Arts & Entertainment

Local Artist Celebrates his Birthday with Pittsburgh Showing

Inspired in high school, the soon to be 36-year-old will have a grand opening exhibit Saturday in Pittsburgh.

Keith Schmiedlin, a North Hills artist, is bringing his love of life and beauty to the walls of in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Regent Square, where his vibrant, multi-colored pieces of art will be on display for the next month.

Kicking off the most recent collection shown at the restaurant, titled “Existence,” Schmiedlin's grand opening exhibit will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

“I have been doing art all my life,” Schmiedlin said. “A teacher saw I had a passion for art at an early age, and she looked into an art school for me and then I went off to CAPA High School.”

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Schmiedlin attended LaRoche College for design.

Schmiedlin’s work encompasses bright, vibrant shades of pinks, purples, greens and other pastels within a print canvas space.

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“I use a flower motif, and it’s sort of like a good versus evil theme,” he said of his current work. “I have a war series, but I incorporate flowers in the scene. I just use it as a metaphor.”

The reason for the title of the show is part theme and part celebration - Saturday is his 36th birthday.

“It’s the day I came into existence, and all of my work is pretty much about existence,” he said. “Brainstorming the title of the show, I do a lot of work that deals with nature as well.”

Schmiedlin connected with Square Cafe owner Sherree Goldstein after visiting the local breakfast site with the mother of a friend who had been shot and killed about two years ago. He was designing a stone for his late friend and ended up planning a show last year at the Square Cafe.

His work also can be seen at Vanilla Pastries in Penn Circle. He had a show there about six months ago, and his art remains there today.

For his next showing, he is working on a 10-foot waterlily piece. He also has a butterfly series around the theme of metamorphosis.

“With my design background, I have become more graphic with a lot of bold, solid color,” he said. “A lot of my stuff I will sketch out and create compositions, but I leave a lot of energetic line in the piece.”

Schmiedlin said he wants his audience to take away a powerful feeling that acknowledges the beauty of life.

“A lot of artists touch on that note, but that’s one of the main things I want to get across,” he said.

He also wants to spread good energy throughout the community.

“I am a big believer in that,” he said. “If you are around people who have the same energy as you do or around things that have a positive energy, you’ll be much more inclined to succeed.”

For more information, contact Schmiedlin at 412-592-8552 or at kdesign@infionline.net, or visit www.schmiedlin.com.


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