Pittsburgh Trip: August 11, 2013, Yarn Bombers Knit the Warhol Bridge!

Pittsburgh Trip: August 11, 2013:                                 Yarn Bombers Knit the Warhol Bridge!

Yes, the whole bridge!  A cozy for each tower, and panels spanning the walkways.  The panels will be donated to the homeless when the knit fest comes down.  1800 knitters contributed.  And no one complained about the bridge being blocked off for installation. 

What other city besides Pittsburgh supports public art this way?  

Pittsburgh Trip: August 8, 2013, Shadyside and Oakland

Pittsburgh Trip:  August 8, 2013, Shadyside and Oakland

All photos copyright Casondra Sobieralski unless otherwise noted. For fair use, please contact me for permissions: cmsobieralski@hotmail.com

My grandma's house.  JUST KIDDING!

But one of my Fifth Avenue favorites. 

And Grandma does live on the same street. 

Waaaay down the street.. 

Saint Paul's Cathedral.  

Does anyone know what happened to that great Joan of Arc statue inside?  

Was it proving to be too empowering to women?

Did someone take it away to protest the uprising nuns last year?

--those ladies who were "too focused on peace and social justice", 

and not spending enough time beating down gays and independent women?

I really loved that statue.  Where could it be?

Atop the Carnegie Museum of Natural History

Heinz Chapel, on University of Pittsburgh campus, through the trees

See the university's photo gallery under the "About" page:

http://www.heinzchapel.pitt.edu/home

Inside the Cathedral of Learning at Pitt, my Alma Mater.  

I so took this place for granted growing up and going to college. I thought every public university was this beautiful!  For my West Coast and New Mexico friends, you can tour the Nationality Rooms from afar:

http://www.nationalityrooms.pitt.edu/

Pittsburgh Athletic Association Club.  Had dinner in this 1908 building with some friends.  

Art on the walls from Sarah Scaife, jazz legends playing inside... it's a 'burgh thang. 

PAA close up

FIBER ARTS GUILD SHOW AT PITTSBURGH CENTER FOR THE ARTS, SHADYSIDE

Pittsburgh fiber artists never disappoint.  Appalachian craft traditions meet contemporary art. 

The above is art made from moss. 

This is a whole room, like a stage set, made with sewn fabric.  Be sure to click for the large image of this one to see texture.  These panels are about 12 feet high. 

Pittsburgh Trip August 7, 2013: A Day with Dad, South Side and Homestead

Pittsburgh Trip: August 7, 2013: A Day with Dad, South Side and Homestead

All photos copyright Casondra Sobieralski unless otherwise noted. For fair use, please contact me for permissions: cmsobieralski@hotmail.com

15th Street in South Side

Polish church where dad was baptized, 15th Street

Same church

Polish elementary school were Grandpa went

Close up

View down 15th Street

...with a close up of the church from the top of the street

Daring dad to climb the hill with me

Beginning the ascent

Crossing over the overpass-- go Dad! Just one more flight to go!

At the top, a contractor gave us a tour of the church they turned into pricey condos overlooking the South Side.

The view from the condo roofs

Back down to 15th Street.  

That's not his car.  That's a funeral chauffeur who left his bag inside the church 

earlier that morning

and was waiting for someone to let him in.  

He was disappointed that we were not the people with the keys. 

Dad, waxing nostalgic

Pump house at the site of the Homestead Steel Strike, 1892

Educational video for my West Coast and New Mexico friends:

http://www.history.com/topics/homestead-strike/videos#homestead-strike 

Or text:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homestead_Strike

I learned that the Pinkertons actually sympathized with the workers,

and didn't fully realize they had been sent to do Frick's dirty work. 

But it was too late-- the women of Homestead beat them up.  

Couldn't mess with the women of Steeler Nation then any more than now, it seems!

Close up of pump house

The Carrie furnace across the river.  Tours on Fridays only--next visit!

The Carrie furnace across the river, the more gloomy color scheme

Monongahela River

Carrie furnace in the distance

Experimenting again with the gloomy color scheme

Most appropriate photo of Dad EVER! 

 --except the one of him eating s'mores with his grandson, circa 2010

Dad took this one of me.  No label on that odd piece of steel making equipment. 

Don't know what it is.