Fox Way Murals - South Side Community Mural Project by multiple artists

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The South Side Community Council initiated a plan in partnership with South Side Flats residents to create 10 murals celebrating the history of the neighborhood. The first four murals completed in the South Side Community Murals Project were done along the 2000 block of Fox Way in the fall of 2017.

Prior to this project, this alley was pretty much an eyesore. Garbage cans and graffiti made an unwelcoming atmosphere. One of the objectives of filling this passage with art is to create an inviting route for people to explore the neighborhood on foot or bike. Another was simply to reduce offensive graffiti and embrace some of our tallented, local artists, giving them an “authorized” canvas to display their art on.

The first of the four murals here was actually completed earlier in the year with a helping hand from the Hemispheric Conversations Urban Art Project. In Apr 2017, artists KIF, Orion (Orion Ramirez) and WES (J. Weslly Manrique) from León, Mexico were in town for Hemispheric Conversations Urban Art Project at the Carrie Furnace. The South Side's Graffiti Watch group was offered the opportunity to have these artists create something for them. A collage of images from Pittsburgh's history - done with a bit of a Latin American flavor - became the first authorized mural for the new South Side mural project. This first attempt at sprucing up the Fox Way alley made a big impact, and helped inspire the community to expand on the idea.

In October there was an all out assault on the remaining walls along Fox Way. Three intriguing murals were done by local artists. The four murals running from West to East along the block are:

Untitled by Michael Walsh. Photo by Steve Root.

Untitled by J. Weslly Manrique, Orion Ramirez, and KIF. Photo by Kelly Carter.

“Dollar Store Daydream” by Matt Spahr.  Photo by Kelly Carter.

“Summer Snow in the Sugar Mine Mirror” by Cameron Clayton.  Photo by Kelly Carter.

Flags in All States Mural Project by Scott LoBaido

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In a seven month tour of the country, New York artist Scott LoBaido is painting a US flag mural on one VFW or American Legion Post in each state. For Pennsylvania he chose VFW Post 6675 on the Southside and created the artwork in July 2015.

Mr LoBaido is famous for his flag murals. In the past he did a 50 Flags Across America series leaving a mural on one rooftop in each state. His goal on that project was to leave a flag where our veterans could see it as they flew off and returned from service. It was a thank you to them. This project is like a sequel in that he still wants to show gratitude to the people who have served our country. Now the murals are being placed where our veterans will see them from the streets where they live. A reminder that someone remembers their service and thanks them for it.

HeART this City by Ed Trask

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Riding through Point State Park we came across artist Ed Trask working on this temporary mural. He was happy to talk with us and explained that it was part of an Alternative Spring Break project sponsored by American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) and the Student Conservation Association (SCA).

AEO and SCA have been organizing these conservation projects for seven years now. This year’s theme is HeART This City and student volunteers have taken on projects in San Francisco, New Orleans, Chicago and here in our own backyard. In each location the volunteers work to improve parks or to accomplish other conservation efforts. Along side the students, they’ve brought in established artists to create murals promoting the theme. Ed Trask was the artist assigned to Pittsburgh, and given the task of creating a graphic image to represent the project.

Mr Trask said his initial idea was something that showed more of the history of the area – specifically the dichotomy of how the steel industry was detrimental to the environment versus the incredible philanthropic contributions from the steel magnates. The CSA wanted a more simple graphic though. They asked for the image to include the HeART This City phrase and symbols or images for the city woven into the design and done with the city’s colors featured. So Mr Trask has started off featuring one of our iconic bridges. He’s filled the right side of the mural with the hypocycloids that we all immediately recognize from the Steelers logo (which was originally from the American Iron and Steel Institute and US Steel Corp). Other imagery symbolizes what Ed Trask calls the Creative Renaissance of Pittsburgh. He uses triangular shapes to represent the three rivers and superimposes them on top of gears that represent industrial Pittsburgh. He sees all the bike trails, green spaces and cultural venues as part of the renaissance. Former Pittsburghers returning home are participants in the transition and renewal of the city. In the center of the mural the tracks represent the strong railroad presence here and its contribution to industrial Pittsburgh. We, of course, see them as a symbol for the Rails to Trails program, which created the Great Allegheny Passage – which starts (or ends, depending on your perspective) at the Point – which is a part of that Creative Renaissance previously mentioned. (I love it when it all ties together!)

While the mural is under construction, the student volunteers have been busy planting native plants around Point State Park. The SCA is a conservation corps, working to protect and restore parks and green spaces across the country. In the past they’ve focused on National Parks for the spring break project, but this year have focused efforts in urban areas. Here in Pittsburgh they took on the task of restoring native plants to the historic Point. Working with some of Penn State’s Master Gardeners they removed invasive species and replaced them with 170 natives including winterberry, wild geranium, clethra and blueberries.

