A new art venue has joined
Mt. Lebanon’s central business district at 615
Washington Rd. On July 6th, Art Loft hosted its inaugural exhibition
INTERSECTION:ART/LIFE, in conjunction with the neighborhood’s popular First Fridays series.
The 850 square-foot gallery features exhibition and studio space, and specially-designed display cases created by Handyman Remodeling. “I wanted a larger space and to move onto the street level,” says Art Loft owner Sally Gehl, who studied art at
CMU. “We have these really neat commercial districts in the city that are crying out for something to identify them. They long for loving care and attention as destinations. Art is something you can’t do at the mall or Wal-Mart. It’s critical to the health and vitality of neighborhoods.”
Art Loft features work by 16 members of the
Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, including bronze and wire sculpture, photography, and monoprints. “I want to help artists sell their work and generate synergy. The more art places in Mt. Lebanon, the more people will get in the car and come here and buy things,” says Gehl, who chaired the Associated Artists’ annual exhibition in 2003.
Art Loft also carries eclectic jewelry by international designers. “To make this work financially, I need something to bring people in the door,” says Gehl, who sells jewelry made from dominoes, hand wrought silver and reproductions of Renaissance paintings. “There’s a great category of jewelry that you can’t find at the counter at Macy’s or Bailey, Banks and Biddle. It’s edgy and arty.”
Writer:
Jennifer BaronSource: Sally Gehl, Art Loft
Image courtesy of Charlotte Gehl Rouchouze