We have quite a lineup of talent and fun community events ahead this summer starting with this Saturday’s Penn Avenue Arts in Motion in Garfield. We’ll be there on Saturday, June 15th on Penn Ave between Atlantic and Pacific Avenues from 12 – 6 pm. Learn more and meet our artists in this post.

Saturday, June 15th 12 – 6 pm Penn Avenue Arts in Motion

Find a few I Made It! Market artists enjoying a day at Marty’s Market

Sunday, June 16th 10 am – 3 pm Marty’s Market

We look forward to this Friday night at Schenley Plaza all year long. This is one unique event that really, truly shows the good stuff Pittsburghers are made of — enjoy a night of great music and socializing at WYEP’s Summer Music Festival.

Friday, June 28th, 4 pm – ? WYEP Summer Music Festival

Our fans are such stanch supporters of local artisans and we appreciate your support of local small independent businesses as well – so we jumped at the chance to partner with Think Shadyside to celebrate the hard working businesses that make this neighborhood an arts and unique shopping & eating destination.

Sunday, June 30th, 11 am – 6 pm INDEPENDENTS Days

INDEPENDENTS Days celebrates the fantastic independent small businesses throughout Shadyside. Find IMI artists on Highland and Ellsworth Avenues and on Walnut Street on Sunday, June 30th. Learn more on Facebook or on the Think Shadyside blog.

I Made It! Market, 11am-4pm
Over 30 independent makers will come to Shadyside for a market in 3 locations:

• Main hub: 2-level parking garage behind Salon 5844 on Ellsworth Avenue
• Parklet between American Apparel and Victoria’s Secret on Walnut Street
• In front of Oh Yeah! Coffee & Ice Cream on South Highland Avenue

Next, we’re gearing up for JULY!

Get to know small town Western PA and the history of Ambridge by touring Old Economy Village for FREE, enjoy a vintage car show, community parade, don’t miss the beautiful antique and garden shops of this town’s mainstreet and find 10 I Made It! Market artists joining in the celebration of Americana.

Saturday, July 6 10 am – 3 pm Ambridge Festival

SouthSide Works Exposed!!!!

Friday, July 12th 5 pm – 10 pm
Saturday, July 13th 12 pm – 10 pm
Sunday, July 14th 12 pm – 5 pm

Sunday, July 21st 10 am – 3 pm Marty’s Market

Sunday, July 28th 12 pm – 4 pm Bakery Square Sunday Marketplace

Sunday, August 18th 10 am – 3 pm Marty’s Market & Wigle Whiskey

We’re excited to meet you at Penn Avenue Arts in Motion on Saturday, June 15th from 12 pm – 6 pm on Penn Avenue in Garfield.

{About the event from our partner, Penn Avenue Arts Initiative}

Join us for our celebration of Art, Music, Penn Avenue, the East End, and Pittsburgh. The Penn Avenue Arts District has seen many changes in the past five years and we are on the verge of some bigger ones to come. Come to celebrate our transitions, learn about the amazing businesses that operate on our street, and enjoy the entertainment that we have planned for you! There will be entertainment that should please just about anyone, big or small.
(view more including the entertainment line-up below our artist list)

Find out more on Facebook.

Meet our Artists

An entrepreneur before she knew the word’s meaning, Alyssa Truckenbrod is no stranger to the Do-It-Yourself idealism that we at I Made It! Market cherish. Her mother took pains to foster Alyssa’s creative and free-spirited nature during her daughter’s childhood, and as a result of this support, Ms. Truckenbrod grew into a truly self-made craftswoman, still grateful for her family’s support and love. Asked about her proclivity for crafting and making high quality products, she explains, “someone else thinks about going to the store to buy something, [but] the first thing that pops into my head is how I can make it.” It is this independent flair and dedication to quality that define As I Am Naturals as an indispensable contribution to our artist community, and indeed the Pittsburgh community as a whole.

Ms. Truckenbrod is not lacking in motivation for creating natural skincare products. She sees potential product ideas in the world around her:  “Nature inspires me.  Poetry inspires me.  Ordinary people just being themselves, doing the best they can each day inspire me,” she clarifies. Her passion is clearly reflected in her products, which boast delicious scents, soothing herbs, and the loving care Alyssa puts into their creation. She describes her soaps as “a combination of emollient oils which are gentle and moisturizing to your skin, essential oils for the body, mind and spirit, and sometimes a little secret spice to exfoliate the skin.”

What sets the As I Am Naturals name apart from other face and body lines is it’s allegiance to customer satisfaction, integrity of ingredients, and consistent to quality. She also strives to promote sustainable business, noting, “All my products truly are 100% natural.  I use recycled papers for labels, and sustainable and fair trade ingredients.” Also unique to this crafter is the fact that she blends multiple artistic genres, going far beyond just the natural soaps and lotions that she is known for. “I didn’t realize that I would be wearing so many hats!” she laughs. “I am constantly learning how to do so many new things and being challenged out of my comfort zones…being challenged into new territory can be really exciting.”

