RECAP // Factory 500: Etna Studio Tours

The Factory 500 member group visited Etna on Saturday, October 18th for a tour with local artists, a behind-the-scenes visit with an atelier, and topped off with drinks at a local bar.


The first stop was Etna Studios, with artists John Clines, Sally Hardon, Sandy Kessler Kaminski, Paula Klein, Lisa Koi, Rise Nagin and Kathy Stept. Each artist was on hand to give a tour of their space and discuss their work.

Artist Sandy Kessler Kaminski shows prints to the Factory 500 members.

The second stop for the afternoon was River Projects, a company formed in 2014 by Brian Reneski and Mark Barill. Brian is also the US Representative for Beyer Projects. Beyer Projects produces sculptures and limited editions for many artists, including Anish Kapoor and John Baldessari. Mark and Brian gave the members an overview of the work they have created, from large installation pieces for Beyer Projects to Mark's detailed museum dioramas.

Brian Reneski discusses some of the work in their studio.

The last stop was E Town Bar and Grille, where the members enjoyed pumpkin beers and some of the best homemade mozzarella sticks and fish sandwiches in town.

The members relaxed in E Town's back room.

Thank you to everyone who came to Etna on October 18th! You can see more photos from this–and other Factory 500 events–on our Flickr page.

Factory 500 is the museum's premier membership program, chaired by Susan Lammie. The group tours private collections, artist studios, local businesses and other arts destinations in Pittsburgh several times throughout the year. Don't miss out – join now!

See you at the next event!
Abby
Membership Coordinator

RECAP // Factory 500: Collection Tour at BNY Mellon

Factory 500 members were out on the town on Friday, August 1 for a private after-hours collection visit at BNY Mellon's downtown offices. Curator Brian Lang toured the group through "Works on Paper by Sculptors," an exhibition organized from the BNY Mellon corporate collection, which features work by MF alumni Kiki Smith and Jessica Stockholder.

Brian Lang describing a work by Spencer Finch.

Members enjoyed wine tastings with Syma Hajian of Pittsburgh Winery. Syma described several varieties of wine that they produce at the winery's Strip District location. 

Mattress Factory Archivist Molly Tighe was also on hand during the evening to show off some of the museum's archive records from Kiki Smith's 1997 installation, Flight Mound. Brian and Molly discussed the Mattress Factory museum's Limited Editions program, which features pieces by artist Jessica Stockholder and about a dozen other Mattress Factory artists.

Molly Tighe, Museum Archivist, at the Factory 500.

In addition, Brian was able to give us some insight into the corporate art world. The group discussed specific works by artists including Spencer Finch and Franz West, methods of collecting, and the rules of buying art for a corporate environment.  

Thank you to everyone who came out to BNY Mellon on August 1st! You can see more photos from this and past events on our Flickr page.

Factory 500 is the museum's premier membership program, chaired by Susan Lammie. The group tours private collections, artist studios, local businesses and other arts destinations in Pittsburgh several times throughout the year. Don't miss out – join now!

Abby, Membership Coordinator

RECAP // Factory 500: Night Out in Lawrenceville

On March 28th, 2014, the Factory 500 members visited Lawrenceville to check out some of the the people and places that are contributing to the neighborhood's growing arts and foodie culture.

The first stop was Revision Space, with Director Cindy Lisica, which opened in February 2014. Cindy discussed her move back to Pittsburgh and the history of this unique space on Butler Street. The gallery's inaugural show opened on February 21, 2014 and featured new, never before seen work by artist Cy Gavin. 

Revision Space in Lawrenceville

Cy explained some of the inspiration and thought behind this collection of of works, which reflects on the untimely passing of a close friend. Many of the paintings had been folded and sat untouched in his New York apartment. When the canvas was stretched for Fugue States at Revision Space, it was the first time Cy had seen the pieces since painting them.

Cy Gavin talks to the group at Revision Space with Director Cindy Lisica

Revision Space's upcoming show, Art is Violent, opens to the public on April 4th, 2014.

