Consider these 2007 entries: “Breakfast of Champions,” for sale at $150 that uses “ridiculous jewelry, resin, steel and crackling oat bran” as a medium.
Or the oil painting entitled “What Happened to You Steve?”
Or “Cloak” made from acrylic, modeling paste, wooden disk, straw, plaster and dirt. There’s a “Where My Parents Used to Drink” photograph and artwork made of mixed medium called “12 Steps to Flat Abs: The Massacre.”
And there you have a sampling of Lawrenceville's
Art All Night, a 24-hour arts marathon that’s as serious about art as it about fun. Organizers say this year’s all-night arts show – which takes place April 26-27 – will be bigger, better and greener than ever.
The mantra goes something like this: No fee. No jury. No censorship.
“Art All Night is, at its core, unpredictable, even for the people who work on it year after year,” says Mary Hartley, a Lawrenceville resident and
one of the first organizers of the event which began in 1998. “Even while the art is being hung and time is running out, there is no way to know what the kaleidoscope is going to give.”
And what a cosmic kaleidoscope it is. “As a show, Art All Night is a unique compilation of character and creativity, " says Chris Hollingshead, who is spearheading Art All Night 2008 and dubbed the “Grand Poobah” for lack of a better title by the all-volunteer, 23-person organizing team.
‘Quintessentially Lawrenceville’Now in its 11th year, the free event bills itself as an opportunity for every artist of any skill level to showcase their art. Well, at least one piece of art. Anyone can enter anything. And that's the beauty of it.
That could be why some say Art All Night is the “quintessential” Lawrenceville event.
“The event reflects the strong presence of the arts in the neighborhood, and beyond that, it reflects the tremendous sense of community that we have here in Lawrenceville,” says Kate Trimble, executive director of Lawrenceville Corporation. “The fact that anyone can participate and show off their creative talents by submitting a piece of art makes Art All Night uniquely democratic. It’s part of the come-one, come-all attitude that makes Lawrenceville such a diverse and interesting place.”
Mary Yagjian, a Point Breeze resident, volunteered at Art All Night
last year for the first time. “I’ll never forget the
70-something-year-old woman that I registered,” recalls Yagjian. “She
brought in an absolutely beautiful, huge abstract oil painting. I was
convinced that she was a professional painter. She handed me the
painting like it was her baby and mentioned
that she had painted all
her life, but had never before had the nerve to exhibit in a ‘real
show.’ Art All Night provided her with that first-time experience.”
Catherine
Berard, owner of Prism Stained Glass on Butler Street, says she and her
boyfriend purchased several works of art over the last few years from a
painter they met through Art All Night. The artist, a postal worker in
Mt. Oliver, captures urban scenes on canvas.
“It brings all
kinds of different people together for an event that is not just fun,
but cultural,” says Berard. She noted that about 10
of her students from her stained glass-making class are
going to submit art at this year’s show.
One of the notable features about Art All Night is that it is planned and coordinated by an all-volunteer committee comprised of residents and supporters of Pittsburgh’s vibrant neighborhood. A peaceful army of about 150 additional volunteers help to prepare the venue, construct exhibit panels, assist with registration, hang the art, tend bar, and much more – on a shoestring budget. All told, between 1,800 and 2,000 hours of volunteer time goes into making the community event happen.
“Art All Night perfectly showcases the neighborhood spirit, with dedicated community volunteers that have organized the event for more than 10 years,” says Trimble.
Susan Banahasky, a Lawrenceville resident and long-time Art All Night organizing team member, adds: “Art All Night brings all walks of life and all generations together. The event has become one of the most anticipated within the city. And, it is fun and entertaining celebration of the many talents within our community.”
A Magnet for Artists and Art LoversLawrenceville Art All Night debuted 11 years ago with 101 pieces of art and 200 art lovers. By 2007, the event had grown to feature work by more
than 800 artists and was attended by upwards of 7,500 guests.
Early on, the event became a magnet for artists and art collectors who lived outside of the neighborhood. “It drew because it was quirky and offbeat,” says Rebecca White, a long-time Lawrenceville resident.” And, she notes, it was able to attract the “Mercedes and BMW crowd” that typically wouldn’t come to Lawrenceville on a Saturday night.
This year, thanks to the generosity of Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh donating the space, Art All Night takes place at the soon to be demolished warehouse at #2 57th Street in Lawrenceville. (Just turn off of Butler Street at 57th and head toward the river.)
While Art All Night is already low-impact when it comes to the environment, this year, the planners are taking it to the next level.
“We adaptively re-use virtually all structures, signs and supplies. It’s only natural for us to be leaders in running a more green event,” explains Pete Popivchak, an Art All Night volunteer who assumes the Grand Poobah reigns from Hollingshead next year.
To that end, collaborations with Pennsylvania Resources Council will
help facilitate on-site recycling, and the carbon footprint of the event will be reduced thanks to Bike Pittsburgh, which will run an on-site bike valet service. People are being encouraged to use public transportation and the Port Authority of Allegheny County is helping to promote bus service to the event. There will be several “recycled art” activities at this year’s event, too.
Music and performance is a big part of the scene, too. Forty-two performers threw their hats into the ring for 26 performance slots. This marked the first official Art All Night random drawing for performers. Look for Burnout Warcry to take Stage B at 12:15 pm on Sunday. For more info, click
here.
Lynne Glover moved to Lawrenceville in part because of Art All Night.
Event images courtesy Art All Night, Owen Lampe, Jr.
Photograph of Catherine Berard copyright Brian Cohen