Hamilton College professor of art Katharine Kuharic honed her prodigious skills as a painter at Carnegie Mellon University. Visits just down Forbes Avenue to the Carnegie Museum of Art played a role, too. She looks back to three dramatic CMoA paintings that intrigued her 40 years ago, and continue to influence her today.

Thunderstorm at the Shore, C. 1870-1871 Martin Johnson Heade, American, 1819–1904

Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh: Howard N. Eavenson Memorial Fund for the Howard N. Eavenson Americana Collection, 72.54
Visually, Heade’s Thunderstorm at the Shore strikes the viewer with its diagonal composition and its sharp division between light and dark. The motif of an approaching storm speaks to the destructive potential of nature, threatening anything humankind might strive to build. This framing of nature is in direct contrast to Heade’s Hudson River School contemporaries, who tended to emphasize the sublime landscapes of the New World.

As a college student in the early 1980s, with the storm of AIDS threatening to sweep us all away, this painting captured something important about our precarious position in the vast arc of the natural world, as well as the position of LGBT people at the edges of a relatively intolerant society. The existential fear of the impending storm felt all too relevant. As it does again today.

While it may not be fashionable these days to speak about artistic technique, it is worth calling out Heade’s restrained use of closely modulated colors, as well as his ability to bring light and depth to a flat medium. He makes you feel the wetness of the rain moving towards you. Decades later, I still think about Heade’s combination of carefully observed natural detail and imagined drama.

Martin Johnson Heade
American, 1819–1904
Thunderstorm at the Shore, c. 1870-1871
oil on paper mounted on canvas attached to panel
H: 9 5/8 in. x W: 18 1/2 in. (24.45 x 46.99 cm)
Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh: Howard N. Eavenson Memorial Fund for the Howard N.
Eavenson Americana Collection, 72.54

Deer in a Pine Forest (Vosges) (Biches dans une forêt de sapins [Vosges]), C. 1865 Gustave Doré, French, 1832–1883

Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh: Gift of the family of Tillie S. Speyer in her memory, 80.9
At a time when I was enamored of the heroic pyrotechnics of Anselm Kiefer and Gerhard Richter, it struck me that Doré managed to create an equally rich narrative within the constraints of a fairly simple composition. Here, a single, idealized male figure faces the depth and darkness of a forest. Beautiful? Yes … but it’s also a vision of isolation and vulnerability. Did the image resonate within my 20-year-old self because I saw adulthood, with all of its opportunities, and its threats, looming ahead? Was I thinking, again, about the AIDS crisis? Whatever the reason, this dark fairy tale got under my skin and stayed there.

As a practicing painter, the image’s layered greens, ranging from sparkling highlights to submerged darks, awakens a hunger for green in me. I am thinking a lot right now about the greens of Doré, Carpaccio, Giorgione, and others. It’s a color relatively neglected by contemporary painters, and I am fascinated by the hopscotch of poetry and musicality that can exist within a single hue.

Edwin Austin Abbey
American, 1852–1911
The Penance of Eleanor, Duchess of Gloucester, 1900
oil on canvas
H: 49 in. x W: 85 in. (124.50 x 215.90 cm) Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh: Purchase, 02.1

The Penance of Eleanor, Duchess of Gloucester, 1900 Edwin Austin Abbey, American, 1852–1911

Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh: Purchase, 02.1
A first glance at this creepy painting draws you to the temperature of skin: the female and male protagonists are clearly in a heightened state, evidenced by their pallor as well as the crimson flush of blood in lips and ears. Connected emotionally, they are the focus of the piece, in contrast to stone-faced officials and in opposition to the crazed crowd.

The painting tells the story of Eleanor, Duchess of Gloucester, a 15th-century English noblewoman who was convicted of “treasonable necromancy” because her astrologer predicted the death of her brother-in-law, King Henry VI. She was forced to divorce her husband, Humphrey, the man she is looking at in the painting, and spent the last nine years of her life as a prisoner. The charges, trial, and public humiliation (she was forced to walk barefoot through three towns wrapped in nothing but a sheet) were likely motivated only by court intrigue.

