ShadyLiberty Bridge Sculpture by Sheila Klein

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Not a mural, not a sculpture, but more than just a pedestrian bridge. Maybe functional public art? This walk/bike–way between Shadyside and East Liberty is dressed up and interesting. The chain link is decorated with glass disks that catch the light differently at different times of the day.

On the artist’s website we found this explanation for the design on the pavement and more:

The concrete walking path will be painted with arrhythmic, overlapping stripes in white and yellow, an idea that comes from the unintentionally beautiful pattern in the Liberty Avenue parking lot where street-line painters test their equipment. Essential to the project is the landscaping, lighting and sculptural cyclone fence. The curving chain link fence has handmade glass sequins edging the top of the fence that will glitter and define the space with reflections. The journey down Shady Liberty will create an experience of civilized surprise; dramatic and formal, yet playful and functional for all who walk across the bridge.

The Gateway by Michael Walsh, Jeremy Groznik

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This is a two piece sculpture installed on buildings across the street from each other – one in Garfield, the other in Bloomfield.

We were able to find very little information on it. Only that it was a project of the Penn Avenue Arts Initiative, and this paragraph in the Post Gazette Arts and Entertainment section by Bob Batz Jr in June of 2002:

"The Gateway" is two large mirror-image stainless steel sculptures mounted on the outside walls of two buildings on either side of Penn Avenue (5149 and 5150) symbolizing a bridge between Friendship, Bloomfield and Garfield. The Penn Avenue Arts Initiative collaborated on it with artists Michael Walsh and Jeremy Groznik.

Library Street by Anthony Purcell

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Perhaps the smallest mural in the area and one of the nicest street markers that we’ve found anywhere. This mural identifies Library Street where Parker Ave intersects with it. It’s across Library Street from the Carnegie Library of course. A beautiful street sign that we wish had been located in a more visible spot. There are two large butterfly bushes on either side of the sign, half concealing it from view at times.

Arty Party mural by multiple artists

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A local pottery artist moved into the West End and had some artist friends over to help beautify his new home and the neighborhood. From some on–line articles, it appears that this gentleman has been having Arty–Parties each year to do things like this. The result this time is the only artwork we’ve found so far in Elliot. It’s a very nice addition to the neighborhood.

Bass Man With Moon by James Simon

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Another incredible addition to the community by James Simon. Mr Simon has often worked with local kids to create fun, whimsical, beautiful pieces of art, but never with kids as young as the ones he mentored this time.

This piece was done as part of the Summer Art Camp for ACH (Amon Cashmere Harris) Clear Pathways. ACH Clear Pathways is a non–profit organization named in tribute to a 7 year old boy that died from a heart condition. His mother, Tyian Battle, has created an organization to engage, teach and give direction to the other children in the community through performance and visual arts. This particular Summer Art Camp was funded by McAuley Ministries, and that allowed ACH Clear Pathways to bring in an expert to work with the kids.

Instead of a project that these 5–12 year old kids might take home to hang on the refrigerator, this time they helped create real art. The kind that people will stop to admire for years to come and that these kids will feel a sense of accomplishment from.

James Simon looked at his canvas – the side of Rose Reilly’s house – and saw a big, vertical space perfect for a bass player. He offered the suggestion and the only request he received was to include at least one child in the design. Mr Simon designed the mural with the bass player, a boy, two zebras and a full moon. The boy is on a skateboard with a basketball and wearing his cap backwards.

Over the course of about two months, James Simon showed 25 kids how to break the tiles and lay out the colors to create the images. They helped him glue pieces in place with the design on the floor. Later, when the separate sections of the mural were complete, Mr Simon attached them to the building. The children wouldn’t see the whole picture until the end.

Tyian Battle looked at the finished mural and was surprised to see the boy wearing his cap just like her son did and doing the things that he enjoyed doing. She had not told Mr Simon that her son enjoyed skateboarding and basketball or that he always wore his cap like that.

When we asked about the zebras and what their significance was, we got James Simon’s usual response to those questions: ...because I liked it. He especially liked the psychedelic zebra, as he described it. Why the upside down zebra? I made a mistake he joked. I think if you want to find symbolism or deep meaning in these, you’re looking at the wrong art. James Simon’s works are all about fun and things that he likes.

West View Park Memories mural

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From 1906 to 1977, West View Park was THE amusement park for anyone living in the northern suburbs of Pittsburgh. School and company picnics, family gatherings, and date nights were conducted at this much loved amusement park.

The old trolley park had several great rides such as the Dips, the antique cars, the caterpillar, the Racing Whippet, and (while not a ride) Danceland. Many big name bands and entertainers performed at Danceland until it burned down in 1973. The Rolling Stones actually performed here on their first US tour.

Without sufficient land or capital to add the kind of rides they needed to remain competitive, West View Park closed without warning. After closing for the season in 1977 they announced that it would not reopen. For a lot of local residents this was a surprise. Years of school picnics and summer trips to West View had left important memories imprinted in hearts and minds and the sudden loss of the landmark left many ghosts behind.

As you look around the community of West View more than 30 years after the park closed, you see many small reminders of how important it was to the community’s identity. This is one of two murals that we found here celebrating and remembering the park. We found no artist information for this one though.

You can also still find memorabilia from the park on Ebay.

Arlington Memories by Hugh P. Watkins

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This mural overlooks an old bus turn–around. The turn–around is now roped off and apparently no longer used. There are signs indicating that it still belongs to the Port Authority and the mural has reminders that this was once a busy area with a trolly line serving the community.

UPDATE 24 Aug 2013:
A viewer and former resident of the neighborhood gave us the artist information. (Thank you!) On Mr. Watkins’ website he states that the mural is: depicting 100 years of neighborhood history using source photographs solicited directly from residents.

The Builders by George Danhires

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The Builders is a reminder of the actual people that have done the work to make Pittsburgh the city that it is today. Politicians take credit for the city’s Renaissance I and II, but the constuction crews, surveyors, metal workers, brick layers, heavy equipment operators, engineers and all the other craftsmen and laborers made it a reality.

The Mellon Stuart Company commissioned this sculpture and it was modeled after two of their employees. It was installed in Allegheny Landing, a sculpture park located between the 6th and 7th Street bridges, in 1984. The Carnegie Museum actually has ownership of the sculpture.

Piazza Lavoro by Ned Smyth

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This sculpture is showing it’s age, but not as badly as it’s companion piece Mythic Source. Installed in 1984, only the base of the palm tree at the center of the display is disintegrating. For nearly 30 years old it’s actually held up well to Pittsburgh’s changing weather. This sculpture pair are prominent in the Allegheny Landing sculpture park near the river on the Northshore.

The artwork was commissioned by the Heinz family and their company. The nearby plaque says:

"This two-part sculpture recognizes the significant contributions of Pittsburgh to American labor history by a symbolic representation of labor's role in our nation's development. The human figures populating the facades are engaged in this activity, while the palm trees and marine life are reminders of the delicate balance between civilization and nature."

The narrative on the plaque continues:

"On the upper level, "Piazza Lavoro" suggests the heights to which civilization may be elevated."

See Mythic Source – for photos of the lower portion of this piece.

UPDATE: In 2016 these two sculptures were repaired and slightly redesigned. Instead of just repairing the ground mosaic of Mythic Source, it was completely removed and relocated to Piazza Lavorno. Now at the top of the hill in Allegheny Landing, any flooding along the river should not affect it. It also removed it from being subjected to the larger volume of foot and bike traffic that travels past Mythic Source all day.