Moving day

oranje is moving to a new cyber home

I have been planning to move my blog for a while now. I have been screwing around with the layout, customizing things a bit, yadda yadda.

The only thing that has kept me here this last month is that I was waiting for the close of the Blogger Show and the demise of Digging Pitt Gallery.

Today is the last day for both the show and the gallery, so I'm moving on, in the Blogosphere and in meatspace.

So for all of my cyber visitors, check out my new digs, and don't forget to update your links!

and for all of my meatspace pals, you can find me at the Polish Hill Civic Association and at the brillobox.

God (or somebody with a lot more power than I have) bless John Morris. You're the best.

I can hear the swans singing

For the last two years, I have been working at Digging Pitt Gallery for John Morris. The gallery, and its operations, have been a major part of my life for that time. In two years, Digging Pitt has produced over thirty exhibits, not to mention artist talks, workshops and readings. The most recent exhibit, The Blogger Show, has been a monumental effort. It is also Digging Pitt's swan song.

In just two short weeks, the gallery will be closing its doors. We began handing work back to the artists in mid-December. With nearly two hundred artists represented in the flat file archive, this is proving to be as monumental a task as coordinating The Blogger Show.

Several people have lent their time and energy to the gallery in significant ways over the last two years that I have worked at the gallery. Jean McClung has been a tireless advocate, closely involved with gallery operations. Larry Swiech has, without fail, been available to assist with his presence when we needed an extra hand. When he was still living in Pittsburgh, Robert Franklin made himself available in a number of ways. There are many other people that have played a part in keeping the gallery alive, too many to catalog here. But please know that all of you have my gratitude for your kindness.

And so, we come to the end. But also to the beginning of this fine madness: John Morris.

Dear John,

Your tireless advocacy of Pittsburgh artists on their home ground is very much appreciated by a significant number of the gallery artists. Your vision cast light on a different path for many of them, encouraging many, and especially me, to consider other avenues. Your generosity in supporting and championing the visual arts is humbling.

Thank you, John Morris. You're a hero.

Sus

Interview with John Morris

Digging Pitt has a concept, a vision. John Morris, who opened the gallery two years ago, has impacted arts in Pitsburgh in ways that have gone unrecognized. I admire him for his courage in bringing this concept to Pittsburgh.

Serendipity has posted an interview with John. Take a litte minute and step over there.

Larryville Art Night -- Part I

On Saturday, we had a special presentation of new works by some of Digging Pitt's gallery artists. It was a wonderful evening, lots of great conversations and great art. Below are several images of Marci Gehring's Twelve Gates of the New Heaven and the New Earth. The work will be assembled at Digging Pitt Gallery in April.

These are new calloaborative works by David Gonzalez and Dyer Fieldsa.

From Left: Christiane D, Marci Gehring, David Grim and John Morris. I deep discussion about Christiane D's large-scale drawings.

Christiane D and Marci Gehring

Kyle Pattison and friends

Here's a better shot of Christane D's work. You could check Digging Pitt's online flat file roster to see better images. All of them have been uploaded.