The painting speaks of the misogynistic division of the sexes, and of the fraught, complex connections between people, where vulnerability and aggression muddy alreadymurky waters. Much like human life itself, the people within this painting are trapped side by side in events out of their control.

Featured image credit:
Gustave Doré
French, 1832–1883
Deer in a Pine Forest (Vosges) (Biches dans une forêt de sapins [Vosges]), c. 1865
oil on canvas
H: 76 7/8 in. x W: 51 3/8 in. (195.26 x 130.49 cm)
Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh: Gift of the family of Tillie S. Speyer in her memory, 80.9

Story by Katharine Kuharic

Brittany Reilly, founder and chair of Pittsburgh Modern Committee, recommends a look at some underknown (but creatively rich) spaces and places in Pittsburgh. 

Ice House Studios

100 43rd Street
Opened in early 2020, the deRoy Gruber Foundation houses its art collection, archives, and gallery tucked within the historic Ice House Studios building in Lawrenceville. Focused on the creative legacy of Pittsburgh artist Aaronel deRoy Gruber (1918-2011), the space is open by appointment for visitors wishing to explore her abstract paintings, kinetic sculptures, and vibrant screen prints created between the 1950s and ‘80s, along with historic print material related to her process and to Pittsburgh’s modern art history. 

Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild

1815 Metropolitan Street
The gallery at the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild is a special venue within the organization’s building designed by Pittsburgh architect Tasso Katselas, itself chock-full of a remarkable design and art collection, including George Nakashima and Carl Richard “Dingbat” Smith. Hosting exhibitions by students, faculty, and esteemed regional artists, it’s worth keeping an eye on the MCG program. A memorable 2022 exhibit showcased the recent work of Japanese-American sculptor-woodworker, Tadao Arimoto, and Pennsylvania-based ceramist Willi Singleton. 

Public Art

Various Locations
Public art throughout Pittsburgh, commissioned during the 20^th to 21^st centuries, and its relationship to surrounding settings and architecture is something you can go seek out or simply enjoy when you happen upon it. A few of my favorites include Sol LeWitt’s Thirteen Geometric Figures, a 1984 large-scale slate and marble composition within the Wood Street T Station; Mary Callery’s aluminum sculpture, Three Birds in Flight, suspended within the atrium of the ALCOA building completed in the early 1950s by architects Harrison & Abramovitz; or Thaddeus Mosley’s carved wood or cast-bronze monumental outdoor and indoor works, from the Hill District to East Liberty to CMU’s campus. 

Discover Modern Pittsburgh
Grab a copy of 1983’s Discovering Pittsburgh’s Sculpture by Marilyn Evert (author) and Vernon Gay (photographer); check out the Pittsburgh Modern Committee’s Art & Architecture guides; or view the free PDF guides published by the Office for Public Art. 

Story by Brittany Reilly

Dynamic and unusual techniques mark the current works of prolific Pittsburgh-based artist and arts educator Jo-Anne Bates. By folding prints to create a look that is more sculptural than flat, and utilizing ink in bold color combinations before topping it all with a shredded junk mail mixture, Bates’s artwork goes beyond traditional printmaking and veers into an entirely new medium.

These creations are best encountered in person: pictures viewed on paper and online do not even scratch the surface of Bates’s depth and impact. The textures allow for movement in the work that changes depending on the closeness and angle of the viewer. Nestled text draws the eye even further.

Bates cites a visit to South Africa’s Rainbow Country, a landscape providing vivid colors and texture, as the inspiration for her latest creations. The text stems from her experience as a woman, mother, grandmother, and art teacher.

“This perspective has allowed me as an artist to explore new and different ways of using text, representing that people see, say, and hear,” Bates says in her artist statement. “This is especially true of verbal injustices often directed at young African Americans. My work has often been referred to as philosophical road maps and with these works, I continue in that direction.”

Frame of Reference: Jo-Anne Bates

August Wilson African American Cultural Center, 980 Liberty Avenue, Downtown
Running from March 22 to August 31

Story by Jordan Snowden

TABLE staff suggests a handful of upcoming art exhibits that promise to stimulate the optic nerve and excite the mind.