They were working hard on the landscaping improvements and we appreciate it!

The mural was due to be completed by late April of 2014. We took the above photos on the 26th but when we returned the morning of the 27th the mural was already gone.

In May 2014 we arrived at the Bike–Pgh Bike to Work Day commuter cafe station in front of American Eagle Outfitters buildings on the Southside and discovered that the completed mural had been relocated there. It was there for a few months and then removed.

Perfect Imperfections by Baron Batch

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Last year Thick Bikes expanded their shop and moved the entrance to the side along 15th St. It was a nice improvement on the layout for the store, but even with the bright, new entrance and clever use of plants in front it was easily swallowed up in the drab atmosphere of the narrow one way street. The old warehouse across from them with it's broken, boarded up windows and dreary tan facade overwhelmed the street with blah. This year the corridor was transformed. 15th Street is no longer just another narrow, brown and grey passage way with nothing to set it apart. This year it has art! Lots of art. Artist Baron Batch created a colorful, bright, exuberant corridor with his series of four elephants on the side of that old warehouse. There is no way you can travel down this road now and not notice them. The colors leap out and grab your attention immediately.

Baron likes elephants for several reasons and uses them often to represent community in his artwork.

Between the elephants, there are some words of wisdom and encouragement. So much of Mr Batch's art include uplifting elements and this series is no exception.

Update: Apr 2017

This mural is gone.  Baron Batch replaced this with a mural of butterflies.

Fredosaurus Rex Friday XIII by Karen Howell

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The dinosaurs from the Carnegie Museum’s DinoMite Days were all adopted and moved to their new homes years ago. A handful remain scattered around the city in public places and those are the ones we’ve included in this website.

Fredosaurus Rex Friday XIII should need no introduction. After all, like his namesake, he’s everybody’s neighbor! WQED studios is home to this much loved dino, just like they were home to Mr Roger’s neighborhood. I have to wonder how many children have stood in front of this dinosaur to have their picture taken.

Update 3 May 2014:
Even though Fredosaurus Rex graced the grounds of the WQED studios for 10 years, it belongs to the The Fred Rogers Company, who had offices in the studio’s building. In 2013 The Fred Rogers Company relocated to the Southside, and Fredosaurus Rex Friday XIII was sent to its creator for restoration. Karen Howell meticulously restored the dino to mint condition, even reinforcing the new trolley so it might hold up to the exuberant children who hang all over the sculpture.

Shepard Fairey Collage

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In 2009 Shepard Fairey had an exhibit at the Andy Warhol Museum on the North Side. Known originally for being a street artist, he posted artwork all around the city prior to the opening of the show. This was one of them. These wheat-paste pieces were never meant to last forever and many of them are in very poor condition now.

Mary Thomas of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes about the art show and the artist here, explaining some of these images and influences.

This collage consists of two background patterns and the following images (left to right, top to bottom):

• "Peace Guard" done in collaboration with Kai Regan
• "Mujer Fatal"
• "Kiss Me Deadly"
• "Commanda"
• "Obey Eye"
• "Global Warning"
• "Peace Fingers Black"

Update August 2014. This mural is gone.

Peace Goddess Burgundy by Shepard Fairey

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In 2009 Shepard Fairey had an exhibit at the Andy Warhol Museum on the North Side. Known originally for being a street artist, he posted artwork all around the city prior to the opening of the show. This was one of them. These wheat-paste pieces were never meant to last forever and many of them are in very poor condition now. As of 2015 this particular one was still in fairly good condition. It's the only one we found from that exhibit that was not a mix of multiple images. Here there are really only two of Shepard Fairey's patterns and Peace Goddess Burgundy dominates it.

Mary Thomas of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes about the art show and the artist here, explaining some of these images and influences.

Allegro by Stevo Sadvary

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Just across the street from the South Side Market House at Bedford Square, if you look on the sidewalk at the southeast corner you'll find Allegro. Named after the cafe that used to sit at that corner, the little mosaic fish adds a splash of whimsey and fun to the neighborhood.

Swimming Along by Stevo Sadvary

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This mural is tucked away in a passageway at the South Side Works. We initially had a difficult time finding it. Between the parking garage on 28th St and the shops on 27th St there's a walkway with a small courtyard and fountain. A covered passageway connects to 27th St and that's where you'll find Swimming Along.

The developer of this shopping complex loved mosaics and wanted something to enhance this passageway. The artist looked at it and wanted to show something that had movement, enchantment, and would tie in to the water feature of that fountain.

He accomplished this by staggering four mosaic scenes of colorful fish swimming along on either side of the covered passage.

Shepard Fairey Collage

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

In 2009 Shepard Fairey had an exhibit at the Andy Warhol Museum on the North Side. Known originally for being a street artist, he posted artwork all around the city prior to the opening of the show. This was one of them. These wheat-paste pieces were never meant to last forever and many of them are in very poor condition now.

