Soaring Kids mural by Kaff-Eine

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

We found this information about the artist on Wordpress

Kaff–eine is an established street + contemporary artist within Melbourne’s globally–celebrated street art scene. Since 2010 she has garnered a strong following among Australian and international street art lovers + art collectors, who are drawn to her illustrative freehand style, delicate linework, + quiet melancholic characters. She has been invited to paint her artwork, created with aerosol, acrylic paint + pigment ink, on public + private walls across Australia, Germany, France + the Philippines, in galleries, businesses, homes, and on the streets. Kaff–eine has also illustrated two successful children’s books (The Promise + Vera), + has exhibited in solo + group exhibitions throughout Australia.

Visiting Pittsburgh in 2014, Kaff–eine was introduced to Braddock by a local gallery owner and she took the time to contribute to the town’s growing outdoor gallery of murals by well known street artists.

This piece is on the back of the Red Lantern Bike Shop, next to the town’s free store. It’s colorful and whimsical and a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Kaff–eine describes the figures as meant to be light, fantasy pieces, with children flying or soaring up.

With any luck, we’ll see more of Kaff–eine’s distinctive characters around town in 2016 when she hopes to return here.

Life is Short Hug Your Donkey by Kaff-Eine

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

We found several pieces by international artist Kaff–Eine around town in 2014. When we contacted her for information she told us that she had been visiting friends in Brookline when she painted them.

In Braddock she left us with two great, new murals before she returned to Melbourne. This one is on the side of the future Superior Motors Restaurant and the Mayor’s house. The mural is done freehand aerosol. Kaff–Eine describes it as a kind, warm, melancholy piece which I think suited Braddock. It draws you in with it’s simplicity and warmth.

Kaff–Eine told us that she plans to return here sometime in 2016. We hope to see more of her whimsical pieces then.

Welcome to Braddock by New Guild Studios

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

The artists at New Guild Studios in Braddock worked on this new welcome sign for a long time. Installed on the opposite end of town from James Simon’s mosaic welcome sign, this one is completely in tune with the other side of Braddock. While the mosaic celebrates the fun, whimsical side of this tough, little borough’s personality, this one celebrates the history and backbone of the town.

Five hand–painted layers combine with a neon element that simulates the pouring of molten steel into a mold of the town’s name. All of the images are straight out of the steel history of Braddock. It’s a tribute crafted with love by artists who have made their home here.

You can see the three dimensional construction with the different layers in the above photo. We haven’t seen it at night, but the neon is on during the day also. If you look closely you can see the difference in the lighting between the first two photos.

Library Street by Anthony Purcell

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

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.

Joe Magarac by unknown artist

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

This statue was once a part of the Olde Kennywood Railroad ride at Kennywood Park. A bit of a folk hero, Joe Magarac was a mythical character made of steel that protected the steel workers. This statue is one of several images of Joe that we've found in public art around town. Figures of other steel workers are sometimes mistaken for (or just assumed to be) him though. The stained glass image of The Puddler in downtown Pittsburgh is one example of that misidentification. Most of the murals depicting Magarac show him bending a steel beam with his hands.

There’re two good stories of the legend of Joe Magarac here, and here.

Just Keep Swimming by Braddock Youth Organization

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

In 2005 there were no playgrounds in Braddock. Thanks to volunteers, the Heritage Community Initiative, KaBoom, and some other benefactors there's now a very nice one along Braddock Ave near the library. At the back of the playground, this mural decorates the retaining wall.

According to the mayor the mural was done by kids from the Braddock Youth Organization. They came up with the idea and did this themselves. Another optimistic message encouraging the kids to persevere.

Ball Don't Lie by Anthony Purcell

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

The mayor of Braddock, John Fetterman, is doing everything he can to revitalize his town. This includes an aggressive pursuit of public art. He has implemented programs to attract artists to the area to live and work as well as inviting them to come in and decorate many of the old buildings. One of his programs involves recreating historic Pittsburgh Signs. Other designs he commissions are not necessarily remakes of old signs, but new designs with a traditional look.

The mayor came up with this idea and asked Anthony Purcell to bring it to life. The simple message hanging above the local basketball court comes from an expression in professional basketball. If a player gets free throws for a questionable foul and then misses the shots, the Ball don't lie. The ball itself has judged the foul as bogus and won't go in the net. This phrase is attributed to Rasheed Wallace of the NY Knicks.

There was also a movie titled Ball Don't Lie in 2008 based on a book of the same name. In it a high school student with a lot of problems, traumas and emotional scars leaves that all behind when he's playing ball. On the court his social failings are irrelevant. Perhaps the mayor wants the kids in the neighborhood to remember that playing basketball should be honest fun and that they can leave all the burdens behind when they play? Just a guess.