Ester Petukhova

here Gallery, 527 N. Taylor Avenue
July 7-August 12

Since former Christie’s art specialist Lexi Bishop opened this intimate gallery space in North Side’s Mexican War Streets neighborhood in 2022, the space has featured a variety of exciting exhibits. This summer, don’t miss Ester Petukhova, curated by Sean Beauford, manager of community relationships at the Carnegie Museum of Art. Russian-born Petukhova is currently pursuing a bachelor’s in fine arts with a concentration in painting at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Art.

Traveling While Black

820 Liberty Gallery, 820 Liberty Avenue
May 18-September 2

This Pittsburgh Cultural Trust gallery continues its record of innovative programming with Traveling While Black, a cinematic VR experience that aims to give viewers a deeper historical understanding of “stop and frisk” and the importance of creating safe spaces for Black Americans..

Joan Brown

Carnegie Museum of Art, 4400 Forbes Avenue
May 27-September 24

If you’re not familiar with the late artist Joan Brown, expect a mix of impasto paintings and vivid graphics. This exhibit is the first major survey of Brown in over 20 years, giving recognition to a deserving artist known best for her large-scale portraits of people and animals.

Asim Waqif

Mattress Factory, 500 Sampsonia Way
Through June

We’ll be honest: The Mattress Factory is a must-see stop no matter what time of the year you’re in town. But mark your calendars for June when the installation art museum brings the brilliant sculpture work of Indian visual artist Asim Waqif to its main building.

Reverent Ornament: Art from the Islamic World

The Frick Art Museum, 7227 Reynolds Street
November 4, 2023-February 25, 2024

This exhibit promises to celebrate the life, history, and culture of Iran, Egypt, India, Syria, and Turkey with an assortment of works, some centuries old, including glassware, ceramics, metalwork, weaponry, weaving, and more.

The Velvet Underground & Nico: Scepter Studios Sessions

The Andy Warhol Museum, 117 Sandusky Street
May 12-September 25

Expect a multidimensional sensory experience with the Velvet Underground’s first recording sessions in 1966 at Scepter Studios in New York City playing continuously while patrons view a collection of related photographs; rare, unseen footage; 30-plus Warhol Screen Tests featuring the band; and more.

I’m fine.

Pittsburgh Center for Arts & Media, 1047 Shady Avenue
May 19-July 22

This statewide community project, which is bringing Pittsburgh masks, stories, and faces to Shadyside, is dedicated to mental health awareness.

in spite of me, here you are

707 Penn Gallery, 707 Penn Avenue
March 10-June 11

Pittsburgh artist Steve Alexis explores the idea of the unknown and the turmoil of questioning one’s identity, using paintings, sculptural objects, and video.

AAP New Member Exhibition

Brew House Association, 711 S. 21st Street
June 29-September 9

The newest members of The Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, a group of visual artists from the greater Pittsburgh region, bring a new gallery show to the South Side.

Story by Lisa Cunningham

Brittany Reilly, executive director of The Irving and Aaronel deRoy Gruber Foundation, suggests three galleries where Pittsburghers could look to extend, or start, their art collections.

Silver Eye Center for Photography

4808 Penn Avenue 

This gallery focuses on contemporary photography, and along with allowing patrons to purchase the works from their revolving exhibitions, Silver Eye offers workshops and classes for artists of all skill levels.

here Gallery

527 N. Taylor Avenue

Nestled in the Mexican War Streets just a stone’s throw away from the Mattress Factory and Randyland, Lexi Bishop’s recently opened here Gallery features a rotating cast of contemporary exhibitions from local and national artists alike.

Bunker Projects

5106 Penn Avenue

Founded in 2013 by Penn State grads who felt their work didn’t fit into Pittsburgh’s conventional art world, Bunker Projects doubles as an experimental gallery and nonprofit artist residency for up-and-coming artists, allowing them to grow in an intimate, eccentric environment.

Recommendations by Brittany Reilly / Story by Jordan Snowden