It's All about that (Latino) Base

As we posted earlier, Most Wanted fine Art, along with other great artists and bands will be hosting "Projeto Madre Latina" a photography exhibition that will showcase the wondrous women who have come to "latinize" the Three Rivers community. Add to that these two locations and you've got a trifecta of events that speak to this fascinating segment of society who cross-over into every world culture.

Mixing it up at Los Sabrosos Dance Company

Los Sabrosos Dance Studio  (4909 Penn Ave) hosts "Easely" First Friday
Easely: the Netflix for Art is their GA/GI guest. At Los Sabrosos, tech meets Art as they feature works from Pittsburgh artists, as well as artists from around the world who can be purchased on the internet. You should also know that Los Saborosos, fairly new to Penn Avenue and Unblurred is a full service dance studio, that teaches classes in a variety of forms--zumba, hip hop, belly dance and even ballet. Need to get a wedding dance together...call Los Sabrosos.! Want  more info visit their website here.

AND... @ the Law Office of Richard J. Walters and The Dance Emporium (5005 Penn Ave)

from 9:30pm - 1:30am Come join this popular and long-lived group as they dance Classic "Golden Age" Argentine Tango music in the Office, and Nuevo/Alternative Tango downstairs in the Artspace and explore and dance Tango Nuevo to groups like Bajofondo, Gotan Project, Otros Aries, and to triphop and rock, whatever arguably fits into the Nuevo/Alternative Argentine Tango musical lexicon. For info contact rjwesquire@gmail.com or 412-721-7771

Pop Des Fleuer Pittsburgh POPS @ GA/GI

Rendering of a potential Pop Des Fleurs Display

During GA/GI Fest at Mostly Mod & ARTica Gallery--MM & AG (5110 Penn) you'll see Pop! Pops of fun, funky flowers! On Friday, May 1, the Pop Des Fluers project will be on hand to discuss their project which has attracted the talents of craftspeople all over Allegheny county in creating over-sized, hand made and crocheted flowers from salvage materials that will soon be installed as public art in Pittsburgh city parks and other locations. Pop Des Fleurs is a community outreach  project of the Fiberarts Guild, and Fiberarts International 2016. The project began as a way to brighten this past winter and the upcoming winter through outdoor installations, during a time when the sky and months are most dreary. Collections of used clothing, yarn, bags and sheets are being taken for the project, and test installations have been made in Lawrenceville, Southside and other locations.

Store Sampling at Mostly Mod & ARTica Gallery

The 2015 installations are just winding down, so Pop Des Fleurs is gearing up for the winter of 2016. Learn more about the project at the retro retail shop--MM & AG--which is hosting Pop Des Fleurs representative, Suzy Waldo. She'll be on hand to take craft donations and give a flower making demo.

Rusted and Ready for GA/GI @ Modern Formations

Artist, Ross Hardy

Fe2o3 or Iron oxide never got a break until artists like Ross Hardy began to display the absolute beauty of rusting colors to their full effect.  In his May exhibition at Modern Formations--Black Room/Color Room (4919 Penn Avenue), Hardy displays a cache of work that is representative of the waste left behind by past industry. The powerful coloration of rust in his art is reminiscent of  aging steel mills and crumbling coke furnaces. Hardy then photocopies the art several times in a way that allows you  to see the intensity of the colors then experience the fading out process. This progression, he says, is indicative of how the old industry has impacted us, but is giving way to new, cleaner technologies. The exhibition's grand opening is GA/GI eve Friday, May 1 at 7 pm and will be up through May 29.

Eat This, Drink That. Come Early...Stay Late @ GA/GI

Ok...we admit that the trek between some of the GA/GI and Unblurred event clusters can be a healthy trek for some. You can start in the middle in the 5100 block; the far side toward Children's hospital around 4900 or at the beginning around 5400. And we always suggest you consider starting at GA/GI Headquarters--the Pittsburgh Glass Center (5472 Penn) which has a time span that begins at regular business hours ( 11 am) and expands until around 9 pm. (the majority of events are in the evening between 6 and 10 pm) At the PGC, you can pick up a flyer and find more info on the event. Below we also offer places to stop, rest and rethink your GA/GI strategy as you take it all in. Also, consult our "Schedule of Events" tab on this blog for updated info.

Restaurants starting near Penn & Negley, going towards downtown...