The second stop was Radiant Hall Studios, an artist-run studio building in the heart of Lawrenceville that provides space and connections for emerging artists in the Pittsburgh region. Director Ryan Lammie oversees nearly 20 artists on three floors.

Ryan Lammie talks to the group about Radiant Hall's mission

Tom Patterson from Wild Purveyors, Steve Sloan from Roundabout Brewery, and Paul Roden from Tugboat Print Shop also joined in the evening.


Tom Patterson is co-owner of Wild Purveyors, a store on Butler Street that  provides locally grown food to the public. Tom brought along some samples for the group to try.

Roundabout Brewery owner Steve Sloan opened the craft brewery in July 2013. Located at 48th and Butler, Roundabout features fresh-brewed beers with a New Zealand flair. Members sampled his fantastic beer and a lucky few got to keep Roundabout beer growlers.

The group samples food and beer.

Paul of Tugboat Printshop was also on hand at Radiant Hall. Tugboat hand crafts woodcut prints in their studio in Lawrenceville. Paul spoke to the group about their work and showed some of their intricate pieces.

Paul Roden from Tugboat Printshop at Radiant Hall

Thanks to everyone who attended! Factory 500 is the museum's premier membership group, chaired by Susan Lammie. Members get exclusive access to tours of artist studios, businesses, private collections and more.

See you at the MF soon.

-Abby
Patron Programs at the MF

RECAP // Factory 500: Mine Factory Open Studios

Thank you to everyone who came out in the snowy weather last Saturday, January 25th for the Factory 500 tour at the Mine Safety Building, home to dozens of diverse artist studios. A special thanks to Board Member Delanie Jenkins, who invited the group to the building and coordinated the participation of over 30 artists with studios in the building. The participating artists presented a variety of work, from painting and sculpture to Daguerreotype photography and installation art.

Factory 500 members tour Stunden Studios.

Carin Mincemoyer's work in her studio on the second floor.

Members view Sarika Goulatia's studio and work on the second floor.
Sarika exhibited at the Mattress Factory in 2007.

Artist Alexi Morrissey shows the group  his latest work for Community Supported Art (CSA).

Factory 500 members watch the snow from the windows
 of Kathy Montgomery's sixth floor studio.

Factory 500 is the Mattress Factory's premier membership group. Chaired by Susan Lammie, the members meet several times a year to tour artist studios, businesses, private collections and more.  The next Factory 500 will be March 28, 2014. We will explore some new sights in Lawrenceville– a neighborhood that is rapidly growing and changing, with a diverse culture of art, food, and drink. For more information about Factory 500, contact Abby at the MF.

Factory 500 Member Tour: Unique Collections

The MF Factory 500 group had a chance to start the new year off right with a member tour on January 7th. This outing was a chance to see three very diverse collections around Pittsburgh's North Side and Troy Hill area.

The Factory 500 group explored Craig's large collection of bikes.

Our first stop was Bicycle Heaven on the North Side. Craig Morrow has spent years of his life collecting vintage and modern bicycles from around the world. The oldest bikes date from the 1890s and his collection ranges into the thousands, including very rare collectibles. Craig sometimes dissembles old bikes that come his way and sell the parts on E-bay. In addition, he rents modern trail bikes to people who want to explore the North Side trail. He has even dealt with movie studios who are looking for period-appropriate transportation. And like Craig said, "Everything is for sale...for the right price!"

The group was led in a tour of St. Anthony's Chapel in Troy Hill.

The second stop was another famous collection in Pittsburgh: St. Anthony's Chapel. The chapel was founded by Father Mollinger in 1868, and it became a sanctuary for Roman Catholic holy relics he purchased throughout Europe. He spent all of his considerable fortune building, maintaining and outfitting the chapel to house the relics he collected. Bones, teeth, cloth, sculls and other fragments are displayed throughout the chapel. St. Anthony's Chapel has over 5,000 relics from hundreds of saints and martyrs of the Catholic faith.

