Well, Hello !
Historically, the first Friday in April, and in recent years, the First Friday in May have been energized by the Geek Art/Green Innovators Festival (GAGI Fest).
In 2010, GAGI emerge as the first eco event of its kind in the city of Pittsburgh as part of World Environment Day. For 8 Years, with the Bloomfield Garfield Corporation, and many. many wonderful businesses and organizations on Penn, Team GA/GI's cutting edge format helped welcome the sunny season ahead and energize and raise the visibility of our phenomenal business district though shared space and resources for artists, eco programs and scientific projects. This year, is less themed and more Indy, but as usual, we sparkle like diamonds to showcase what Penn Avenue has become post renovation. If you haven't seen Penn Avenue's Unblurred lately, this event is not to be missed! Get there and be sure to give us your input for our final GAGI event next year!
SEE YOU THIS FRIDAY @ These Awesome Locations!
Start your journey at the PGH Glass Center (4752 Penn) and work your way towards Assemble (4824 Penn). Join BGC's May 4 Unblurred Page on Facebook/ Click here
--SUBSCRIBE FOR UPDATES to this blog--The Center for Structural Wellness
4708 Penn Ave
5-8pm
Studio and clinic tour of the building - Open House following days on Sat/Sun from 11-3pm with live demonstrations. Stop by and meet L' at the Center and learn a little about Structural Integration (Rolfing), RolfYoga and the Alexander Technique with Carolyn Johnston. L' is the only female Rolfer in the city - her specialities are focused on resolving chronic pain once and for all thru hands on work and movement. Special guest Erik Lawrence and his Sound Healing.
www.structuralwellnesscenter.com INST: structural_wellness_center FB: SIcenterpgh
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| Wellness Center (Facebook archives) |
Mocha Rose
4805 Penn Ave 15224-1301
6-9p
Mocha Rose is teaming up with local artist Ashley Cecil for the May 2018 Unblurred Art Crawl. Ashley Cecil is a local visual artist specializing in intricate paintings of flora and fauna. She translates her artworks into bold patterns for textile products made by hand in Pittsburgh. Ashley will have scarves and prints available and Mocha Rose’s pop-up plant and flower shop is back, featuring rare pre-potted dahlia plants and local fresh cut blooms. For more information check out Mocha Rose’s Facebook event page!
mocharose.com, instagram.com/mocharosepittsburgh, facebook.com/MochaRosePittsburgh, ashleycecil.com, www.instagram.com/ashleycecil, www.facebook.com/ashley.cecilpaulisick
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| Mocha Rose event |
Silver Eye Center for Photography
4808 Penn Avenue
7-9p
Auction Preview Exhibition in the lead up to our May 19, 2018 Benefit Auction. Come see all the lots that will be up for bidding ahead of time!
silvereye.org / @silvereyecenter
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| Silver Eye Photo preview for auction |
Level Up Studios
4836 Penn Ave
6-11pm
Founded by Mario Quinn, Patrick Everett, and Shaun Mbateng this space is a creative playground for the Collaborative Culture. Featured this Friday and exhibition including work by Amani Davis. 6-9 Exhibition 6-9 pm, Community Dance Party 9-11 pm
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| Art and Performance at Level up |
Assemble
4824 Penn Ave
6-10pm
Winners of a $50K GE grant---Join Carnegie Mellon’s Center for Architecture Explorations and Pittsburgh’s Architecture Learning Network to take part in an exploration of Pittsburgh neighborhoods and the people and spaces that define them. Recall memories, share ideas, discover opportunities, and see architectural designs for Pittsburgh neighborhoods by creative thinkers 6 – 60 years old.
http://assemblepgh.org/event/know-your-neighborhood-showcase/
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| Assemble event |
Arts & Crafts: Botanica & Occult Shop
4901 Penn Ave
4-11pm
With over 150 types of incense in stock, there's sure to be something for everyone! Also, come get your sage, oils, stones, and candle needs. Don't forget the Florida water! Take a selfie and tag us on FB (check in) or IG and get a free box of incense with any purchase!