When asked about people who support her, she is quick to gush about her amazing customers, who she always looks to for input, questions, and comments. She is also grateful about the Pittsburgh community and the support that the city gives to local artists. Not one to leave any contributors unmentioned, Ms. Truckenbrod thanks I Made It! for the support and resources we give our crafters. She gushes, “I was and still am amazed at how generous they are with artists…they go out of their way to help and promote their artists for shows.”

Though her brand has come incredibly far since its conception only four years ago, the future only looks brighter for this optimistic young artist. She strives to “support other women entrepreneurs and give back” to the IMI community that has helped her come so far. Asked for any words of inspiration she’d give to upcoming artists, she expounds, “Don’t be afraid to work hard for something you love. Don’t be afraid to be yourself –to not fit in –to be original. That’s what sets you apart. That’s what the world is waiting for.”

Marty’s Market & Wigle Whiskey on Sunday, May 19th
11 am – 3 pm  

We can’t wait for SUNDAY, MAY 19th when 35 I Made It! Market Artists  pop up INSIDE and OUTSIDE of Wigle Whiskey and Marty’s Market.

This MAP will lead you right to us on Smallman St in the Strip District.

Meet the Artists

It’s a special Sunday in the Strip as fantastic I Made It! Market artists create a handmade bazaar in front of
Marty’s Market and inside (and outside) of Wigle Whiskey.  If you haven’t yet had the chance to visit either business (this would be a great time to change that) or if they are your favorite places to visit, make sure to
mark your calendar for Sunday, May 19th.

Marty’s Market is a unique food market, cafe, and coffee bar.
Wigle Whiskey is a whiskey distillery creating spirits with local ingredients and a copper pot.

Enjoy a delicious coffee and breakfast at Marty’s, tour Wigle, taste their unique whiskeys and gin, and shop from 40 local artisans who can’t wait to meet you.
We call that one perfect Sunday!

I Made It! Jr. & Healthy Living

Join us this Saturday, April 20th (Earth Day) for I Made It! Jr & Healthy Living at Bakery Square from 12 – 4 pm.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure to find us INSIDE a space by Jimmy John’s and OUTSIDE by Coffee Tree Roasters! Fifty artists will have a variety of wonderful handmade wares for you to discover.

 MEET THE MAKERS

I Made It! Jr. pops back into Bakery Square on Saturday, April 20th from 12 – 4 pm for a market filled with lovelies made for our littlest friends and family members. We will be both INSIDE a space near Jimmy John’s and OUTSIDE near Coffee Tree Roasters. 

Find clothing, accessories, art prints, toys, plush, cards, backpacks, gift items, and more all locally crafted and handmade. 

This event also features healthy living options including natural bath and body products, beautiful ceramic kitchenware, repurposed and green housewares, organic clothing, vegan baked goods and more. 

IMI Jr/Healthy Living is a part of the 2nd Annual BkSq Family Fun in the Square from Noon-3pm featuring live music by DJ Matt Donnelly and the kid-friendly entertainment duo The Gab and Josh Show. 

Family Fun in the Square is an afternoon of balloon twisters from Airheads Balloons, a special I Made It! Market Jr. featuring handmade items for kids and babies and healthy living products. BkSq and Farm to Table Pittsburgh will be hosting family friendly activities, and Franktuary and BRGR Food Trucks will be on-site as well! 

Guests over 21 can enjoy beer for a suggested donation that will benefit the Pittsburgh Three Rivers Kids Marathon & Kids of STEEL program! Family Fun in the Square is a FREE all ages event. We hope to celebrate Earth Day together at BkSq! 

ABOUT BAKERY SQUARE:

 Bakery Square is a new mixed-use development located in the East End neighborhood of Pittsburgh, built out of the existing site of the historic Nabisco Factory. Offering an exciting lifestyle center environment while hosting numerous free events to connect with its neighbors and guests, Bakery Square is home to Google, UPMC, Anthropologie, Free People, LA Fitness, Panera Bread, Coffee Tree Roasters, Learning Express Toys, Jimmy Johns, Springhill Suites Marriott Hotel, Massage Heights, Verizon Fios, Nuance Communications, University of Pittsburgh, Veteran Administration, the newly opened TechShop, and coming soon Social bar and restaurant.

www.facebook.com/bakerysquare
www.bakery-square.com

Meet our newest I Made It! Market intern, Emma Eisenbrandt! 

