Circus Gallery Artists!

We're excited to introduce you to the artists who will be featured in the 2011 Circus Gallery!

Artists with a (tree-friend) next to their name have agreed to donate 10% to the Emergency Tree fund if they sell their artwork! Keep checking back as the artist list is updated.

Drea Bolen

Drea Bolen is a Pittsburgh self-taught emerging artist, originally from southern Ohio, and has been drawing and writing for a little over a decade. It's only been recently that she has dabbled in photography. Her subjects matter varies, from nature, to monsters, cartoons, and pin-up. She believes that Pittsburgh draws a lot of great inspiration to create, from the rumble of houses to the street musicians.

Barbara Dahlberg (tree-friend)

Barbara Dahlberg has been an artist for as long as she can remember. Her father was a geologist and a mining engineer and her mother was a biology teacher who wanted to fly.

She spent her childhood in northern Minnesota catching bugs and frogs, and playing in dirt. She moved to Pittsburgh when she was 11 and has lived here ever since. She is a 2001 Teacher Consultant with the Western Pennsylvania Writing Project and taught art at Pace School for 9 years and in the Pittsburgh Public Schools for 11 years. She has recently retired. She has two pieces featured in the Circus Gallery.

Mary Dunn (tree-friend)

Mary Dunn, born in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania in 1952, and has been living all her life around the suburb of West Mifflin, not far from the big city.  As with many artists, she was drawing and oil painting at an early age.  Her love for art never ceases and through the years, it has become a way of expression and relaxation. She has one featured piece in the Circus Gallery.

Jennifer Edgerton (tree-friend)

Jennifer Lee Edgerton was born in Connecticut, raised in Ohio, and currently lives in Pittsburgh, PA. She is a self-taught photographer who holds a BA in Sociology with a minor in Psychology from Wright State University.  She has a love for obscure vintage cameras and film, but is most often found taking photos with her digital camera. Although not native to Pittsburgh, she feels very inspired by the city, the landscape, and it's people. Her other sources of inspiration include spending time with her two young daughters, travel, and music of all kinds. You can visit her fine art photography website at: Http://www.JenniferEdgerton.com She has one featured piece in the circus gallery.

Roy M. Fischer Sr (tree-friend)

Roy M. Fischer Sr., a self-described “Working Class Hero”, has not only worked in the city for 28 years, but he has also lived there all his life. A third generation native of the West End, Pittsburgh is an integral part of his life. He is husband and a father and is the product of his city: he loves its sports teams, its bike trails, and its spirit. He loves Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and Pittsburgh’s own, Donnie Iris. He has one featured piece in the Circus Gallery.

Christina Frasher (tree-friend)

Christina Frasher has been studying and engaging in the creative process, dreams and unseen symbolism for over 15 years. Her graduate degree is from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara, California where she studied under internationally renowned scholars in the fields of dreamwork, archetypal theory, active imagination, body-centered awareness and creativity. She also has graduate and undergraduate studies in Mythology and World Religions and is currently making a local documentary on artists in the Pittsburgh region. She is a published fiction and nonfiction writer, filmmaker and mother. She has three pieces featured in the Circus Gallery.

Matthew Gatto (tree-friend)

Matthew Gatto is a native Pittsburgh artist who has a diverse range of work including sculpture, furniture, and lighting. He received a degree in technical theatre and design from Slippery Rock University in 2005. He has used that degree to enhance his artwork greatly through the mood altering addition of lighting elements. He works in many materials including metal, plastics, and wood. Recently he has focused on functional works because they are meaningful, useful, and engaging. He aims to further his career by pursuing a masters degree in studio arts. He has five featured pieces in the Circus Gallery. 

Lindsay Handshue (tree-friend)

Lindsay Handshue was born, raised, and still lives in the Lincoln Place neighborhood of Pittsburgh.  She graduated in 2009 from Carlow University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary and Special Education.  When she is not teaching or working at a local after-school program, she enjoys photography, dancing, and reading.  She has thirteen featured pieces in the Circus Gallery.

Ranga Kamaladasa

Currently reading for his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, Ranga is a rather recent transplant to Pittsburgh from Colombo, Sri Lanka. While he has played around with film cameras during his childhood, he has only taken up Digital Photography after coming to Pittsburgh – roughly two years ago. Ranga’s submitted work are pictures of Pittsburgh as seen through the eyes of a traveler. Coming from a tropical island that has never seen the colors of the four seasons, he enjoyed the winter snow, the autumn leaves and flowers of spring with a childlike awe and fascination. He has eight featured pieces in the Circus Gallery.

Jessica Orlidge (tree-friend)

Jessica Orlidge is a student at Carlow University. There, she studies English, Fine Art, and Creative Writing. Currently, she is the president of the new creative writing club, ‘Low Writers, a member of Sigma Tau Delta, and open mic emcee for the Hungry Sphinx Reading Series. She plans to go to graduate school and continue finding ways to connect her interests in creative writing, art, and music. She has three featured pieces in the Circus Gallery.

Jeremy Raymer (tree-friend)
Jeremy Raymer is an amateur artist, mostly self-taught and has been painting for the last six years. He is a Pitt alumnus with a degree in BioEngineering and he is currently finishing a second degree in Electrical Engineering. Having lived in San Franscisco from 2005 to 2010, he’s returned to Pittsburgh this past year. Jeremy Raymer will also be vending with Sundae Market during the Circus, so be sure to visit his booth.  He has one featured piece in the Circus Gallery.

John Shook (tree-friend)

John Shook is a visual artist who focuses on being diversified in his work, in subject and media. As an artist, he feels that knowledge obtained from an entirely different media of practice can be applied to many different facets of his art. John Shook will be on site at his booth Event Airbrush, where he will make you a personalized t-shirt on the spot.  He has two featured pieces in the Circus Gallery.

Ringa Sunn (tree-friend)

Ringa Sunn is a Pittsburgh native with a degree in writing who spends her spare time stage managing, crafting, and collecting celebrities.  Her writing has been published in The Pittsburgh City Paper, The Critical Point, Weave Magazine, Debris Magazine, and several online poetry galleries.  She is currently finishing her first chapbook and outlining a creative nonfiction project. Ringa Sunn is a crafting wonder and will have a vendor booth with her friend, Althea Kirsch. Ringa has two featured pieces in the Circus Gallery.