www.artsncraftspgh.com www.facebook.com/artsncraftspgh@artsncraftspgh
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| Arts and Crafts Botanica and Occult Shop interior |
LOCAL 412
4901 Penn Ave
6-11pm
The Artist Formerly Known As Prints: Stock up on some amazing prints from Danielle Robinson for only $10 each! Check out some of her new pieces as well.
www.daniellerobinsonart.com @daniellerobinsonart www.local412pgh.com@local412pgh
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| Local 412 Promo |
Mixtape
4907 Penn Ave
2 pm to 2 am
Locally owned and operated cocktail lounge, proudly located in Pittsburgh's artistic Garfield district. Biggest name to fame: Employees are so well paid, no tipping is accepted!
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| A Mixtape mix |
Bantha Tea Bar
5002 Penn Avenue
6-9pm
Closing show of Artist Eryn Oberst on the walls, and the coolest tea bar atmosphere in Pittsburgh.
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| Bantha Permaculture Tea Bar |
The Irma Freeman Center for Imagination
5006 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh
7-10pm
Thoughts and Prayers Exhibition by Bob Ziller will touch on current events and include large scale paintings, sculpture, portraiture, landscapes and more.
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| Dazzleship by Bob Ziller |
ABSTRACT THEORY presents "The Lot"
5007 Penn Avenue
6PM til they shut us down!
Mc's, Dj's and Bands. Food. Music. Fun! Dancing Encouraged.
Spak Brothers Pizza
5107 Penn Avenue
Noon to 11 pm
Where there is always art on the walls to buy and some of the city best pizza, hoagies and sandwiches to eat! Play arcade games while U wait.
Creative Nonfiction Foundation (CNF)
5119 Coral Street
6:00 PM-9:00 PM
Writing Away the Stigma: Graduation + Reading
Join us for readings by nine Writing Away the Stigma fellows—Pittsburgh-area teens who have been diligently writing and revising true stories about mental illness. They’ll debut excerpts from their works-in-progress and begin sharing their personal stories with the community. Other speakers will include Alyssa Cypher, mental health specialist and founder of Inside Our Minds; Lee Gutkind, founder and editor of Creative Nonfiction magazine; and author and teacher Yona Harvey.
Door opens 6 PM with light refreshments. The program will begin promptly at 7PM.
*CNF is located one street off Penn Ave. between S. Evaline and S. Winebiddle.
Website: www.creativenonfiction.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/creativenonfiction
ICAG+MWFA
Int'l Children's Art Gallery & Most Wanted Fine Art
5022 Penn Ave
Jason Sauer is minding the ICAG store with impromptu art exhibitions. Have your work there by 6 pm on a First Friday and he will most likely hang it!
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| Jason Sauer. His Upcycled art car is featured at the top of this blog |
VaultArt Studio
5100 Penn Avenue
6-9pm
VaultArt Studio presents “Rat’s Nest,” a selection of dimensional objects including, but not limited to: a manila coffee cup, a kneeling horse, a pink Captain America, a Kirby vacuum cleaner, Mario holding a cube, a painted football, a red delicious apple, robotic arms, Captain Jack in pieces, a rattlesnake, Diana Ross, a lamb, and Herman Schuler's rat’s nest.
VaultArt Studio is a project of ACHIEVA, the only agency of its type in southwestern Pennsylvania that provides lifelong supports to individuals with disabilities and their families.
https://www.facebook.com/events/455191881602836/
https://www.instagram.com/vaultartstudio/
Bunker Projects
5106 Penn Ave
7-10pm
Blue Like Fortune is an exhibition of works by Jenna Kay Houston, Kasem Kydd, and Gray Swartzel curated by Reese McArdle. Through a mix of contemporary mediums including video, sculpture, photography, and installation the artists have transformed the Bunker Projects gallery - already once transformed from domestic space to art space - into a space for imaging possible futures.
www.bunkerprojects.org; twitter&IG @BunkerProjects
PULLPROOF Studio
5112 Penn Ave
7:00 pm-9:30 pm
Opening Reception for printmaker Doug Eberhardt. His solo show at PULLPROOF will feature silkscreen prints that combine traditional naturalist illustration with mysterious and ambiguous shapes and colors. They are meant to show the duality between the known and unknown. They explore the unseens possibilities of death and an afterlife. Their imagery uses vague occult themes but is meant to be mysterious and ambiguous.