The mural itself is in line with the mayor's intention for the local art to be free of political or controversial topics/colors/designs.

The World is Yours by Noah Sparks

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

Artist Noah Sparks came to Braddock to participate in Points of Interest, a program created by the artist Swoon to improve 15 different locations in town in one week with art. On this long wall next to a community garden, Mr Sparks did a very different sort of mural. It's not totally abstract and it's not totally real, but it seems to be a melding of the two. The shapes or silhouettes of people doing all sorts of activities are filled with varying geometric patterns. Perhaps his version of multi–cultural? That’s only a guess, but what it definitely is, is interesting and different. The message is optimistic and hopeful for the struggling community: The World is Yours.

Transformazium artwork along Hawkins Ave

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

In better days, this was a church. The old building is slowly being saved by a group of artists who have turned it into a combination art studio and living space. Many of the windows are still boarded up, but the resident artists have used some of their talents to make the building look less abandoned.

The Transformazium came about when Braddock’s mayor encouraged the artist Swoon to settle here. He believes in art as a way to help reinvent the town, and does a lot to promote it.

We found artwork on three sides of this corner building. These are the wheatpaste figures by Swoon that fill a doorway along Hawkins Ave:

The artwork on the building is changing as renovations move forward. This page will be updated with artwork on this side of the building as we discover it.

Transformazium Murals along Jones Ave by Swoon

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

The artists at the Transformazium have been slowly working their way through this old church making many long overdue repairs and renovations.  There is art on three sides of the building, so there are currently three entries here to represent them.  This page includes the art on the side of the building that faces Jones Ave.

As renovations progress, the artwork on the building is changing. When we first discovered the Transformazium, we found this image on another door on this side of the building:

This was a wheat paste image, which is now gone.  "Wheat paste" is used to describe the method of pasting a piece of artwork up (as opposed to painting it on the wall).  The term is used whether the art is adhered using a flour and water mixture, wallpaper paste, or other type of adhesive.  It has a much shorter life than murals that have been painted, yet it can last a surprisingly long time.

In November of 2014 we found a new mural and a renovated door at the north end of this wall:

How wonderful to see the progress on this landmark. Swoon and the Transformazium members are doing more than just restoring the building. They are working towards establishing a ceramic tile studio here where they will train and employ local residents creating the tiles needed to replace the roof. This is Swoon's Braddock Tiles project, and she hopes that after the roof is replaced that the tile studio will continue to employ locals with other projects.

Transformazium West Wall artwork

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

Thallasa by Swoon

The Transformazium is an old church that has been converted into a living space and art studio. Swoon (AKA Caledonia Dance Curry) has been working on the renovations here along with several other artists. This wheat paste artwork once embellished this side of the old church. She’s called Thalassa.

The sea taking the shape of a woman. That’s a general description of Thalassa, a goddess of Greek mythology. The artist Swoon created this image originally for the New Orleans Museum of Art in 2011. It was designed specifically for that location and a two dimensional version was hung in a huge, two story hall.

From a video of Swoon explaining the piece, she said that she had wanted to take the idea of a Sea Deity to sort of define our relationship with nature and think about how we relate to the sea. The Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Miranda Lash, said in that same video that it was supposed to be a celebratory piece about the sea; ecological systems surrounding it; New Orleans’ relationship with the sea and then went on to say how much the city relied on the sea for food, commerce, oil, etc.

Although not as elaborately displayed and embellished as the installation in the museum, Braddock’s copy of Thalassa was still quite impressive. She may or may not have been a commentary on Braddock’s (and Pittsburgh’s) relationship with our rivers. She was, however, definitely majestic and commanded your attention.

By the time we rode by in May of 2014 Thallasa had deteriorated and was vandalized to the point that we considered it gone.  Building renovations are still going on and we're holding out hope that once they've finished with this side of the structure that perhaps a new copy will be installed.


On 3 Apr 2013, the Carnegie Museum of Art announced that the Transformazium was one of the 35 individuals or groups included in the The 2013 Carnegie International art show. The list of participants was included in the Post–Gazette article, where Mary Thomas provided this information on the Transformazium:

A collective of five people (Ruthie Stringer, Dana Bishop–Root, Erin Harrell, Leslie Stem and Caledonia Curry) with backgrounds in the arts and arts management. Most moved from Brooklyn to Braddock and North Braddock. Individually we are artists, designers, farmers, interactivists, communication theorists, neighbors. Together we are an arts-based community organization. Current projects include deconstructing an abandoned church with the dual purpose of recycling materials and perhaps supplementing income.

Congratulations to the artists of the Transformazium!

Brick Woman by Lady Pink

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

She's a Brick (bah,bah,bah)House...