Salt of the Earth  5523 Penn Ave,  Open 5 pm to midnight

Verde Mexican  Kitchen and Cantina  5491 Penn Ave. Open  11 am to 11 pm

Commonplace Coffee/Voluto 5467 Penn Ave. Open  7 am to 10 pm

BFG (Greek) Cafe 5335 Penn Ave.  Open 1 pm to 8 pm

People's Indian Restaurant  5147 Penn Ave. Open 5 pm to 10 pm

Spak Brothers Pizza  5107 Penn Open 11 am to 11 pm or later

Convenience Stores in the area:
Penn Aiken Dairy, 5401 Penn Ave,
Family Dollar, 5160 Penn Ave.
People's Grocery, 5136 Penn Ave.

Fly into Robin's Nest during GA/GI for Terrarium kits et (Pittsburgh) al

It's "Spring has Sprung" in a jar!

Fairly new to the Unblurred roster, Robin's Nest (5504 Penn) handles some of the best of Pittsburgh's art community within a unique, boutique-size space. And not by coincidence the owner is none other than Robin Synder, whose who's who of local artisans have created home goods and hand-crafted items, as well as decorative, and heirloom quality pieces perfect for gift-giving. One of her best sellers is Pittsburgh illustrator, Emily Traynor, a self proclaimed nerd who loves Greek mythology, and when tweeting about her attractive cards and posters jokingly encourages potential customers to "get their butts" over to Robin's Nest! We at GA/GI especially like the Robin's Nest ode to spring: A terrarium kit that includes everything you'll need-- even a dried bug,

Assemble Challegnes Youth through STEAM and Other Opps

During GA/GI Friday May 1 from 6-10 pm, Assemble (5125 Penn) will host a first time exhibition by a local high school student who, for artistic purposes prefers to be called Alaric X. The show produced by X focuses on the ever changing and almost never changing race relations in America. The exhibition title with three K's is no misspelling and speaks to the complex feelings of many black youth in America, who love their country, but abhor the seemingly relentless attacks on them by racists, a condition that persists to this day in spite of obvious advances that include the two-time inauguration of an African American president. How two divergent Americas co-exist, is a paradox and yet the reality of what it means to be a citizen in our free-minded (mostly) tolerant society.


Alaric X uses, photography, clothing, paintings, prints and an interactive installation, to make his case. The exhibition is up through the Month of May.

A tech tic by David Edwards

Assemble, who regularly supports youth, their projects and programs has created "Assemble After School," a  STEAM project (science, technology, engineering, art and math) for students in grades 4-8. They meet from 4 to 6:30 pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday for hands on experience with experts in robotics, 3-D printing and more. One recent tech/teach was David Edwards, whose Power Flower was the inspiration for GA/GI Fest's original branding campaign. Sign up here.

Can you say GA/GI en Espanol?...the New black is "Noir"..Two Bands and Free Beer--ALL at Most Wanted Fine ART

Most Wanted Fine habla espanol! Starting with GA/GI Unblurred on

Friday, May 1 and for one month at 5015 Penn Ave you can experience  Projeto Madre Latina. It's Mother’s Day with a Latino flavor! Projecto Madre Latina will be showcasing a diverse group of Latina mothers that diversify and Latinize Pittsburgh. This project seeks to honor all mothers through a unique photo exhibit while sharing the diversity Latin America has to offer. Additional event on May 9^th with music, food, and dancing to raise funds for a local organization that supports women. In fact MFW offers a full evening:Free Beer by Rock Bottom. 2 Bands: Grand Snafu and Econoclast. 6-10 pm. Projecto Madre Latina exhibition is until the end of the month.

Work by Noir

Also during GA/GI at MFW's "Stuff and Such Society" (lower Level) is their resident artist, Nick Noir who will create mixed media assemblages in sacred spaces with all-natural, earth based found objects that include bone, wood, parchment, inks, moss, crystals, and minerals.  The collection of talismans celebrates earth magic and each piece is created to be a star amongst the constellation in which we are all a part of.

Plus Noir, brings you the Bizarre! Bazaar! An unusual travelling collection of art and oddities. Geeky cool!

