Posted Below is just a SAMPLING of What's in Store for you DURING GA/GI Fest, an eco, art and tech Showcase @ Unblurred This Friday, May 5 bTW 4800-6000 Penn

HOURS: 6 pm to 10 pm... with some venues open later or earlier  
Call  specific venues for their hours.
WHERE TO START:  
We suggest the Pittsburgh Glass Center @ 5472 Penn Ave.
For other venues @ Unblurred Click on "About Us"--Festival venues and map. This event is in Pittsburgh, PA, 15224

What's MOST WANTED @ GA/GI-- CMU "CODE LAB THESIS WEEK" / 5015 Penn Ave. (Robots + Heart)

The MWFA Guy

It's the award-winning gallery of course and long time promoters of  award-winning GA/GI Festival..  This year, Most Wanted Folks bring in a group from CMU! Work from Graduate Students in Emerging Media, Computational Design, and Tangible Interaction Design. Join them as they review a year's culmination of thesis and prethesis work. Come join them for conversation and demos

Here, images from Code Lab

BFG Cafe Showcases Art Work by Susan Wagner / 5335 Penn Ave (Heart + Peace)

Abstract by Susan Wagner

Susan Wagner

You've seen her giant and impeccable sculptures of sports greats like Roberto Clemente at PNC park. She's even created art for the Vatican. Now one of Pittsburgh's true Renaissance women--Susan Wagner--exhibits paintings (Lions, tigers, abstracts and even the Rolling Stones) at one of Pittsburgh's favorite eateries on the east end--BFG Cafe.

Weather permitting... You'll Meet Adam Solar Rides (Heart + Robots)

We've invited Adam Solar Rides from Bridgeville, PA to pedal the Garfield Arts District and showcase how the electric bike works and rides. Adam is the authorized dealer for BH Easy Motion Bike and also IZIP electric bikes, who don't mind telling you that the first model of the electric bike was created in the 1890's. But man, how far they have come! Lithium-ion battery cells, chargers, torque, speed sensors, and other electronic technologies, have made these bikes world class. Catch Adam if you can!

Boom Concepts Gallery gives a Bang Up Party for JENESIS MAGAZINE's 10th Anniversary/ 5139 Penn Ave/ (Heart)

!0 years and still making news is JENESIS Magazine who over the past several years has highlighted graphic designers, photographers, and traditional artists under its column "Illustrative Excellence." May 5 @ Unblurred they will feature the work of Grant Tucker, Kara Young, Maggie Negrete, VRSX, Andre Jones, Tim Powell, Julie Mallis and others whose work will be paired with past JENESIS photography from various issues. Starts at 7 pm. Like 'em on... Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/116881242206837/

Take a Wiff at Robins Nest and feel the CALM / 5504 Penn Ave (heart + Peace)

Robin's Nest is pleased to announce the launch of its own line of Soy Candles and Scents ranging from earthy and herbal to floral and fruity. Also specialty aromatics and custom orders accepted. Come stock up on Friday, May during GA/GI @ Unblurred and take home some of these delightful candles currently on sale for their introductory price. What else will you find? Take a walk through their shop....

Bantha Tea Bar Exhibits ART worth computing by Marisa Morgan/ 5002 Penn Ave/ ( Heart + Robots)

One post to their Facebook page, said "We have the AC flowing." And they have the creativity, too. On May 5 @ Unblurred you'll find the continuation of a timely exhibition by Marissa Morgan, whose work is inspired by her work as a software engineer. Come enjoy work that is on the convergence of being human and living in an age of technology. Come see "Me the Machine" at Bantha.

Trusst (Us!)... Engineering is a Good Thing @ GA/GI / 5125 Penn Ave/ (Heart + Robots)

Great GA/GI News for the female sex. Trusst Lingerie has replaced the under wire with a patent pending BAST system that will shape and fit you like no other bra! From 5-9 pm @ 5125 Penn Avenue, Trusst will be doing personal bra fittings and showing off the new technology in brassiere design,  Options to purchase in-store items are available as well. Like Trusst on Facebook here.

Workshop PGH DIY School will Teach YA @ GA/GI (Heart) (Peace) / 5122 Penn Ave

.

The formula was pretty simple, when they started out about one year ago. Drink Beer and Make Stuff.....It still works! Stop by GA/GI eve and see what's shakin' and bakin' at Pittsburgh's most fascinating DYI Stop and Shop!

Irma Freeman Center for Imagination goes "Imaginarium" bursting !0+ Artists w/ Photos, Videos and Film Projection / 5006 Penn / (Heart + Peace+ Robots)

Mike Bonello

This group show brilliantly cobbled by local  musician and long-time filmmaker employee Mike Bonello includes over 10 co-workers from the organization.
On Friday Mike, his band, his art and his friends take IF to a new level of cool.

