Shiftworkspgh

Pittsburgh’s most colorful kick-off to summer returns to Isabella Street, Allegheny Landing, and the North Shore. Shiftworks will be there with our friends from BOOM Concepts, and Pittsburgh Creative Corps artist Quaishawn Whitlock will be doing hands-on silk screen demonstrations. We hope to see you there!

You can find the Shiftworks tent in Allegheny Landing.

Chalk Fest is Saturday, May 30 from 2 PM - 6 PM and Sunday, May 31 from 10 AM - 2 PM. For more information, please visit: https://riverlifepgh.org/chalkfest/

Image: Artist Quaishawn Whitlock during Chalk Fest 2025. Photo by Hannah Colen

There's a monster overlooking the Allegheny River... an adorable one!

Ogua, created by artist Isla Hansen, is green and scaly but also lovable. They stand watch near the end of the Roberto Clemente Bridge, and you are invited to visit. Take photos. Hang out. Climb on Ogua. (Just be careful!)

Ogua was commissioned by Shiftworks in collaboration with Riverlife and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh’s Tough Art Program. Funding for the project was provided by Let’s Play, PGH!, a program of Remake Learning.

📸 Photos by Tom Little

Have you registered for the upcoming Book Tour with local writers Hattie Fletcher and Sherrie Flick?

Next Monday, Fletcher and Flick will lead a tour around Oakland, retracing notable settings and scenes from Michael Chabon's debut novel, "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh." Chabon began working on this novel as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh and the characters in the book travel widely around the city.

For more information and to register, please visit: https://shiftworkspgh.org/event/book-tour-mysteries-of-pittsburgh/

Please note that Michael Chabon will not be in attendance on this tour.

If you are attending Michael Chabon's lecture on Monday evening, this tour will start and end at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Main branch in Oakland.

On Monday, May 11, from 5:00 - 6:30 PM, join local writers Hattie Fletcher and Sherrie Flick for a walking tour of Oakland that's inspired by The Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon.

Michael Chabon started work on his bestselling debut novel, "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh," as an undergraduate student at the University of Pittsburgh, and the book's characters travel widely around the city. This walking tour will retrace some notable settings and scenes from the novel and consider how a place inspires story.

There is no writing on this tour; attendees do not need to bring additional items. Please note that Michael Chabon will not be in attendance on this tour.

Registration is $15 per person; advance registration is required. For more information and to register, please visit the event link in the comments.

On Saturday, June 6, join Shiftworks and local public art aficionado Morton Brown for a guided tour of public art of one of the most beloved Pittsburgh neighborhoods — East Liberty.

During this walking tour, Morton will share the history and some of his first-hand stories regarding the development and preservation of public art in East Liberty. Artworks on the tour will include "Shady Liberty" by Sheila Klein, "Joy of Life" by Virgil Cantini, and "To Be Human" by Ann Lewis, to name a few.

This tour will take place from 10 - 11:30 AM. Registration is $15 per person; advance registration is required. For more information and to register, please visit the link in the comments.

Photo: "To Be Human", Ann Lewis; photo courtesy of Morton Brown.

It's time for another Ask Derek!

This month's question and answer is all about writing - specifically artist statements. In addition to Derek's advice, he also shares three rules he personally follows for his own writing as an artist. They are:

Leave the academic writing at school
You are enough
Let your art do the art-ing

To read the complete response, please visit the link in our bio. And remember, if you have a question that you'd like to see answered in a future Ask Derek!, send us an email or leave them in the comments here.