Blue Tree

6006 Penn Circle South

(412) 441-0611

“Wow – why…

Blue Tree

6006 Penn Circle South

(412) 441-0611

“Wow – why aren’t these people at dinner and a movie?”

That’s how Cynthia Taibbi-Kates, owner of the new Blue Tree art gallery, characterized her building manager’s reaction to the crowd of between 200 and 300 people who turned out for the gallery’s grand opening Nov. 22.

Taibbi-Kates, whose background is in interior design and teaching retailing, is off to a good start in inspiring more people to enjoy owning art. Her fantastic gallery space is located on the corner of Center and South Highland avenues in East Liberty. Featuring a variety of interesting exhibition spaces lit by ceiling skylights, Blue Tree takes its name from the tree that – when fully covered in leaves – blocks the gallery from being seen from the street. Rather than put up with the tree as an impediment to her business, Taibbi-Kates has embraced it – blue springs now hang from its bare branches. A large blue-tinted branch discovered blown down in Schenley Park hangs from the ceiling inside the gallery.

“I decided, ‘I’m going to make it a blue tree,’ because as a child in first grade in the ’60s, you weren’t allowed to think outside of the box. The art teacher would only allow trees that were green and brown. You couldn’t make a cow purple.”

The gallery tends to show works created by emerging artists. Many pieces on display are unusual, innovative, beautiful – and affordable.

“We want to show art that’s affordable, that people can appreciate and believe that they can own. A lot of art seems so unreachable,” Taibbi-Kates said.

She took a moment to discuss consignment arrangements with Ashley Harwood, a teaching assistant in glassmaking who brought in some delicate silvery and amethyst-colored hanging glass ornaments with custom brass hangers.

Blue Tree’s front room contains handmade works consigned by a number of artists. There are recycled bowling balls painted as candies, a retro-styled chair made from kitschy Formica tabletops, wire sculptures illuminated by recycled electronic components, and paintings by local college students. A table full of ceramics by Dennis Borgevin – teapots that have sprouted legs like psychedelic creatures from Yellow Submarine – also draws attention.

Works by former graffiti icons Matt Spahr, Seak M.A.C., and Serge Matthews are included. Their works will be featured in a three-man show scheduled to open in February.

Each month, Blue Tree will exhibit in its back galleries a larger number of works by a selected artist. Currently, drawings, paintings, collages and sculpture by Carnegie Mellon University graduate Scott Fertig are exhibited. Several of his pieces range from elaborate acrylic paintings that command a premium price down to simple inexpensive pointillistic ink drawings.

Taibbi-Kates says her gallery is “eclectic. That’s always been my style.”

Judging from the quality and variety of the collection, Blue Tree could be a favorite for holiday shoppers.

Who knows? Maybe even Blue Tree’s building manager will collect some art.

Blue Tree is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.