We first found a reference to this mural online. A little detective work and some time spent looking at street views on Google maps and we thought we had a good idea of where it was located. Eureka! We found this lady reclining along an underpass wall at the boundary of Braddock and North Braddock. Under the train bridge near 445 Library Street in Braddock, she rests a short distance uphill from the nation's first Carnegie Library.

We were somewhat fascinated by this mural. There must be some deep, social message in this. We see elements that hint to references of industry, ecology, nurturing, devouring... We're not quite sure what to make of it.

An email to Lady Pink (born Sandra Fabara, Ambato, Ecuador, 1964) with some of those theories brought this response:

"You sound like you're overly analyzing my mural.... WOW! I meant nothing of the sort, Industry Mom, comfort.... none of that. It's insane what other see in my work! It's just a sexy nude lady that happened to fit the space I had to.

I like doing brick ladies and even one man. I had just come from doing an instillation at the Denver Botanical Gardens in Co. where I did a brick lady and a brick man reclining, it was for their Japanese garden. Then I was invited to go to Braddock, little did I know what a sorry little town that was, I cried when I first saw it. I painted the same brick lady as fast as I could, in collaboration with Cycle that I brought along to help. Then I jetted out of there, it took us a day and a half to do that wall. I rarely paint such decrepit walls, I've been seriously spoiled by working on much nicer walls, walls that don't crumble before my eyes..... so sad. That had to have been the most depressing site I've ever done!

I really appreciate the hospitality show to us by Swoon and the Mayor and I admire their conviction to raise Braddock from the ashes. I wish them the best.

My brick people are based on the song She's a Brick House, an old Disco tune. She's sexy and voluptuous, sometimes also fat and decaying yet still lovable. It's really simple, I've always liked doing nude ladies and making them outta brick gives me an excuse to put some graffiti on them :)

It's unfair to expect an artist to explain their work when they can't always verbalize the visual images they see and create. It's funny to me how people always overanalyze the artwork, way too intellectual, Art school will mess with ya that way. I don't really care how folks understand my work either."

"I just need to create these images, it's what artists do, and I don't have to explain anything beyond a title for a piece.... maybe. An artist statement is crazy painful for me. Since you reached out and asked then I'll explain it some. The flower is a MAN eating Columbine flower and I grow them in my garden. I'm into gardening hence all the organic stuff around the brick lady. I've painted that flower a few times before. The vintage subway is a tribute to my graffiti roots, I love painting subway trains. Anyway that's all I have for now. Thanks for taking an interest in my work."

More information for Lady Pink and her art:website, bio, wiki, article1, article2, Facebook, Lady Pink and the Brick Lady, Brick Woman Reclining, Brick Man and Brick Woman (Denver, CO, 2008)

Summary:

Artist(s): Lady Pink
Address: Library St & Jones Ave
City: Braddock
Zip: 15104

PghMurals@gmail.com
Twitter: @PghMurals

Neighborhood Portraits by Swoon

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

These portraits of local residents were done by Swoon as a part of her own Points of Interest program, where she invited several artists to town and gave them each a location to work with. In this underpass there are only the two portraits done right now, but there are several other panels that have been painted with the blue background. We suspect that there may be additions here in the future.

UPDATE
October 2014
We’ve been riding back to all the artwork we discovered over the past two years to check on it. When we made it out to see this underpass, we discovered that a new panel had been added:

We found information on this portrait of a man named Henderson (a crane operator in the steel mill) on the artist’s Facebook page:

This portrait tracing the history of the steel industry in Braddock was inspired by a subject in the excellent documentary, "Struggles in Steel" created by two beloved Braddock artists, Ray Henderson and Tony Bubba. It's an incredibly moving film, and anyone interested in the struggles of black Americans for equality in the mills should check it out. Here's a clip: http://vimeo.com/52101300

The above section of this mural is from NeeNee in Braddock. Again, from the artist’s Facebook page, she describes it as

This is a drawing of a young lady named Neenee who lives in Braddock and helped out with the creation of the original scale model of the church building that we're using to model out examples for the tiles and other creative renovations. The rest of the imagery within the drawing is various angles of the church, inside and out, and street views of the block at Jones and Hawkins St. This print is up on our Braddock Tiles kickstarter now.

...the first in a series of portraits created out of my work in Braddock, PA. This town, like so many devastated by the collapse of it's industry and the toxic effects left behind by the factories, is working to recover a way of life that is sustainable, and to discover new ways to value the pieces that have been left behind. All proceeds from this print will go towards rehabilitating a formerly abandoned church to become an arts based learning center, as well as a beautiful public landmark.