The group listens as Evan Mirapaul (left) explains some of the history behind his collection.

The third and final stop was Evan Mirapaul's house in Troy Hill. Evan has a beautiful house filled with wonderful collections of art and photography. He invited the group to explore his home and ask questions about his collection. While they were there, our members were able to enjoy some wine and light refreshments, and socialize with some of Evan's friends and neighbors. 

Thank you to all who made it such a great night! To see more pictures from the event, you can check the MF Flickr Gallery. If you would like more information about our Factory 500 member tours, or would like to become a member, please give me a call at 412-231-3169 or visit our website.

See you all at the next Factory 500 event!

-Abby

Membership Coordinator

Factory 500 Member Tour: Historic Allegheny West

Just in time to welcome spring, the Factory 500 members and their guests gathered to take a tour this past weekend in historic Allegheny West. Each location was completely new and different, offering a look at some buildings and people with interesting histories.

The members get a tour at Calvary United Methodist Church.

The first stop was Calvary United Methodist Church at the corner of Allegheny and Beech. Construction was started on the Church in 1893, and it features three Louis Comfort Tiffany stained glass windows. Reverend Larry discussed with the group the painstaking effort that went into fund raising for and restoring the Church, and also gave the group a tour through the church’s interior, describing some of the unique architectural details and history.

The group looks at renovation plans for the Hipwell building, bought by Elaine and Mitchell.

The second stop was Elaine Stone and Mitchell Schwartz’s old Hipwell building, located on West North Avenue. The old flashlight factory is full of history and lots of spare flashlight parts. George C. Parks, who was the President of the Hipwell flashlight company, gave a talk and Elaine and Mitchell served hot and cold drinks alongside their Airstream. Mitchell led the group through the building and described some of the renovation plans, including living space, work space and apartments.

Photographer Annie O'Neill snaps some photos of the group at her studio.

The third and final stop was photographer Annie O’Neill’s studio on West North Avenue. The members enjoyed wine and refreshments and Annie spoke about some of her photography and the history of her studio building. The group was able to see a preview of some of her work for her next show on March 25th, and even got to participate in a photo shoot of their very own. Annie was kind enough to make the group a great slide show from the evening that you can view! Click here to see the photos.

Thank you to those who made the evening so wonderful. And as always, we are so grateful our Factory 500 members could come out and spend the night with us. If you want to see more of the photos from the evening, you can check out our Flickr. If you like what you see and want to be part of the Factory 500 membership level, you can visit our online shop to purchase a membership or call Abby at 412-231-3169. See you next time!

Member Appreciation Day 12/11/10

Who: Current members
What: Member Appreciation Day
Where: Mattress Factory Museum
When: Saturday, December 11, 2010, 12 - 4 pm
Why: Because we love our members!

It’s time we celebrate you! Our members are our biggest supporters and without their support we wouldn’t be able to continue our mission. Membership fees for a year help us support our artists in residency, our education programming, and all the tours, outreach, and events we host year-round. This holiday season, we wanted to say thank you to our members.

Join us on Saturday for museum tours, art-making activities, live music and more!

To celebrate, current members are invited to the Mattress Factory on December 11th from 12 pm to 4 pm for a host of fun things. We will have crafts for kids of all ages, tours of our exhibitions, refreshments, live music, and special discounts (an extra 10% off in addition to your membership discount for a total of 20% off) in our MF Shop with free gift wrapping provided! In addition, every visitor can enter a raffle, and we will have a special free make-your-own t-shirt for members (while supplies last and one per person, per household)! Our North Side neighbors and friends from Artists Image Resource (AIR) will be here to help you silkscreen your own t-shirt – we have lots of sizes available, including kids' sizes and onesies!

MF Members will be able to make their own silkscreened t-shirt for free!

Take a moment from the holiday rush and stop by the MF on December 11th to enjoy all the perks of being a member. You deserve it. And don’t worry if you aren’t a member– you can still visit the museum and be part of the fun. if you want to join, you can do it on the spot at the museum.