East End Community Thrift Joins Team GA/GI

A project of the Thomas Merton Center, East End Community Thrift @ 5123 Penn, with it nice refurbished facade, is a natural for GA/GI Fest for their used clothing, and furniture and their annual recycling and redistribution of thousands of books, glassware, fabric, shoes, art and other household items.Normally closed for the evenings, Team GA/GI asked Thrift to open for Unblurred a few years back, and according to staff, if definitely helped increase business, by introducing them to a whole new audience of people, and allowing for folks working during the day to buy during evening hours when the store is normally closed. EECT takes the opportunity to open in the spring with the GA/GI event then stays open most Unblurred First Fridays until the weather gets cold

The all-volunteer store has served the Garfield community for 20 years offering low cost options to budget-minded families.The thrift store is a regular distributor of free bread, donated by Whole Foods. They sell along with their clothing,  ready-to-plant herbs, and also free-range eggs donated by local urban chicken farmer, Kay Barchetti, who works for Coldwell Banker. Barchetti's nearby urban eco environment hosts over 40 breeds of chickens. We witnessed an arrival of fresh eggs on our visit, and were reminded that REAL eggs come in a variety of colors. The entire cluster hearkened back to the days when seeing clothing and produced side by side was expected. Don't know what will be available for sell during GA/GI, but we think the partnership of fashion and fowl is eggsceptional. "Like" them on Facebook.

3 Lucky couples to GET COMPS to KST's Super Nature

Turning the Gia T. way

 In addition to it being six years for GA/GI, The Kelly Strayhorn Theater  (KST) is celebrating its 6th New Moves Contemporary Dance Festival with "Super Nature."  This year's revue of  young choreographers from around the nation includes Pittsburghers, Alexandra Bodnarchuck, Jamie Murphy, Jil Stifel, Jean-Paul Weaver and Gia T.     

"Moves" by Bodnarchuck

Super Nature engages the wild, domestic and and civilized aspects of human nature to create a radical, ecological melodrama.The New Moves Festival is a multi-day, multi-venue event that ties Pittsburgh into a series of dance performances happening throughout the country...and it's a hot, hot ticket so, sign up at authorized GA/GI @ Unblurred partnering galleries and we'll hold a drawing to send  3 (three) couples comps to this exceptionally fresh dance event. (six total tickets given; notification by phone or e-mail), Locations to sign up are: Mostly Mod & ARTica Gallery (5110 Penn Ave), Most Wanted Fine Art (5015 Penn Avenue), Robin's Nest (5504 Penn Ave) and Irma Freeman(5006 Penn Ave).--The actual performance is the week following GA/GI (specifics TBA)  The KST's New Moves Festival is supported by the Bodycartography Project, which invites their dancers and dance organizations to collaborate with visual artists, musicians, scientists and poets and has sponsored projects throughout the US, Russia, Japan, New Zealand and South America.

 Sample choreographed  kick by Stifel

Upcoming Group Show at BFG Cafe Shows Range

Artist, Susan Wagner, whose incredible sculptures of sports figures grace Heinz Field and many other locations nationally, will curate a special exhibition at the BFG Cafe, 5335 Penn Avenue, that will feature a NEW crop of local artists. 

Sculptor, Susan Wagner

Said Wagner, 
 "I noticed the influx of young professionals to Pittsburgh, who would go to places like IKEA to decorate their apartments." Wagner wanted them instead to avail themselves of the many talented Pittsburgh artists. She met with some friends and was soon doing a large sale just to "help local artists out." When BFG opened, she again saw another opportunity, met with owner John Edgos and has been curating his wall space with local art ever since. During the May 1, GA/GI @ Unblurred, you can order Greek Pizza and Gyros from the popular BFG menu (winning three stars from Yelp, 4 1/2 stars from Google and 5 from Urban Spoon) and browse through three rooms full of beautiful and unique art work for sale in a wide range of mediums from fiber art quilts to acrylic paintings. 100% of the proceeds go directly to the artist. From Friday, May 1 on the group gallery show can be enjoyed during BFG's regular business hours: 11 am to 8 pm every day except Sundays. Wagner expects the show to be up the rest of the summer. "This works out for everyone. Artists sell work and BFG gets new customers," Said Wagner.

Big Pipes and A BIG little Art Show from the Irma Freeman Art Center @ GA/GI

Brett Boye has a great set of pipes

The strains of bagpipes will be heard along with the usual cacophony of GA/GI Fest as Brett Boye, Irma Freeman's, CEO takes to the rooftop to pipe in the event at Unblurred in May. Boye, who has made a mission out of piping, takes to the task with gusto while inside, artist and business partner, Sheila Ali has curated a show of art by people who strive to create their own little universe. The Big Little Show, runs now through June 20th and hosts a large array of nationally known artists as well as Pittsburgh favorites: Alberto Almarza, LaVerne Kemp, Ryder Henry and Bill Shannon

Sheila D. Ali, Miniature Curator

Says Ali on the show's Facebook page: " What better way to manifest ones aspirations, hopes, and dreams than through nurturing the imagination in the art of minituria?" Ali found her initial fascination with all things small at the Carnegie Museum's Hall of Miniatures, and the museum is working on the project in partnership with her. 

