Demystifying the Arts |
May in Motion: A Glimpse of Pittsburgh’s Creative Pulse
When I first began writing Demystifying the Arts, the intention was simple: expand perspectives about the arts sector, create more points of access, and celebrate the individuals and organizations shaping the cultural life of our region. Over time, as federal actions began threatening funding for the arts and humanities, the column evolved into a platform for advocacy, one that I leaned into with urgency and purpose.
That advocacy isn’t going away. In fact, it’s growing.
To meet the continued need for clear, timely advocacy, the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council will soon launch a dedicated monthly Advocacy Newsletter, a centralized source for issues and opportunities impacting the arts and humanities, locally and nationally. (Sign up for our email list here to make sure you're subscribed!)
With this shift, Demystifying the Arts will return to its original purpose: reflection, storytelling, and perspective-building. It will also move from a bi-weekly to a monthly format so that I can take the time to write with more depth, and you can take the time to read with more curiosity.
Thanks, as always, for following along.
Each year, when spring rolls around, it’s not just the trees and flowers that bud and bloom. Our arts sector does too, bursting with vibrancy as events ramp up in anticipation of warmer days. Starting in late spring and continuing through the summer months, the pace of activity across the region becomes almost dizzying. It’s a season when artists, organizations, and communities come alive in full color, and May was no exception.
I began the month at WQED’s Fred Rogers Studio for a preview of HORSES & FOXES, a multidisciplinary performance created by Annie Hui-Hsin Hsieh, Veronica Santiago Moniello, and Heidi Wiren Kébé. Blending choreographed movement, installed objects, controlled lighting, and live sound processing, the work explores how patriarchal societies frame women as both powerful and dangerous. It’s an evocative piece that probes the thresholds of power and control with intensity and nuance.
That same week, I attended the opening reception for Determined to Be at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, a powerful exhibition celebrating the life and work of sculptor John Rhoden. Presented in partnership with the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the show traces Rhoden’s journey from rural Alabama to international cultural ambassador, revealing a lifelong devotion to craft, curiosity, and bold experimentation.
On May 8, just a few blocks from my apartment in Lawrenceville, I visited my neighbor Rob on Ligonier Street. Years ago, after the house next to his was torn down, Rob transformed the vacant lot into Bumblebee Beach—a whimsical micropark centered around a novice mural. The mural was Rob’s way of bringing the beach to his own backyard. The original version featured more than 3,800 hand-painted bees, each one a joyful tally. Now, following the recent passing of his wife, Rob is refreshing the mural in her memory.
On May 10, I started my morning at the Union Project for its annual Mother of All Pottery Sales. Featuring more than 40 regional ceramic artists, the event offered a full day of artist interactions, clay demonstrations, and hands-on activities. It was a wonderful opportunity to support working ceramicists and experience the vibrant creative energy that Union Project continues to foster through its programs and artist community.
Later that day, I made my way to Schenley Park for Pittonkatonk. What began as a radical idea in a Pittsburgh park over a decade ago has evolved into one of the most joyful, liberating, and community-rooted music festivals in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Conceived as a brass-powered, genre-bending, barrier-breaking, all-ages celebration of music, activism, and collective care, Pittonkatonk transforms the park into a people’s stage. Bands from around the world perform side by side with local legends, youth musicians, and culture-bearers from across Pittsburgh’s diverse communities. No barriers. No ticket prices. No VIPs. Just a day full of moments that remind you what it feels like to be part of something truly special.
Mid-month, I visited writer and illustrator Hanna du Plessis at her home, affectionately known as “the Oasis.” Originally from South Africa, Hanna came to Pittsburgh through a journey of deep personal transformation. Since her diagnosis with bulbar-onset ALS, Hanna has written daily using eye-tracking technology. Her recently published book, Bedsores & Bliss, offers profound reflections on life and loss with both humor and clarity. Her creative spirit is a force, and her presence is a grounding experience.
On May 22, I had the joy of previewing Catching Sunbeams from the Porch Swing of Wisteria Castle, a new exhibition by sculptor Atticus Adams at The Frick Pittsburgh. Installed inside the greenhouse, the show features 75 metal mesh sculptures, many adorned with prisms that shimmer in the natural light. The idea was first shared during a studio visit last fall, when Atticus spoke of his longtime dream to create an installation in a greenhouse. The very next day, I connected him with The Frick, and less than seven months later, that aspiration became reality. Deep gratitude to The Frick’s leadership for embracing and supporting Atticus’ vision.
And all of this happened in just one month. That’s the brilliance of the arts in Pittsburgh. It’s a vibrant, ever-evolving tapestry of creativity, spanning disciplines and mediums, shaped by individuals fiercely committed to their craft and stewarded by organizations that care deeply about the people they serve. It’s layered and rooted in relationships. Artists imagine, organizations make space, and communities respond with presence and care. Time and again, beauty finds a way to bloom, right here in our own backyard.
Until next time.