On Saturday only, MF Members can enjoy 20% off in the MF Shop + free gift wrapping!

Again, thank you Mattress Factory Members!

East End Factory 500 Tour!

This past weekend, Factory 500 members and their guests got an exclusive East End tour, going to three very cool and different locations. Thanks to Tom Stepleton, we have some great images from the evening!

The first stop was the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, where members were able to learn about an exhibition of Maxo Vanka's work called Paintings and Works on Paper. William Lafe gave the guests a tour and information during the hour spent at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. The Factory 500 tour previously visited Maxo Vanka's Millvale Murals, and since these new images in this exhibition have not been previously shown, it was an excellent chance to revisit his work. The exhibition will be on view through November 7th, 2010.

(Members of the Factory 500 listen to a talk about Maxo Vanka's Paintings and Works on Paper)

The second stop was Tee Rex Syndicate / The Cotton Factory in Friendship. They specialize in screen printing tee shirts and other goodies. We received a wonderful tour of the facilities, including a display of finished products and a look at the shop, where the magic happens. Christian Shaknaitis led a demonstration of the screen printing process for the group, and the guests were even given a customized tote bag from the evening!

(Christian Shaknaitis shows the crowd how they screen print onto tees, tote bags, and other materials.)

The final stop on the tour was the Mansions on Fifth. This was a great chance to see a beautiful old building that is in the process of being restored. Bob Sendall, of All In Good Taste Productions, provided the guests with delicious treats, and the owners gave a history of the building and described the restoration process. Many thanks to both Bob Sendall, as well as Richard Pearson and Jennifer Pendleton for making us feel right at home.

(The crowd gathers in the Mansions on Fifth, currently undergoing extensive renovations.)

Many thanks to those who made the evening so wonderful! And as always, thank you to our Factory 500 members and their guests for coming to spent a fabulous evening with us. If you want to see more of the photos from the evening taken by Tom, you can check out our Flickr set.

Hope to see you all for the next Factory 500 tour!

9/24/10 Factory 500 Tour: East End

One of my favorite things about working at the Mattress Factory is getting to see other artists’ work spaces and shops from behind the scenes. It’s a chance to get up close and personal with the artistic community in Pittsburgh. The Factory 500 member-only events really cater to the desire to see how other artists in the area live, work and create.

This month, the Factory 500 Members are doing an East End tour that involves three stops. The night begins at 7 pm at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, and focuses on Maxo Vanka’s exhibition Paintings and Works on Paper. The group will spend about 45 minutes to an hour at each location, time-permitting. During the time, there will be a tour of the exhibition and talk about his work. Factory 500 members got a taste of his work earlier this year with a tour of Milvale's St. Nicholas Church covered in his own murals.


The second stop will be at The Cotton Factory on Penn Avenue. The Cotton Factory is a t-shirt and screen-printing business that ships orders nationally. They have t-shirt designs that range from Pittsburgh-themed to sarcastic and humorous to abstract. The group will spend time touring the shop and learning a bit about the processes at The Cotton Factory.



The third and last stop for the night will be at the Mansions on Fifth. Currently undergoing a full restoration, the old building located on Fifth Avenue in Shadyside is getting a new life. The group will join Chef Bob Sendall, of All In Good Taste Productions, for delicious treats in the kitchen at the Mansions. As far as I’m concerned, it sounds like a great way to end the evening.


These tours are always a lot of fun to plan and execute because of the wide variety of things to see and do. Our Factory 500 members really enjoy going to these behind the scenes tours, and I enjoy it, too. It doesn’t seem fair to just look at our own installation art here at the Mattress Factory; it’s necessary to step out into the Pittsburgh community and take a look at the other amazing things that are being created, whether visual arts, tee shirts, or delicious food.

If you’re interested in coming along on this unique tour become a member at the Factory 500 level! If you have any questions, feel free to contact me via email at abby[at]mattress[dot]org or call the museum at 412.231.3169 (and, yes, we can break down membership dues into monthly payments).