The show's infinitely interesting exhibition of the of small curiosities comes in a variety of mediums including art that has recycled items in them. Grass could be jean clippings and trees might be old twisted wire. You'll have to get up close to tell, and even then you might only be guessing.   

An Outdoor scene from the Big Little show

The IF Gallery @ 5006 Penn Avenue will be open GA/GI eve and also Saturdays from 2-5 pm or by request, and runs now until June 20. There are also workshops in conjunction with the Big Little show, and upcoming IF Art Summer Camps for kids. 

Tacksploitation and others giving GA/Gi a Go!

City Paper described Tracksploitation as taking DJ-ing to a whole "new dimension". The pair of former art students go by the names of ASAP and JCT 45, monikers what certainly let you know (Jordan Taylor and Joe Kennedy)are going to do something extraordinary. The pair come on like Star Wars, with an innovatic music mix that sounds like it was conjured up on some galaxy far, far away. That, along with their off-beat costumes, makes them hyper entertaining. They tell GA/GI their mission is to save the planet from "bad music," which they feel has permeated global society. Give into their post-apocalyptic sway at the Pittsburgh Glass Center on GA/GI eve. They and other mad, wild and wonderful music will be heard and felt at GA/GI. Here, a sample from Tracksploitation's official sound cloud.

Speak Life's Adam Keene to GA/GI-tize the Pittsburgh Glass Center

Keene (at mic) and Friends 

Adam Keene, has been a producer, a storyteller, event planner and performer in some fashion for nearly half of his life. Over the past few years, as the Captain of Speak Life Storytellers LLC, Keene-- also known as the word wizard and Rhetorical Artz--has used GA/GI as a springboard to launch his ideas and to give opportunities to his peers in the arts and technology fields inviting photographers, musicians and artists to be part of the annual festival experience.  In fact, he's utilized the event for exactly the things the festival wants to encourage. GA/GI Fest, already a vibrant mix of eclectic exhibitions, eco funk, and science wizardly, is constantly transformative but Keene has always managed to add coolness factor to it nonetheless, one year assembling the first ever music and spoken word showcase in the courtyard of the newly built Glass Lofts. This, even before the now popular Verde Restaurant and Catina had broken ground. Residents for blocks away commented how the melodic strains of Joy Ike's voice or the expressive vocal rhythms of spoken word came through their kitchen windows, and beckoned them down to the plaza. This year Keene is bringing a whole new crew to the GA/GI scene. From Speak Life he brings Co-founder Langston Kelly and Hip-Hop Educator, Reason. 

Kelly's persona is synonymous with gentleman, alien and traveler, all of which he feels describes him. While maintaining a sabatical from the 'burgh he continues to gather influences from New York and New Jersey to forge new adventures into the Speak Life experience.

Reason is a life-long lover of music and words, who brings a barrage of skills to table which include a unique emcee style and the ability to write songs. He found and honed his voice after participating in a cypher/jam session known as "Throwdown Thursday."  By the fall of 2013, Reason took a team of emcees to a competion that they easlily won, finishing with a perfect score. Today, with a degree in Elementary Education, he is both the Managing Editor of Speak Life, as well as a tutor for the Pittsburgh Montessori School. He recently released a freestyle cypher/jam project with emcee Rhetorical Artz, called Journeys in Conversation.    

SERVING up Gardens and Farms at GA/GI

The Garden has a Library!

Thanks to Gary Cirrincione and Minette Vaccariello, community gardens are front and center at the Geek Art/Green Innovator's Fest. The Garfield Community Action Team (GCAT), EastField Co-Operative Garden and others will participate by pitching a tent and pitching in to talk to festival-goers about agriculture, local foods and the enjoyment of outdoor gardening. EastField started in 2009 as a Sojourner House program--MOMsgreen project which rescued abandoned lots for children's play space. In the beginning there was so much lost topsoil that raised bed had to be built allowing currently for 1300 square feet shared by 20 families. The FairField Garden mission statement says in part that the organization will promote the use of practical, economical and sustainable gardening methods and share food with neighbors and local food banks. Also at the site will be Garfield neighbor, Healcrest Farm, an east end urban farming legend, who claims to be not only a city green space, but also a healing sanctuary for both people and wildlife.

Healcrest Farm

Healcrest began in 2005 as 15 empty city lots, resurrected by Pittsburgh's URA. Today,with 4 established vegetable/herb/fruit gardens, a young orchard, rainwater collection services and a greenhouse, Healcrest is becoming one the city's most iconic urban garden spaces. (See our event schedule for time and location.)