Now, if only you could all agree!

So, thanks in advance for taking about 15 minutes to take our survey and tell us about your experience at the 2010 Festival: what you did, what you loved, what you didn’t, and what you’d like to see in the future.

We even want to hear from you if you didn’t attend the 2010 Festival, so please, take the survey!

Update July 8, 2010: The survey for 2010 is now closed.

Three Rivers Arts Festival officially began when Antonson’s inflatable sculpture of Andrew Carnegie’s head was unveiled this morning in the Allegheny River.

You see, what started out as an idea is now a nylon-coated vinyl inflatable which will float at the convergence of our three rivers throughout the duration of the Festival.

Antonson had been speaking with Alice Snyder, vice-chair of the Three Rivers Arts Festival Advisory Board at that dinner party. She encouraged Antonson to develop an idea for a public sculpture, which later turned into a work created specifically for the Festival. He ultimately landed on this cost-effective, logistically-sound concept which would be manufactured outside of Cleveland, brought back to Pittsburgh and then inflated in the river.

The piece is a floating bust of Andrew Carnegie clad in a snorkel and diving mask combination, his facial features airbrushed onto the blank vinyl canvas from a mechanical lift. A generator inside the head blows cold air, keeping it inflated no matter what the temperature is outside.

Carnegie’s first home in Pittsburgh was on the North Side (named Allegheny City at the time), just a stone’s throw from where Antonson launched the inflatable doppelganger – a purposeful placement.

“It is my hope that this installation will attract a wide and varied audience, luring new devotees to the Festival.”

A steel magnate who grew from humble beginnings as the son of a Scottish weaver, Carnegie became a benefactor and philanthropist who made a huge impact on the City of Pittsburgh. That impact is evident today in the city’s thriving cultural and educational institutions.

Stephen Antonson is a product of one such institution. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University, he moved to Homestead where he overlooked steel mills for a year. “During those years, I saw Carnegie as this presence that lingered over the city on a number of levels,” he said. “In a way, it’s interesting to have him come back to Pittsburgh and admire what the city has become.

While reading David Nasaw’s biography of Carnegie, Antonson came across what might be the perfect quote to accompany his inflatable sculpture. Referring to his investments, Carnegie said, “When Pittsburgh sinks, I sink with it, and when Pittsburgh swims, I shall swim with it.”

Andrew Carnegie’s head is still above water. Swim on, Andy. Swim on.

But it’s so not just about the media. WQED is much, much more than that. It is a champion for early learning, an ardent supporter of local businesses and business people and an advocate for all things cultural, especially the world-class offerings here in Pittsburgh.

Just like one of its biggest celebrities, WQED is a great neighbor within the community. Part of that neighborly love is shared each year during Three Rivers Arts Festival.

WQED will once again have a significant presence through its kids-focused tent at Point State Park. An array of children’s programming will be running from 12-6 pm over both weekends of the Festival. Sometimes, it’s a magic show that encourages a little hands-on abracadabra, at other times, it’s a workshop on Caribbean steelpan or African drums. And I’ll bet you know at least one little fan of PBS Kids superstars Mr. Steve and Miss Rosa, who will be appearing on stage.

I spoke to Deborah Acklin, Chief Operating Officer of WQED Multimedia, about the connection between these two Pittsburgh staples to see how and why they are so important to each other.

“Three Rivers Arts Festival is a lot like WQED and vice versa,” says Acklin. “Each one showcases the best of the community, and we should celebrate that connection.” Acklin points out that these two “free to the public” entities share a common trait in that they are supported by those who can for the benefit of all. It is not uncommon for Pittsburghers to give when it counts the most.

Over the years it has been evident that education happens everywhere, not just in the classroom. “The Festival allows us to pull kids in with the highly entertaining PBS block and then continue to educate them about core ideas such as literacy, science, math, building character and teaching values to name a few. We want to put these elements in front of children as much as possible.”

“The Festival is where WQED needs to be. We want to have that personal touch, because we are more than just the electronic aspects of television and radio.”

When I asked Acklin about what kids can potentially take away from the programming in the WQED tent, she first brought up the research being conducted at the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media at Saint Vincent College. What they have found is that the very best learning happens when it can be associated with a familiar character. This means that there can be an even stronger influence on learning abilities when a character like Mr. Steve or Miss Rosa is involved.

“Bringing in these two beloved PBS stars will help kids to better realize that learning is exciting and life is fun,” she says. “That’s the value of WQED.”  Kids will know they are important because these characters have come to see them in person, instead of just appearing on the television.

WQED has a long association with the Festival. “We really believe in it. And when we believe in something, particularly when it highlights the cultural and the educational, we are going to share it with our own audience.”

Acklin has noticed that other arts festivals don’t always have much of a kid focus, and if there is, the area dedicated to children is small. With the prominent location at Point State Park and the use of the large tent, kids really take center stage at Three Rivers Arts Festival, thanks to WQED. Acklin believes this year will be richer than ever.

“Our hope is that every time a parent steps into the WQED tent with his or her child, something fun is happening. There is so much going on, it can seem like you’re at a different festival each day. We encourage people to come back often.”