Hello! My name is Emma Eisenbrandt and I am a senior at California University of Pennsylvania. I am a Fine Art major and a Tourism Studies minor. On campus I run two clubs as vice president, The Ballroom & Latin Dance Club and the Travel Club. I hold a work-study position as a research assistant for Cal U and the Gettysburg Visitors & Convention Bureau. I am also the team founder/captain of a Relay for Life team, Art & Sole (Create, Fight, Save A Life!).

I spend most of my free time getting covered in clay in the ceramics studio, studying photography, and doing an array of artsy things as well as spending every minute I can outside in the wilderness. Graduation is less than a month away and I am in the search for an event planning job that will challenge my skills and expand my knowledge.

Working with I Made It! Market has been more than I ever hoped for in an internship and I appreciate every opportunity I get to work with the amazing artists that are associated with this company. I look forward to my future and all the experiences and opportunities that lay ahead of me. Thank you I Made It! Market for helping me on my path.

Find us next:

April 13 & 14: Tanger Outlet’s Washington’s A Taste & Style Experience.

Learn more and meet our artists. 

April 20: I Made It! Jr. / Healthy Living at Bakery Square.

Learn more and meet our artists.

Local screen printers kick off t-­shirt season with a sale, art and local food on Friday, April 5. 

PITTSBURGH, PA – March 26 –Celebrate the return of t–‐shirt season with screen printers The Cotton Factory and TeeRex Syndicate during Unblurred on Friday, April 5. This event is part of the GA/GI Festival, which celebrates eco–‐technology and the arts.  Attendees can add a unique flair to their warmer weather wardrobe with our irrationally affordable, hand–‐printed tees by local designers. New 2013 designs will be available. Buy 2 regularly priced tees and get one of equal or lesser value FREE!!! We will also be hosting several local guests who will provide fun, food and information about the Green Arts and Green Initiative movement! Learn more here: http://gagi4.blogspot.com/

April 5th special guests will include:

•cityLAB 6% Place is a non–‐profit organization that performs experiments with the city as their laboratory. Experiments are chosen to seed economic development, attract talent, create a buzz and effect positive change in the city, from both inside and outside. cityLAB is a do tank not a think tank. http://www.citylabpgh.org/experiments/six–‐percent–‐place/

•From 8:00pm to 10:30pm, artist Felipe Castelblanco collaborates with Iontank to create a public intervention in front of our studio. Featuring experimental video works by 10 Pittsburgh–‐based multimedia artists, the intervention will take over the facades of empty buildings and turn the surrounding architecture into a cinematic surface for large video projections. http://www.felipecastelblanco.com/

•Brassero Grill will provide a variety of Mexican tacos or burritos served fresh from their trailer outside the studio (veggie and vegan options always available). https://www.facebook.com/brasserogrill

•Dozen Bakeshop will be here to satisfy your sweet tooth with cupcakes (of course!) and an array of other baked goods from their truck outside the studio (veggie and vegan options always available). http://dozenbakeshop.com/

Along with these special guests, The Cotton Factory and TeeRex Syndicate will provide while–‐you- ‐ wait tees, and East End Brewery Beer. $5 will get you a brand new tee with one of the many transfer designs to choose from, pressed right before your very eyes. The Pittsburgh Tote Bag Project is always in need of new or gently used totes. Donations of tote bags, canned foods, hygiene products or pet goodies will be accepted. Anyone who donates will be entered to win a free tee from our shop http://tote4pgh.blogspot.com/ 

About TeeRex Syndicate: TeeRex hand prints quality apparel with original designs created by a devoted staff of local designers. The TeeRex items found in the storefront are unique, experimental one-­offs that can’t be found in their online store, CottonFactory.com. Based in Pittsburgh, PA TeeRex often partners with local groups such as the Penn’s Corner Farm Alliance, Hello Bully, Rabbit Wranglers, Bike Pittsburgh and more.  TeeRex’s studio is located at 5440 Penn Ave. 

TeeRex Syndicate: www.teerex.com | @teerexsyndicate | mf@cottonfactory.com

The Cotton Factory: www.cottonfactory.com | @Cotton_Factory | mf@cottonfactory.com

What do you do when sewing instruction seems to be falling out of fashion? If you are Tameka Reed, you found Urban Stitches, a sewing studio that offers lessons and a space for private events (with or without the use of machines). Located in Monroeville, Tameka opened Urban Stitches doors in March and has several classes for the month and April open for registration.

A graduate of the Clarissa School of Fashion Design Institute, Tameka wished to work as an instructor at Peabody (her alma mater) when to her dismay she learned that sewing instruction was no longer offered. Not wanting to let a useful skill and hobby fall out of popularity, this avid seamstress’ plan is for Urban Stitches to offer a one-stop-shop for all of your sewing needs. Within the year, Urban Stitches will offer hard-to-find sewing goodies and have a weekly sewing social. Tameka has designed a special curriculum for younger students as well.