Mike Bonello is a musician and experimental filmmaker living in Pittsburgh. He has been playing original music in Pittsburgh bands since 1991, and founded Rickety Records in 1994. His exhibitions are typically either multi-projector film loop performances accompanying live music,  installations, or immersive/interactive dance-party environments. He has been working on an on-going series of experiments involving triple-exposing color film while pointing the camera at various states of water, or dancers, or piles of glitter. He’s playing bass guitar in Terry & the Cops and Mantle Plumes, and acoustic music around the house. Super exhibition also featuring: Sue Abramson, Aaron Blum, Andrew Jason Coleman, Julie Gonzalez, Athena Francis Harden, Dan Wetmore, Ross Nugent, Christopher Smalley, Matthew R. Day, Brady Lewis and Meagan Koleck. For specifics click here

Anticipate/ Athena Francis Harden

Fife and Jones/ Coleman and Buffalo Man/Wetmore

LOVE THYSELF @ Local 412 exhibiting art to go under $100 and Much More! / 4901 Penn Ave / (Heart + Peace)

Venecedor--Good Luck Herb

LOCAL 412 has a rare and wonderful take on the world from their exhibitions of  incredible local art to their presentations of artistic local talent. On May 5 they feature Artists who have cleaned out their closets and studios to make room to create more amazing works of art. During GA/GI Fest @ Unblurred, enjoy buying canvases and more for under $100. Plus get into the spirit of spring in their Arts and Crafts: Botanical and Occult Shop to help you love thyself or another. Available for purchase: incense, sage, candies, oil, jewelry soap and more. Whoa! Like Local 412's Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/local412pgh

Assemble has Jen Liu Soft Power Plus @ GA/GI 4924 Penn (Robots + Peace)

"Soft Power, Smart Textiles, Speculation and Play, showcases at Assemble on Friday, May 5, 6-10 pm presented by  Jen Liu, artist, educator and researcher working on the intersections of art, design, technology and culture. Ms. Liu works across many different fields that combine, craft, digital media and interactive design. She explores ways to use technology to examine relationships between the body and the environment. Liu has exhibited her work both nationally and internationally and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Tangible Interactive Design. at Carnegie Mellon University.She will also be Artist in Residence for Assembles Crafternoon classes for children. 

Liu's work at the exhibition will include prototypes, artworkks, artifacts developed through research along with "Pom Pom Cloud," a collaborative installaltion that invites the visitor to contribute and question the intersection bewtween digital date and physical materials. Her work will be on display until May 27. "I am inspired by everything," said Lui, "from textiles to electronics." And how they can come together in new ways.

J

ARTica's ECO mission is Antiques and RETRO...and CAPA High Eco Fashion @ GA/GI/ 5110 Penn/ (Heart + Peace)

5110 Penn Ave, affectionately called "fifty one ten penn," is a a literal treasure trove of long-ago loved items just begging to be taken home and loved again. Considered one of Pittsburgh's most unique little shops, the price range in more than reasonable, and the shop features furniture, lamps, art, home accessories, and some fashion accessories and jewelry. Items can also be rented for plays, movies or staging.  "You never know what you'll find @ ARTica." Open on May 5 @ Unblurred from 6-10 pm' or by appointment. 412-596-6521

Also See the Dress by Karen Page in the upper right hand corner of this page? Scroll down to the first GA/GI Post to learn more about CAPPA coming to ARTica Gallery To promo their CREATE looks to be modeled at the Create Festival on June 1, produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council.

Representing the planet Mercury, a collaboration by Karen Page and Tom Higgs, Adjuncts/CAPA Visual Arts. See more and fashion by CAPA Kids on display @ ARTica

Artisan Tatoo and Cafe Where Great ART is also served: New Works by Megan Mertz/ 5001 Penn Ave/ (Heart + Peace))

At Artisan Cafe at 5001 Penn Avenue's  brewed coffee and art can well stand on their own! It was only a few years ago when pics of the cafe's recycled penny floor went viral. Now Artisan is a community institution. On may 5 during Unblurred, make sure you stop by to view the beautiful works of art by Megan Mertz, whose work is inspired by the still of the wilderness. She will have two series on display. One of North American wildlife in acrylic and the others are ink drawings of animals in the wild. Mertz uses bold lines and strokes in her work.  She captures what see in a glance on a hike or momentarily glean as we step outside our doors. Come enjoy these fully rendered glimpses passionately portrayed by the artist. Sez Mertz: " We can try to tame nature, but we are always at the mercy of things that linger just beyond our control. We can live harmoniously with wild creatures just by giving them their space."