The Clay Penn
5111 Penn Avenue
Enjoy the mosaics, and art work of gallery owner, Laura McLaughlin and work by other local and regional artists.
ARTica Retro and Antiques
5110 PennAvenue
6-9pm
Welcome our special Guest The Pittsburgh Center for the Arts! Learn about their new programs and projects....and buy cool retro, vintage and antique stuff! Also see work by guest artist June Kielty ARTica is open every Unblurred First Friday or by appointment. Like us on Facebook.
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| June Kielty's Return Kor Nature |
Metta: A Healing Arts Community
5118 Penn Ave. 2nd Floor
7-10pm
Alternative and holistic health services. Herbal Consultations, Massage, Reiki, Tarot, Tai Chi, Yoga, Meditation, Ecstatic Dance, Music, Art, Writing Circles, Psychotherapy, and Community
Workshop PGH
5135 Penn Ave
7-11pm
For May, we are hosting a May the 4th Star Wars themed night with Star Wars based art, fun and DIY projects. Submissions for the art show are open, please email for info.
-Live printing- Star Wars graphics with tees, totes and patches available to print. Feel free to BYO shirt!
-Coloring with Star Wars art- Since you're never too old for crayons.
- Astral, galaxy & space painting
- String Art- Chose a stencil and create your own string art. Millenium Falcon, no problem. Leah buns- you got it.
BOOM Concepts
5139 Penn Ave 15224
6-10p
“TIMECAPSULE”, Solo Exhibition by muralist, collage artist and designer Dakarai Akil, brings a message sent from the end of this century to the people of today, at BOOM Concepts 5/4-5/6.
https://www.facebook.com/events/157953784885653
People’s Indian Restaurant
5147 Penn Ave.
Indulge the munch monster in you! All you can eat dinner buffet 5pm to 9:30pm $14.95
5 - 9:00pm
Garfield Night Market
@ N. Pacific Ave & Penn Ave
6-10p
First Night Market of the season! Food, crafts, and fun for families on N. Pacific Avenue!
http://garfieldnightmarket.com/
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| Return of the Night Market @ May Unblurred |
LikeLike
205 North Evaline St
7-11p
International Playbor Day
Is play the antithesis of work? The videogames included in this exhibition confront the theme of labor from a variety of perspectives. Be part of a working class uprising, revel in white collar alienation, discover new types of emotional labor, shatter glass ceilings and gender bias, fantasize about a post-work society. Free entry....free games....You have nothing to lose but your chains!
likelike.org
BFG Cafe
5335 Penn Ave.
5:30-8p
Powerful! An all woman Show featuring works by Darsie Pusateri, Brenda Nackreiner, Milassa Alliston Rai and Mimi Jong. Order wonderful food from Greek menu! Vegetarian friendly!
Pittsburgh Glass Center
5472 Penn Ave
6-9pm
Join us for Hot Jam, a free open house featuring heat defying acts of art, glassblowing demonstrations! This is the last opportunity to see "Sharif Bey: Dialogs in Clay & Glass." Bey is internationally known for work that explores ways to pay respect to tradition, function, ornamentation and ceremony.
www.pittsburghglasscenter.org
KST Alloy Studios
5530 Penn Ave
8-11pm
Chill, vibe and dance the night away at KST’s Alloy Studios as with DJs and themed evenings. Unblurred at Alloy amplifies underrepresented voices to build a strong, active and vibrant community as part of first Fridays on Penn Avenue
For those of you who are new to GAGI's concept...here's a look at some past GA/GI festivals......
