Monday, June 15, 2015

Passports to become ART PEOPLE PGH


After years of working as Passports: The Art Diversity Project, the two grassroots organizers--Christine Bethea and  Brenda Brown-- are going to redirect their artistic roots. Over the last several years, the group has been focused mainly on arts administration, concentrating on special events such as the Geek Art/Green Innovator's Festival @ Unblurred on Penn Avenue, which they produced and which has had a successful six year run.

Said Bethea, one of Passport's former principals," We are looking forward to being what we are first and foremost: Artists. We want to get back to creating art ourselves, and in particular expanding by doing more public art and utilizing other established and emerging artists. Joining the Bethea and Brown as a lead artist, will be Hill District icon, George Gist who, since 1967 has created murals and other art in several rust belt cities including Pittsburgh and Detroit. Gist's work on the New Granada is one of the city's first public mural projects.

"We feel George, his art, music and history bring a lot of dimension to the group," said Brown.

Gist with his Mural on the Granada in the Hill District