Pittsburgh arts scene puts its business ‘On the Record’

A new arts and entertainment incubator for the local community is opening in East Liberty with… A new arts and entertainment incubator for the local community is opening in East Liberty with its first exhibit, ‘On the Record,’ which will feature works created by artists using vinyl records. ArtDimensions Pittsburgh will provide artists with a space to exhibit and sell their works as well as provide them with legal services and practical knowledge about the business side of the art world. The new organization will feature shows like ‘On the Record’ once every two months, and these shows will be open on the weekends. In addition, classes will be offered once a month and will provide legal services for artists who attend.’ These services will include anything from help with album copyrights to business permits, said ArtDimensions Pittsburgh founder Daniel Friedson, who is also a professor at Pitt’s School of Law. Located in a former PNC Bank building, ArtDimensions Pittsburgh is based on a model of renovating unoccupied buildings near artistic communities and putting them into productive use within these communities. The idea for this concept comes from ArtDimensions of St. Louis, Mo., with which Friedson was involved before moving to Pittsburgh five years ago. Friedson explains that ArtDimensions Pittsburgh will be a member-driven organization that depends on the participation of volunteers, artists and law students. This first show is part of its membership drive. A member of ArtDimensions will be able to exhibit in shows and will also be able to rent the space, said Friedson, and the first show focusing on member works will take place in May. ‘Being a member is about displaying your work, trying to improve and wanting to make money,’ said Friedson. ‘You can be a performing artist, visual artist, writer, rock star ‘mdash; you can be a poet, and we can plug you into resources.’ In addition, members will be entitled to participate at monthly meetings and be involved in the process of bringing art in to exhibit and influencing future exhibits, said Friedson.’ Local vendors, including Joe Mama’s, are also providing members with discounts, from free dessert to coffee. There is an annual membership fee of $50, and this can be paid in monthly installments. Because ArtDimensions Pittsburgh is located in a former bank, Friedson said it is important that the first exhibition set a standard for creativity and thinking outside the box. He also knew that the local artistic community would embrace the show. ‘This community in East Liberty is very much about real hip hop. They were torn because they didn’t want to paint on these records. They wanted to clean and listen to them and scratch on them. I knew they would appreciate these records,’ he said. One of the show’s contributing artists, Edward Rawson, often called ‘D Raw,’ said that he has created a lot of work on record sleeves in the past and that the exhibition is the third of its kind in which he has participated. Rawson, who is Chief Operating Officer of the Martin Luther King Community Mural Project as well as a freelance artist, brings his graphic background to his work for the show. ‘I’ve always been a figurative painter and drawer,’ said Rawson. ‘I like to mix it up and give a feeling of three dimensions, something rendered and realistic, and mix that with flat graphics and shapes. I like to give a push and pull where it’s flat but so that it feels three-dimensional.’ Rawson submitted both previously and newly completed works to the show. For one of his new works, Rawson designed a tribal tattoo that, with a laser cutter and a graphic program that reads and cuts the design, he used to cut the tattoo into a record he had spray painted white. The records for the show were donated by Jerry’s Records in Squirrel Hill. Friedson says that they’ve received a great response from the community, from businesses including Shadow Lounge, AVA Bar and Lounge and other venues in East Liberty. ‘Jerry from Jerry’s Records has a piece in the exhibition,’ says Friedson. ‘That’s a lot of love from the community.’ Nakturnal, an all-women company, is also moving into the former PNC Bank to help ArtDimensions Pittsburgh with promotion, production, sponsorship and basically to offer what they can to artists in the local community, said Kellee Maize, founder of Nakturnal. Maize said it is important to be part of a group of people making events happen in their own spaces with the goal of supporting local artists and visions.’ ‘ ‘I … saw a big hole in the art community,’ said Maize, who formed the company four years ago. ‘There wasn’t a lot going on, and a lot of promoters were disjointed. I formed a collective and we eventually became a company with four full-time girls who are my sisters and best friends.’ Nakturnal promotes and raises awareness about ‘On the Record’ using the Internet, especially Facebook and MySpace, street teams, special evening events, press and posters. ‘Although we had a short window to promote it and get the word out, so far the response has been positive,’ said Maize. ‘Everybody loves records.’