Los Sabrosos is where Dance is Afire and Art melts the Heart @ GA/GI

Pasquale Pristera

May is hot for Los Sabrosos a Dance Studio @ 4909  Penn Avenue. Come on GA/GI night, May 5, and find fascinating abstracts by Pasquale Pristera, a painter, sculptor and gardening aficionado from Forest Hills. He utilizes line, color and texture to draw out spiritual elements in his work.  Pristera's art mediums also include wood, marble and bronze. He admits to allowing the "Zen" of nature to speak to him as he creates. Also to note: Los Sabrosos Annual Spring Gala is a few weeks after GA/GI. During their Spring Showcase, on May 26, Los Sabrosos will feature several Latin Dance teams, A tribal fusion belly dance troupe, and class performances of their little tyke class. And while you are there...consider getting a gift certificate, so you and your friends will be dancing all year!

20+ Vendors and LIVE MUSIC! Garfield May Market Opens May 5 during GA/GI! Penn and N. Pacific Ave (Heart + Peace)

Opening the night of GA/GI Fest @ Penn and N. Pacific from 6-1 PM Garfield Night Market features the Brooklyn based band: Adios Ghost. They are alsolooking for vendors to fill their spaces the first Friday of the Month May through September. Visit www.garfieldnightmarket.org. 

Oh, for the love of GLASS @GA/GI @ PGC

Jason Gamrath

The Pittsburgh Glass Center @5472 Penn Avenue presents Leana Quade, an artist known for making materials act differently than expected,,, making this an ultra exciting exhibit. Come experience the luminous light, erratic fluidity, and amazing resilience of glass. Opening Reception 6-9 pm in the Hodge Gallery.  Also that evening, PGC partners with Phipps Conservatory and Jason Gamrath for a special edition of Hot Jam. This popular event features heat defying acts of art including glass blowing demonstrations. Both events are family-friendly and free. For more info: 412-365-2145

Gardening Kincaid Street Plant Sale @ GA/GI (Peace)

Walgreens isn't the only place with a corner of "Healthy and Happy." At 5201 Penn Ave (Corner of Penn and N. Pacific) from 6 to 8 pm. is the annual Plant Sale by the Kincaid Street Community Garden. A great time to get the items that will kick start your garden going and you'll meet a friendly and informative group of Garfield folks. Select from seedlings, perennials, succulents and more. All the proceed will go to purchasing vegetable plants to expand the community garden which even features a little people's Free Library.

GA/GI and PTC Collabs with CAPA & Plans "Geek" at Tech Shop

Karen Page, Adjunct Teacher @ CAPA

Recycling clothing into fresh fabulous-ness is just the eco job for CAPA--Pittsburgh's High School for Creative and Performing Arts. Karen Page, Adjunct Teacher (Visual Arts and Fiber) is working with her Senior class to create for the Geek Art/Green Innovators Festival (Friday, May 5) and the Pittsburgh CREATE Festival scheduled for Thursday, June 1, 2017. Beats and sound for the fashion show will be provided by Hip Hop On Lock.

 For Tickets to CREATE Festival in June, click here. A sampling of the clothing currently being prepared for CREATE will be shown in various stages of progress at ARTica Gallery 5110 Penn Avenue during the GA/GI Festival. GA/GI is also working with PTC to allow the kids some time at Tech Shop. Who knows what genius may happen there. GA/GI Fest is Friday, May 5 and is free and open to the public during the Unblurred art crawl on Penn. Come and see what is being created by some of the city's most creative kids!

EVERY YEAR....

Hello Again--

Monica Yope (center) Popcraft

Every year since 2010, The Geek Art/Green Innovators strives to find thought-provoking, and interesting projects, people and programs in the arts, eco and tech fields that can showcase during a hyper popular arts event --Unblurred--on Penn Avenue. Thousands flock for the enjoyment of the good (usually) weather and the promise of meeting, greeting, observing, interacting and possibly finding a friend or a future collaborator. This year's theme, "Love, Peace and Robots" is to reminds us all to move forward with a sense of kindness even in a day of technological revolution. Every year will look for a unifying theme for all who wish to participate and attend, but each GA/GI year is unique unto itself and unpredictable. You will have fun. Please come, and bring your friends and family. For a look back at a past GA/GI check out GA/GI 2016 here. AND...check back with this blog for more info as we aggressively update to give you a peek at what's in store for May 5, 2017.

Monica Yope from Popcraft held a workshop at ARTica, homebase for GA/GI earlier this year. During her workshop, we used her wonderful handmade stamps and came up with the theme for this year's GA/GI Festival. You'll note that we give every event a (Heart), (Peace) or (Robot) rating, so that you can more easily plan your evening, based on your interests. Heart is something you might do just for the love of it, (Peace) is something you may find especially relaxing or introspective or eco-centric while (Robots) we reserve for tech based projects or programming. Some events may have more than one rating or all three. But wherever you go during GA/GI...you are going to enjoy it!