S.W. Randall Toys

S.W. Randall Toys (630 Smithfield St) has been around since 1970, and has a surprisingly large amount of toys considering how small it is.

The toy store was recently featured in the Pittsburgh Business Times:

"While the store’s neighborhood locations in Shadyside and Squirrel Hill continue to target mostly children, the Downtown store now caters to Downtown office workers as well. Jewelry boxes, music boxes, figurines, remote-control toys, Santa Claus dolls, ornaments — (Owner Jack) Cohen likely has stocked it all, offering wide selection instead of focusing on volume sales of a few items the way chains stores often do."

This place is definitely worth the visit, and even though you can't buy Wii games here, you can buy a variety of unique toys and gifts you won't find in any big box store.

If you love jigsaw puzzles like I do, check out their game & puzzle section. No joke- 25,000+ piece puzzles!

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Pittsburgh is ART!

While the whole G20 Summit is going on as of today in downtown Pittsburgh, just in case you haven't heard because you've been living in a box for the past couple months, Pittsburgh is ART, which from my understanding is run by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, is holding a slew of events in the next couple of days. PIA is described as "a collaboration of local arts organizations that have gathered to develop a collective voice, to share with Pittsburgh and its visitors about the arts impact on the transformation of Pittsburgh, the role the cultural community plays in the economic vitality of the region and by showcasing the superior cultural activity in Western Pennsylvania." There is an amazingly awesome list of events are scheduled, way too many to list on here but of which you can read the full list here!

The Pittsburgh Festival of Lights is one of the coolest happenings, a spectacular sight that are large projections on buildings and is going on right now until September 27. The main lighting locations will be concentrated at the Penn Avenue and 10th Street intersection, with projections on the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, The Courtyard Marriott, and The Westin Convention Center.


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Andrew Carnegie Punk'd!

This is the cover art from Pittsburgh Quarterly Spring '08 (I know we're going back a little in time here), but I thought this was too rad to not share! Drawn by Tim Menees! As Tim explains, "I drew a couple of roughs and (PQ publisher) Doug (Heuck) liked the punked-up Andrew Carnegie, founder of the International, as he might look while taking in the show’s avant-garde art."

Form of Fission at Panza Gallery Opens Sept 5

This Saturday, Sept 5, from 6 to 9pm Form of Fission opens at the Panza Gallery (115 Sedgwick St, Millvale). Fission is a collaboration with the Pittsburgh Society of Sculptures, the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators and Pittsburgh Poets. The work of the Sculptures and Illustrators will be up through Oct 31, and there will be a poetry reading event held on Oct 3 from 6 to 9pm. Not to be missed!

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Andy Scott Draws!

Andy Scott is one who loves to add a little twist of this and that into his eccentric designs. A Place for All is Andy's little world of explorations into the unknown - lots of typography play, hairy-multiple-eyed creatures, robots, and politics, among other things!

Andy says:

i've always enjoyed drawing/craftmaking more so than any other activity. when i was little i wanted to be salvador dali. no one told me that it wouldn't be possible. so after my dreams of being a prolific surrealist artist with my own language i decided to pursue a career in illustration and design here in the pittsburgh. through that educational process i have met and learned from a lot of amazingly awesome people who are not some of my best pals in the world. and that brings us up to speed to my current situation.

I am really digging the sketchbook drawings he posts to give a little insight into his thought process and quirky designs and you will, too!





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Drink and Draw at the Brillobox on Aug 25!

Come out to Brillobox tomorrow, August 25, from 6:30 to 9:30 for this month's edition of Drink-and-Draw!!! Always an awesome time! A mere ten bucks!

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Walking to the Sky

Jonathan Borofsky's 100 foot tall 'Walking to the Sky' sculpture, a popular photo opportunity at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Photo by flickr user daveynin (Dave Fulmer). Read about and see a few making-of photos here!

(Found via Only in Pittsburgh)

LA Street Art in Pittsburgh

From an anonymous reader:

Just happened to run into Shepard Fairey putting this piece up downtown today. This Los Angeles-based artist is one of my favorites and I consider myself so lucky to have caught this in the act, so I had to snap some shots. This is located on Wood and First. I talked to him and he told me he was preparing for his show coming up at the Warhol in October.

This is the same artist that created this, this and probably most popular, this, behind the "OBEY" stickers you see in almost every city. Apparently he put some more work up along Penn and other spots throughout the area. If you happen to spot any of these, let me know and send me some pictures!

He'll be at this upcoming event, which you can read a little about on iheartPGH, (for which he created the poster):
Don't miss his show at the Warhol in October!

Amazing Images of the Amazing Burgh

Now this is a super fun, addictive site to checkout - Pittsburgh Skyline. Beautiful images of the city from different times of the year make for a great portfolio of this photographer's work, Matt Robinson. Some of the best photo work of Pittsburgh I have seen. Matt really captures the feel and colors of the buildings and people and I think you'll agree. Make sure to follow the link below to his site, you won't be sorry!



Oh yeah, this reminds me - GO PENS!

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The Vader Project

From TheVaderProject.com:

"100 Reimagined Darth Vader helmets complete
THE VADER PROJECT
Premiering at The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Show runs February 13 – May 3, 2009

The Vader Project - a reimagining of the iconic Darth Vader helmet by some of today’s hottest underground and pop surrealist painters, artists and designers - makes its museum premiere and will be on display February 13 – May 3, 2009 at The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. www.warhol.org

The Vader Project is curated by Dov Kelemer & Sarah Jo Marks of DKE Toys. Kelemer and Marks gathered 100 contemporary artists. Each artist was given a 1:1 scale authentic prop replica of the actual Darth Vader helmet used in the STAR WARS™ films. Each helmet served as a blank slate for each artist to paint, design, mash up and customize.

Featuring work by Shag, Peter Kuper, Attaboy, Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup, Dalek, Paul Frank, Ron English, Jeff Soto, Michelle Valigura, Frank Kozik, Wade Lageose, Joe Ledbetter, Alex Pardee, Suckadelic, Cameron Tiede, Mister Cartoon, Marc Ecko, Amanda Visell and many more, The Vader Project provided an opportunity for artists to use one of the most iconic pop culture characters in film history as their canvas."

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Kill Taupe's Imaginary Friends Club

Zombo Gallery has been putting on some great shows since it's beginning not long ago and the shows just keep getting better. I never heard of Kill Taupe before seeing this flyer, but I'm definitely looking forward to seeing his work at the show!

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