Mary Thomas of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes about the art show and the artist here, explaining some of these images and influences.

There are six main images in this mural with two background designs. From left to right, top to bottom, titles for the main ones are:

• "Aung San Suu Offset"
• "Obey Offset"
• "Obey Eye"
• "Kiss Me Deadly"
• "Mujer Fatal"
• "Peace Bomber"

Faux Townhouse mural

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We were told about this one by a fellow cyclist. Although fairly simple in the artistry, we thought it was interesting. Especially the location in a Southside alley. We spoke with a neighbor to find out if he knew anything about it and he told us that one of his former neighbors was getting ready to sell his townhouse. He didn't think the big, blank wall across the street was any great selling point, so he painted the faux townhouses to increase his own curb appeal. Genius!

Gateway to Pittsburgh by Dawn Pogany, Jim Bristol

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The mural stretches along both sides of a ramp leading down to the Monongahela River where the Gateway Clipper Fleet docks. You can see parts of the mural from the Station Square Trail, which passes overhead. To really view it though, you need to walk down the ramp.

About halfway down on the right side there’s a plaque from the old Manchester Bridge. That was a bridge over the Allegheny River between The Point and the Northshore. (A pier from that same bridge is the one used for A Tribute to Children.) There’s another plaque from the John P. Moore Bridge and a decorative piece (all provided by Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation), but there’s no information to indicate where that coat of arms came from. The three small pieces of the city’s history are intwined with a huge mural depicting the history of this area from the late 1600’s to the start of the 21st century.

For anyone that has difficulty reading the narrative on the mural from the photographs, we’ve included the text verbatim below each section.

Gateway to Pittsburgh
Illustrated timeline of Pittsburgh 1682–2006

Kiasutha (Guyasuta) the Seneca Chief had a great hand in The French and Indian War. He helped the French defeat the British and also fought in the battle on Fort Pitt.
1682 The Fork in the Ohio

France and Britain fought extensively over The Fort in the Ohio, which was considered to be a strategic key to winning America.

This bridge was authorized in the bond issue of 1910 and replaces the union bridge which was an obstruction to navigation. The bridge is 2845 feet long and each river span is 531 feet. Construction was begun April 5 1911 under the administration of Mayor William A. Magee. It was opened to traffic August 9 1915 under the administration of... (lists mayor, engineer, contractors).

As I got down before the boat, I spent sometime in viewing the rivers, and the land in the fork...
George Washington

1759
Fort Pitt
Colonial Pittsburgh

Fort Pitt was greatly relied upon for the security of the settlements of colonial Pittsburgh. The fort also helped hold the territory for western exploration.

George Washington (1732–1799)
Commander and Chief of the Virginia regiment later he became the First President of the United States of America.

General John Forbes (1710–1759)
General Forbes is the man who named Pittsburgh.

1803 Lewis and Clark Expedition
The 8,00 mile, 28 month journey of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, better known as Lewis and Clark, began on August 31, 1803, on the Monongehela (sic) River near Pittsburgh Pennsylvania with two large, fully stocked keelboats.

1811
The New Orleans
Construction of the first steam ship, The New Orleans began by builder Robert Fulton.

1870
Glassmaking Industry
In the 1800’s South Side produced more glass than anywhere else in the United States.

1890
Pittsburgh
The Iron City

Out of the smoke and ash of the great fire of 1845, Pittsburgh emerged as an industrial haven at this time, Pittsburgh was a leader in the manufacturing of coal, glass, iron, steel and boat making.

During the beginning of the 1900’s coal barges and steamboats crowded the Monongahela due to the high demand for all the products produced in Pittsburgh.

1910
Pittsburgh The Industrial City

Due to the demand for iron and steel, the coal production of Pittsburgh grew tremendously. One third of the coal mined was turned into coke for the steelmills (sic), and the remainder was used as fuel.

On St Patricks Day, Monday, March 17, 1936, the rivers rose to 21.7 feet, two days later they rose 46 feet swallowing the point. In total, 3,000 people were injured, 100,000 lost homes and many had lost their lives.

1941
World War II

Pittsburgh in World War II was a key shipbuilder in America for the United States Navy. In a one week period before D–Day, 15 LST’s were built at Neville Island. Also during this time Pittsburgh was a massive steel producer.

1947
Pittsburgh Renaissance
At this time legislators passed a country–wide smoke regulation. Industries in Pittsburgh had to introduce cleaner means of production such as: non–smoke producing fuels, and stokers. This made for a dramaticly (sic) cleaner Pittsburgh.

Both the Pirates and the Steelers won championships in the year 1979. Pirates winning the World Series, and the Steelers winning the Super Bowl.

Gateway to the Future
Pittsburgh has expanded its industry base in recent years to include finance, technology, retail, education and medicine.