To see just how much fun is happening, check out the WQED Tent listings, or simply pop into the tent between 12 and 6 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

As we at the Festival ask ourselves how to make even greater strides in our eco-friendly practices and processes, it only made sense that we ask the participants in our Artists Market what they are doing to positively impact the environment.

To our delight, a slew of responses came in, with participants eager to share their stories and their passion for making green more than just a selection from a palette of colors.

One major idea that clearly presented itself is the use of salvaged or repurposed materials within the finished piece.

• Local previous Emerging Artist Scholarship winner Alex Lobus exclusively uses salvaged wood, metal and glass in his art. Not only do these materials have the beautiful patina he is looking for, but no resources were exploited in the process of creating his art. Lobus also notes that the wood he uses is primarily ticketed for the landfill. (June 4-8, Plaza Booth 30)

Alex Lobus

• Stewart and Susan Webb make their jewelry and art from repurposed high tech materials from computers and electronics, as well as industrial, aerospace and military pieces. Their work just so happens to be sold locally at Carnegie Science Center. (June 9-13, Plaza Booths 54 and 55)
• Eco artist William Alburger rescues and salvages wood that showcases the beauty of weathering life’s storms. His respect for nature informs his art, which in turn highlights nature’s own unique way of signing each piece of wood. (June 4-8, Plaza Booth 11)
• A new addition to the artist market this year, Gerry Florida states that from an early age, she spent her time salvaging objects, reinventing uses and preserving the integrity of discarded materials. Florida uses a variety of salvaged, vintage and new materials in her work, including toy parts, hardware finds and holiday decorations to name a few. (June 11-13, Park Booth 40)

Geraldine Florida

• Laurie Leonard uses old keys she finds at flea markets and vintage beads and stones. Leonard has collected antique jewelry and the parts and pieces to repair the jewelry herself – instead of driving or shipping it to repair shops. She has passed down the idea of repurposing to her daughter, who uses Barbie Doll parts to make earrings. (June 4-8, Plaza Booth 40)

For many, the very process by which they create their artwork is the focus of greening efforts.

• Because stained glass creates a lot of scrap glass that gets wasted, Sheron Davis developed a cutting technique that eliminates much of that waste. She learned to create shapes that spoon each other so there is little to throw away, and smaller scraps are used in smaller pieces. Davis says she feels better about her work conserving glass — and also because she thinks it is simply too beautiful to throw out. (June 4-6, Park Booth 24)
  

Sheron Davis

• Vaughan Smith recycles all of his clays, glazes and slips. First, he soaks it all in water to create a slurry/liquid and then pours all of the residual materials into cut-off jeans legs. These are hung in the studio for a week until they are stiff enough to be run through a machine called a pug mill which creates a uniform column of clay to be used in future pieces. (June 4-8, Plaza Booth 80)
• Gary Ayres reduced electricity consumption by about 80% mostly in the firing process. Kiln furniture (the shelves and posts that support the work) has to be heated along with the product being fired. Ayres reduced the mass of his furniture by fabricating shelves with holes, which also allowed him to hang earrings close together, increasing his yield per firing. Ayres also started pulling his booth in a trailer behind his bicycle when doing local shows. You will see him commuting from his room in Pittsburgh on a recumbent bike.

And here are a few of the folks who let us know about multiple ways they have made changes, including greening the way they do business.

• Bud Scheffel’s business, Earth Saver Wind Sculpture, started as an environmentally-conscious store in 1987, where he also ran tree planting programs for more than 20 years. Scheffel incorporates recycled elements and found objects into his pieces whenever possible, and all of his packaging is post consumer and printed with soy based inks. (June 4-8, Plaza Booth 36)
• John Thomas, a photographer, was displeased by the amount of chemicals used in his art-making process, so he switched to digital printing. His matting is rag 100% cotton when possible. John also takes extra steps by using low voltage lighting in his booths and places his sold art in used bags. (June 4-8, Plaza Booth 3)

John Thomas

• Anders Anderson takes several eco-friendly actions in the course of making his ceramic tiles, including recycling and incorporating waste glaze materials into the clay body so that none goes into waste water or solid waste stream, and modifying commercially-built kilns with extra thermal insulation. He also located his studio near his residence to nearly eliminate commuting, and handles the majority of his business electronically. (June 9-13, Plaza Booth 74)

Of course sometimes it is difficult, if not impossible to change the age-old practices used in creating fine pieces of art, but it’s important to stay on top of advancements and be creative (downright ingenious even) when it comes to finding new ways to make a statement through your art.

Pittsburgh is honored to have been selected as North America’s host city for United Nations World Environment Day on June 5^th.

“June 5^th? Isn’t that during Three Rivers Arts Festival,” you ask?

Why, yes. Yes it is.

Because of this fortunate coincidence, we have decided to encourage as many Festival patrons as possible to be green using a program we call Green Spotting. The way it works: We, the Green Spotters, look for you, the patrons, at the Festival. If we spot you doing something green, you will be entered to win a prize of your choice. It’s easy!

