Women of Visions

December 9, 2021

On a recent Saturday afternoon I finally arrived at A Fair in the Park after a long bus ride into Pittsburgh (you know how it is with cars sometimes) The annual event is  sponsored by The Craftsmen’s Guild of Pittsburgh and is considered to be one of Pittsburgh’s best art festivals. It displays the work of by Guild’s members and other local artists.

After walking past 20 booths filled with crafts of all kinds,  I began to panic thinking that I would not find my own  group’s booth – Women  of  Visions. Our exhibitions exemplify the skill and beauty of the artwork created by Black women of the Pittsburgh area.  Our group is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year.  In June, we held an exhibition at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater in East Liberty honoring  Magnificient  Motown.  It was an exciting event which displayed paintings, ceramics, sculpture, woodwork and so much more.

I first spoke with Christine Bethea, Director of Women in Visions.  I asked her how she got her  start in art and she said,  “I worked in art administration, creating events, almost like a curator. After being laid off, I  took a quilting class and since then I have been working as an artist for the last 30 years.” In addition top her mixed media work, she has managed an antique store, was a director of a Chamber of Commerce and a TV producer for KDKA.

She then spoke about our group.  “Women of Visions was founded  1981. We were inspired  by several artistic women of color who wanted an opportunity to show their work.  They formed their own collective assisted by Selma Burke.  WOV expanded to include women in sculpture, ceramics, photography, painting, quilting, weaving and salvage art (mixed media).  There are 26 members based in Pittsburgh.  WOV was one of 80 booths participating in the three day event sponsored by the Craftsmen Guild of Pittsburgh.”

Another member LaVerne Kemp took an elective class in fiber arts while in college and has been working as an artist for 34 years.  “I’m inspired by other artists use of color and texture or certain themes for shows.” she said. Art speaks to her, so she doesn’t necessarily look at the clouds, but turns material into something beautiful, “One ball of yarn and everything burst from them!” she said. LaVerne started out making due and had to finance her own work. She changes from one medium to the another depending on how she feels.  She also weaves and makes pillows and tries to create some inexpensive pieces for her customers.  LaVerne joined  WOV 40 years  ago.

Ruth Bedian is a quilter who learned to make quilts from her great grandmother.  She belonged to the first Black Quilters Group in Pittsburgh.  She was an art teacher for 34 years with Pittsburgh Public Schools and eventually retired and now is often quilting  She is a mother who switched from painting to quilting fabric because of toxic products when her children were young.

Ruth uses a theme of African mask imagery and masquerade. She understands the meaning of the masks, “It was the slaves who brought  their own African tradition and symbolism to art” she said. For the August Wilson Center’s Seat of Power exhibit, Ruth made a chair with African symbols to represent  her great grandmother and mother.  She said “my art portrays or conveys the soul of Black people.”

Altha Pittrell is a painter, welder and a blacksmith who creates her own designs.  She worked as an apprentice for three years to become welder. She even built an anvil in her garage.  In 1970, she was the only black woman welder who joined Local 151 Boilermakers and worked around fire.  Later she helped build the U.S. Steel Building.  She said, “the workers were given a test where they had to walk straight up the building on a 12-foot beam without a safety belt while carrying tools. The men and the women had to put on their uniforms in the same area to get an assignment, but no one looked at anyone.” she said. Later she and her sister were able to use a women’s bathroom, but it was really a job for men only. Altha eventually became the tool lady and distributed worker’s tools from a truck.

She later went to Carlow College to study sculpting and she received her M.A. degree in 2011 when she was 50 years old.  She became a therapeutic sculptor at age 61.  Her favorite art piece is a hand painted earthen clay sculpture dedicated to her mother called Mother.  Altha’s work was also exhibited at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts in 2015.

I have always loved art and joined WOV earlier this year.  I exhibited my first piece at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater for the WOV 40th Anniversary Celebration which honored Magnificient Motown. I used to belong to the McKeesport Art Group and although I became inactive,  I never gave up my love for art.  I use painting and fiber to create mix media artworks. I come to this field from a different sphere. I am also a singer with the Mon Yough Chorale and the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale and I have acted with the McKeesport Little Theater.  I also write!

My mixed media piece Dancing in the Streets is currently on display as part of the Women of Visions: Celebrating 40 Years at the Frick Fine Arts Building in Oakland. The exhibit is comprised of 50 artworks from WOV 22 members and remains on display until February 25, 2022.

All in all, both the Women of Visions and The Craftsmen’s Guild of Pittsburgh enjoyed a fun day.  Some of our artists sold an item or two, but we mostly enjoyed the people’s admiration of our artwork.

• Colette Funches