With more than 20 years of sewing experience, Tameka enjoys creating reproductions of her favorite vintage fashions with a modern twist. And she knows how important sewing skills can be – “About an hour before I was to be picked up to attend my college graduation I burned a hole in my gown!  Fortunately the gown was a bit big anyway so I sewed two “decorative” seams down either side of the back. Talk about anxiety!” Urban Stitches not only will provide instruction, but also space rental. If your machine malfunctions during a project you can rent machine time and finish that fabulous fashion.

“My goal is for Urban Stitches to be a social sewing studio, where people come not just to learn a new skill, but to enjoy being around like-minded crafty people.  Sewing is so much fun, but it can be a lonely craft,” and with a new venue like Urban Stitches, Tameka will make sure that we are all having fun!

Check out Urban Stitches for yourself with this recent Groupon:

http://www.groupon.com/deals/urban-stitches?pt=aUVGvczAAAACgATEi2hP2naffW2APy82h

Pittsburgh Center for the Arts SHOP ARTIST SUBMISSIONS

Submissions must be post marked by Friday April 19, 2013. 

The Shop at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts will be screening artwork by new consignment artists to complement the existing mix of work currently represented. Because the Shop receives many requests from those who wish to show with us, we ask that interested artists submit to our digital screening for review.  As our main focus during business hours is to represent and promote the artwork we currently have available, please be aware that PCA Shop staff will not review artwork on a walk-in basis. Artists living or working within a 150-mile radius of the Center are invited to submit for consideration. We appreciate your interest in submitting your artwork to the Shop at PCA!

About:

Pittsburgh Filmmakers/Pittsburgh Center for the Arts is committed to the artist and the advancement of artistic excellence in visual arts.

Pittsburgh Center for the Arts

Founded in 1945, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts is a non-profit community arts campus that offers arts education programs and contemporary art exhibitions, providing services and resources for individual artists throughout Western Pennsylvania. The Center is where the community can create, see, support, and learn about visual arts. In January 2006, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts merged with Pittsburgh Filmmakers.

Pittsburgh Filmmakers

Founded in 1971, Pittsburgh Filmmakers is a nonprofit corporation designed to encourage the creation and understanding of media for noncommercial artistic and literary purposes. To this end, Filmmakers offers a curriculum of courses in film, video, and photography to university and independent students in the Pittsburgh region. Filmmakers also exhibit the work of prominent photographers and filmmakers in its two galleries, Melwood Screening Room, Regent Square Theater and Harris Theater. A key component of Filmmakers’ mission is to provide equipment access and funding for independent media artists.

The Shop at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts is a consignment gallery. Current Members of Pittsburgh Filmmakers/Pittsburgh Center for the Arts are eligible for 55% artist/45% PCA commission split of the retail sales price; Non-Members receive a 50% artist/50% PCA commission split.

Selection Process:

Quality of work as well as the diversity of the work in comparison to existing inventory will drive the screening committee’s decisions. We are particularly interested in the artists overall “hand” in the creation of the finished work (i.e. artists must be creating elements of finished design, as opposed to decorating or embellishing purchased readymade objects).

Notification of selection results will be mailed by May 3, 2013.

Additional work or information may be requested for review.

How to Apply:

Please complete the enclosed submission form, including a printed copy of the transcript of works as well as an artist bio.

Mail or drop off (at front desk) completed applications to:

The Shop @ Pittsburgh Center for the Arts

6300 Fifth Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15232

T: 412.361.0873 x 303

F: 412.361.8338

Name 

Street Address

City State Zip code

Daytime phone Evening Phone

E-mail website 

Include with this submission form:

1. Documentation: Artists must include no more than 10 visual digital images or other samples of their work for consideration.

CD/DVD: 2D, 3D and multimedia works can be submitted on CD/DVD

Digital images must be in .jpg format no larger than 2MB, set to 300 DPI, and no smaller than 4” on its shortest side.

All images should correspond to the transcript of works.

Filename must be as follows: artist’s last name, number as listed on transcript of works and title. For example: smith-01-titleofwork.jpg

DVD must be formatted for viewing with QuickTime™ Version 7.1.2, Player Version 7.1.2.

Disc should be labeled with the artist’s name.

Video: Labeled (artist name, title) and encased DVD will be accepted for multimedia works. Please have a five-minute segment for preview.

2.Transcript of Works: Include artist’s name, and list the following for each entry: title of work, medium, dimensions, year created, and suggested retail price. Include a detailed description of process and materials used. 

3. Digital copy of transcript of works and digital copy of artist bio as either PDF or Word documents.

*Application materials will not be returned.

For additional information contact:

Tiffany Whitfield, Shop Manager
twhitfield@pittsburgharts.org
412-361-0873 ext. 308