Huge, Metal, Corrugated Warehouse by Maya Hayuk

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

Maya Hayuk came to Braddock as part of Swoon’s Points of Interest program. She says her artwork has been influenced by her Ukrainian background and in an ETSY.TV video she describes her outdoor work as a collaborative environmental work, where I’m working with an environment to enhance it, or further it, or jam with it or have fun with it. She goes on to say that her public art is meant to provide a revitalization of spirit and that what makes a public art piece different is how it becomes part of the lives of the people that live with it.

We found conflicting information on a title for this mural, so we can't say the title we've supplied is definitely the correct one.

Summary:

Artist(s): Maya Hayuk
Address: 800 Block of Talbot Ave
City:Braddock
Zip Code:15104

PghMurals@gmail.com
Twitter: @PghMurals

Wild Style Graffiti by 30 artists

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

The Ohringer Building was once a furniture store. Now it looks to be positioned as the keystone to local revitalization. In 2009 Braddock REDUX purchased the eight story building. They're attempting to turn it into a combination commercial and living space offering low cost accommodations. They’re using green building techniques in the renovations, and the Braddock Youth Project has begun plantings on the new green roof.

With all of his efforts to help improve conditions in Braddock, it's understandable that Mayor Fetterman would have some misgivings about a project to cover the old store with traditional graffiti. While working to keep the public art in the area controversy–free (no political themes, no controversial colors or anything to promote conflict), the mayor did agree to allow more than 30 artists (some local, some from out of town) free reign at this one location for sort of a painting party one weekend.

The graffiti that was across the front of the building as part of this art project is no longer there. The sides, however are still covered.

Summary:

Artist(s): Multiple
Address: 640 Braddock Ave
City:Braddock
Zip Code:15104

PghMurals@gmail.com
Twitter: @PghMurals

Tribute to Walt Andrews - artist unknown

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

Louis Greenwald bought this market/butcher shop back in 1967. In 2010 he had this mural painted on the side of the building in honor of one of his employees. Walt Andrews was celebrating 18 years working there and Louis Greenwald wanted to mark the occasion.

Summary:

Artist(s): B.J.A.
Address: Braddock Ave at 6th St
City:Braddock
Zip Code:15104

PghMurals@gmail.com
Twitter: @PghMurals

Road to Recovery by multiple artists

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

We found this mural on the side of the Turtle Creek Mental Health Offices. Standing close to it we were having a hard time makin out the letterform, but once we stepped back we were able to get the message: Road to Recovery. While we were puzzling over it, a woman from the offices came out and noticed our interest. She explained that the artists were clients and thier initials were interwoven with the design in the mural. If you look closely at the stone blocks on the bridge you can see them.

Summary:

Artist(s): Multiple
Address: 723 Braddock Ave
City:Braddock
Zip Code:15104

PghMurals@gmail.com
Twitter: @PghMurals

Andrew Carnegie mural by Lisa Whitney

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

The first Carnegie Library (of more than 1,600 eventually built) is adorned with this Warhol–like mural of it's founder on the side of the building. Lisa Whitney created this mural for the United Way Day of Caring around 2006. The library wasn’t sure of the date, but gave us an approximate time frame.
This library first opened in 1889, closed in 1974, and reopened again in 1982.

Summary:
Artist(s): Lisa Whitney
Address: 419 Library St
City:Braddock
Zip Code:15104

PghMurals@gmail.com
Twitter: @PghMurals

Welcome to Historic Braddock by Anthony Purcell

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

There used to be a metal sign with this image on it hanging on this same building. It was vandalized, removed and replaced with this mural which is about four times the size of the original sign. We ran into Anthony Purcell as he was beginning the mural in early Oct 2012.

Mr Purcell has done several of the new murals in Braddock. He told us that a lot of the murals in Braddock are an effort to revamp historical signs and give them new life. They're historic, pro-business, not political, nostalgic, and they promote a sense of community and pride in local industry. Win-win.
UPDATE
October 2014
We found a copy of this sign on the side of the mayor’s home/future Superior Motors restaurant.

Coordinates for this copy at: 40.397931,-79.860341

Summary:
Artist(s): Anthony Purcell
Address: Braddock Ave across from 8th
City:Braddock
Zip Code:15104

PghMurals@gmail.com
Twitter: @PghMurals

For Nyia by James Simon

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

In 2011 the Braddock community center opened with the name The Nyia Page Braddock Community Center. Anyone living in Pittsburgh has heard and probably wept over the tragic murder of the beautiful toddler in 2007.

This sculpture stands in front of the center as further memorial to the child that the whole community – the whole Pittsburgh region – mourned. Again, James Simon worked with the Braddock Youth Project to create this mosaic butterfly. The sculpture bears the inscription: I only ask to be free. The butterflies are free. Charles Dickens

Summary:

Artist(s): James Simon
Address: 416 Library St
City:Braddock
Zip Code:15104

PghMurals@gmail.com
Twitter: @PghMurals