Guster is our headliner that evening and the environmentally-conscious group has been nice enough to offer some prizes to amp up the effort. A few lucky greenies will win a Guster prize pack, including band merchandise and the chance to meet Guster backstage after their show. The grand prize winner will receive a signed guitar from the band! In addition, the Trust will have prize packs offering great Cultural District discounts.

So remember: If we spot you riding your bike, using a reusable water bottle, recycling or composting, utilizing public transportation, or anything that makes the Festival greener, you’ll have a chance to win some awesome prizes.

If making Pittsburgh, North America, and our world a better place to live wasn’t enough incentive already, this certainly should be.

Carpooling
If you still feel like hassling with and paying for gas and parking, then we recommend you carpool.  Carpooling is a great way to take advantage of a vehicle that is really meant to fit multiple people. (That’s what all those extra seats are for!) Another option is PickupPal, a free online ride-sharing resource where you can arrange to carpool with other people who have the same destination.  Check out our member page to connect with other people headed to the Festival.

Walking
It is unfortunate that walking is considered alternative transportation because that’s what our legs were originally intended for! Walking is an easy and healthy way to enjoy this beautiful city, and if you live close enough, it is a great way to get to the Festival.  The average person can walk a mile in under 20 minutes. At the right time of day, you might even beat traffic!

Biking
Pittsburgh is quickly becoming a burgeoning cycling city.  With the help of organizations like BikePGH, our city has recently been recognized as a “Bronze Level” Bike Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists – and it’s only going to get better.

Biking provides exercise, makes our city more attractive, and it is (by far) the most fun method of transportation.  To get to the Festival, take advantage of some of the trail connections that converge at the Point and the bike lanes and ”sharrows” popping up around the city.  Bike parking is available in Cultural District parking garages.  Valet bike parking will also be available at the main entrance to the Festival at Point State Park on World Environment Day on June 5th.

Remember: the more bikes on the road, the fewer cars and the safer it is for all of us.  Don’t forget to wear your helmet!

Public Transportation
Finally, Port Authority of Allegheny County provides public transportation at reasonable prices.  There are bus stops located throughout downtown, and the Wood Street T Station is located directly below Wood Street Galleries, a Festival venue. Use their online trip planner to find an easy route to the Festival.

Please take advantage of these alternatives and help us make the Festival even greener.

One act is Bureau of Nonstandards, a duo of Pittsburgh-based musicians who create an entirely improvised electronic performance. Circuit-bent toys and keyboards manipulated by Kevin C. Smith are processed live through the laptops of Maurice Rickard.  Their use of technology delivers a sonic exploration rarely heard in either recorded or live performance.  And the inclusion of Furbies as a musical instrument adds a touch of comic relief to the sound, to say the least.

There is certainly nothing standard about the second act either.  In an age when more musical genres are available for classification purposes than ever before, it’s still difficult to label some musicians.  Mike Tamburo is a prime example.  Some might want to say it is a combination of post-rock and minimalism, but let’s just say that if you’re a fan of gongs, you’ll probably like Mike Tamburo.  Mike is a Pittsburgh native and also a core member of the American underground music scene.  He is a musician, multimedia artist, filmmaker, curator and writer whose music incorporates the ephemeral and the enduring; the classical and the technological.  His ethereal hammered dulcimer melodies coupled with sound experimentation and then filtered through the computer during live performances evoke a transcendental quality, providing an extraordinary listening experience.

Both performances will be held at the Trust Arts Education Center in the Rohr Building at 805-807 Liberty Avenue on June 4^th.  Bureau of Non Standards starts at 7pm followed by Mike Tamburo at 8pm.

As opposed to a curated exhibition, a juried exhibition offers an open call to any artists who meet the exhibition’s criteria. In the case of the New Juried Visual Art Exhibition, we required that artists live approximately within 100 miles of Pittsburgh (we had a list of eligible counties, if you want to get specific). In addition to the Greater Pittsburgh area, the region also includes the Morgantown and Wheeling areas of West Virginia; and the easternmost slice of Ohio, including Youngstown.

In 2010, back by popular demand, the New Juried Visual Art Exhibition showcases the Greater Pittsburgh region’s vibrant artistic community. In the exhibition’s return year, the Festival received 600 entries across all media from which the jury panel selected the 110 works on display by 76 artists.

Aimee Manion: Toxic Landscape. Oil, ink, watercolor on panel.

The distinguished jurors for the 2010 exhibition are Sarah Hall, Curator, Frick Art and Historical Center; Adam Welch, Curator, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and Pittsburgh Filmmakers Galleries; and Murray Horne, Curator, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Wood Street Galleries and SPACE Galleries.

The exhibition, located on the fourth floor of the Trust’s new Arts Education Center at 805-807 Liberty Avenue, was designed by moxie DaDA.

Unless otherwise marked, the works displayed in the exhibition are available for sale. To purchase a piece, please see the gallery attendants.

Click here for a full list of accepted artists and gallery hours.

Seth Clark: Roof. Charcoal, pastel, graphite, colored pencil on paper.

Check out the available volunteer positions, and sign up today. There are shifts available for every day of the Festival.

We particularly need people to assist with artist load-in and load-out on June 3, June 6, June 8 and June 10.