Greensburg ArtsWalk will showcase art in many different forms

Apr. 26—The diversity of the local arts scene will be displayed during the annual Greensburg ArtsWalk, set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at various venues throughout the downtown area.

"Greensburg is an art city with arts schools and a major museum. ArtsWalk showcases this," said Pati Beachley, Seton Hill University professor of art and chair of the art and design department.

Anchor locations include Westmoreland Cultural Trust's Incubator for the Arts and Art in the Alley, The Westmoreland Museum of American Art and Seton Hill's Art Center and Performing Arts Center.

Activities and exhibits also are planned at Greensburg Hempfield Area Library, businesses and privately owned studios and galleries.

"The ArtsWalk highlights how the arts play such a vital role in healthy communities," Cultural Trust CEO April Kopas said. "Bringing free, accessible arts and entertainment to downtown is a great way for all generations to gather."

Before joining the trust, Kopas said, serving as an ArtsWalk volunteer showed her its impact on the surrounding area.

"We asked people where they were from and why they came. There wasn't one answer that was the same, so I understood the impact that it has," she said "It has a bigger reach than I ever imagined."

Visitors will be able to pick up a map for a self-guided walking tour to explore the work of local, regional and national artists offered at each stop.

Word art

"We're always happy to be part of these kinds of community events, and to challenge the longstanding, old view that libraries are just quiet places with books," said Jennifer Kiefer, GHAL head children's librarian. "That's not where libraries are anymore or where they're going."

The library has a longstanding partnership with Greensburg Art Center, which includes regular exhibitions of works by area artists, Kiefer noted.

"A lot of the events we offer to families, and to children especially, will have an art component," she said.

The library will offer various forms of word art, including blackout and magnetic poetry, word collage art and button-making.

At Mz. Jones' Curio, "we want to show people that it's not just a weird place with dead stuff on the walls," said owner Britney Jones. "We actually do some educational, fun, interesting things, and we want to show people who might not normally know about us what we have to offer."

The shop at 123 W. 3rd St. specializes in jewelry and decorative items made from ethically sourced and preserved animals and animal parts, along with an array of items for other esoteric interests. For a fee, visitors will be able to fill a vial with various natural materials.

Green Beacon Gallery will host a performance by the electronic duo, Telperion, along with a demonstration of homemade and modified electronic instruments.

"We'll let people play around with them," gallery co-owner Phil Harrold said.

The ArtsWalk brings new traffic to the gallery, which carries pieces by more than 200 local and regional artists and regularly hosts bands playing punk, emo, metal, indie rock and "plenty of noise shows," Harrold said.

Young artists

The Westmoreland Museum also will highlight something other than its collection of works by renowned American artists.

"For the last several years, the museum has showcased student artworks from local schools," public programs manager Hannah Vincent said. "We always strive to collaborate with and include local schools in our work and hear from the perspectives of today's youth."

Participating schools include Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center, Hempfield Area Senior High School, several Hempfield middle schools and Franklin Regional and Greensburg Salem middle schools. Mediums including painting, digital artwork, 3D artwork and poetry will be featured.

The Pit Take BBQ food truck will be in the museum's parking lot.

Food also will be available in the Helman-Ghrist parking lot on North Main Street, where the Cultural Trust will host an art show and sale, face-painting, a caricature artist and live music, including a performance by "America's Got Talent" veteran Aubrey Burchell.

Student musicians will perform throughout the day in the Seton Hill Performing Arts Center, while the Art Center will host an art exhibition and sale, along with art-making demonstrations and activities.

"It is an opportunity to invite the community into our space to see and to experience all the amazing things our students make," Beachley said. "I think a lot of people drive by our building and never get to come visit the Art Center."

Other downtown businesses and restaurants will offer specials during the day. Among ArtsWalk participants offering special activities are:

—12th Octave Studios, 217 S. Pennsylvania Ave. — Art market and pour painting

—McFeely's Gourmet Chocolate, 100 S. Pennsylvania Ave. — Paint a chocolate bar

—Stage Right, 105 W. 4th St. — Student performances, craft and food vendors

—StopWatch Gallery, 323 S. Main St. — "Urban Chronicles: The Faces & Spaces of the City" photography exhibition

—Westmoreland Performing Arts, 132 S. Main St., Second Floor — "SpongeBob" musical rehearsal and photo opportunities with costumed characters.

While most ArtsWalk offerings are free, there will be a small fee for some activities. For more information, visit greensburgartswalk.com.

Shirley McMarlin is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Shirley by email at smcmarlin@triblive.com or via Twitter .