User Rating: / 7
PoorBest 

Wednesday, 01 September 2010 16:16

Written by Diana Nelson Jones

Melissa Rosenfeld is on a mission to make Carrick’s main drag more appealing, and she has an army of artists and a police detective on her team.

That’s Melissa, almost invisible in shadow  crouched in the front row beside Steve Hutter, director of the Elder-Ado Senior Center, (http://elder-adoinc.org) whose non-profit status she is piggy-backing on to fund the project. Her daughter Malia is at the far left beside Joyce Wasser then Tommy Mason, Lynsey Kern, and Detective Alphonso Sloan. Gail Matus is in the middle with the baby.

About 17 artists answered the call for work to be displayed in Carrick storefronts. Detective Sloan designed the flier for Carrick's Art Escape Project.

Along Brownsville Road, mostly in the 2600 block, large and small panels of art work block out the emptiness of the stores and suggest possibilities.

Tommy Mason's photography of red and green peppers, for instance, makes the building they are in look potentially like a small grocery. Melissa votes for an Italian market or restaurant. Detective Sloan, who is on the Pittsburgh Police's graffiti task force, said this could be a model for other neighborhoods..

You will be reading more about Carrick;s Art Escape Project in the Post-Gazette soon.

Comments (12)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

...
written by muraldoll, September 02, 2010 - 11:21 AM

Missy contacted me with the Wonderful opportunity to partake in this adventure with her. I was more than happy to participate. I am a muralist so I love painting but more importantly I love giving back to the communities in which we live. I was honored to create a 2 panel painting of a castle and tree for the Library Window. Missy really did a great job on this project . She was dilligent and organized and a pleasure to work with. I would participate in other projects with her with no hesitation. I love what she has done and I applaud her for her efforts. It was a true pleasure to be involved.
Sincerely Decorative Muralist
Mary Grace Nichol.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze49hqe/mgarts/

• 
• +1
• 
• 

...
written by dn_jones, September 02, 2010 - 12:16 PM

mary grace, thanks for your comment. please send me your contact info at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

• 
• +1
• 
• 

...
written by iamluckysmom, September 02, 2010 - 02:12 PM

I saw the info for this project on Pop City. At the time there were not many folks signed up yet and though I have not painted in a while I really wanted to help. Soon after I found out I was ill and afraid I would not be able to complete the project. However it turned out to be helpful for me as well so I got some instant karma. I painted the psychedelic sun picture in happy, bright colors. It made me feel better and I hope it does the same for others. I have been calling it New Beginnings, for myself and the neighborhood. Missy is amazing and her dedication inspiring. I was proud to be a part of this great new face for a wonderful town. Dawn Cosnotti Morris

• 
• +1
• 
• 

...
written by dn_jones, September 02, 2010 - 03:44 PM

Thanks for your comment Dawn. Please send me your contact info at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

• 
• +0
• 
• 

...
written by gretassister, September 02, 2010 - 03:52 PM

I have been an artist my whole life but have just recently decided to try it as a career. When I saw a call for artists on Craiglist to do paintings for vacant storefronts in Carrick, I saw an opportunity to get my name out there as well as benefting the community. I have an Associates Degree in Graphic Design Management from Bradford School and A Diploma in Professional Photography from the New York Institute of Photography.

Joyce E. Wasser - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

• 
• +2
• 
• 

...
written by Gail, September 02, 2010 - 06:42 PM

I heard abount the call for artists from Facebook where Natalia Rudiak had a posted the article from Pop City. I am from Carrick and it seemed that this would natural way to do something I love and also do something for the community. Missy is wonderful!!! When we initially talked abount what I would paint, I felt strongly that it should be abount the community. We discussed all Carrick has going for it. The good schools, Halloween Parade, Sport teams that we could highlight. In the end I did "Growing Up Carrick" not only to highlight these strenths, but also because I have a wealth of information, on the subject because both my children grew up here. My daughter is now a Docter and my son is getting his teaching degree.

Gail S. Matus
(412) 884-4379

• 
• +2
• 
• 

...
written by kodakid, September 03, 2010 - 06:53 AM

Melissa's powerful vision and selfless work for the betterment of her community is contagious. Her "Art Escape" project should be a model for others who wish to beautify their neighborhoods. IT WORKS! I gladly accepted the challenge to work on a large scale, and appreciate the many fine comments - especially coming from the amazingly talented fellow artists I have met. Their work is touching, and I encourage everyone in Carrick and beyond to experience it.
Thanks. Tommy Mason This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

• 
• +2
• 
• 

...
written by Dan Cramer, September 03, 2010 - 01:02 PM

Missy and her friends have done a wonderful job brightening up the area. We at the Oasis Coffee Center 1912 Brownsville Road have benefited with some art covering up a horrible looking area beside our building. We appreciate it very much! Makes us smile. Thanks to all.

• 
• +1
• 
• 

...
written by Sillyhay6, September 03, 2010 - 03:33 PM

I found out about the Carrick Art Escape through my mom who saw the article. Having moved to Carrick this past year, I thought this would be a nice way to get involved in my new community. I recently got a master's degree in Art Therapy and I love to paint so i thought this would be nice exposure and lots of fun. I loved the process...hard work but so worth it. For my panel, I painted a tribute or homage to different styles of painting. I wanted to make it fit in well with the surroundings so i painted bricks and windows (in each window a different painting style is featured). I call it "Art Building". Im so happy i could be part of this project. Melissa was a joy to work with and I admire her good work.

Hayley Erin Gallagher - - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

• 
• +1
• 
• 

...
written by Lynsey.Kern, September 03, 2010 - 08:30 PM

I had originally found out about Missy's project through the Student Affairs office at my school. I am currently attending the Art Institute of Pittsburgh for my bachelors degree in Graphic Design. The flyer really stood out to me, Missy has a huge heart and a great concern and love for her community that is truly touching. She has been wonderful to work with and we're keeping our fingers crossed for more projects to come! I painted the sunrise over Pittsburgh mural. It's my interpretation of Missy's voice in the way that it represents beauty and possibilities in our surroundings. She sees what Carrick has the potential to become and it's a very inspiring attitude! I am very grateful and thankful to Missy and the other artists for allowing me to partake in such a wonderful project.

• 
• +3
• 
• 

...
written by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , September 04, 2010 - 09:09 AM

A fellow artist friend of mine posted a link to the Pop City article. I applaud Missy's efforts to beautify her neighborhood and wanted to participate as a way to give back to our community. I am a self taught mixed media artist and photographer. For my project, I chose to photograph key features of the neighborhood to highlight why people should be proud to call Carrick home. With Southside Cemetery on the hill overlooking the neighborhood and containing stunning sculptures, many of which are angels, I began taking my pictures there. My conceptual title for the photography is "Angels Watching Over Carrick." Angels take on many forms other than that of the sculptures and Missy is an excellent example of one of the many angels that are watching over Carrick.

Tamara Barker
Barker Photo
http://barkerphoto.etsy.com

• 
• +0
• 
• 

...
written by dn_jones, September 07, 2010 - 05:56 PM

wow... what a great outpouring of comments! thanks to all.

• 
• +0
• 
•