Murrysville art exhibit to showcase Latrobe artist’s students
When Mark and Amanda Clemente opened Brushes & Beans in Murrysville, they wanted to have a business that was part of the community.
Hosting art classes and exhibiting local art has been a big part of that. In April and May, the Clementes will host one of their biggest exhibits yet, partnering with Gabi Nastuck, of Miss Gabi�s Art is Good Studio in Latrobe, on a gallery with more than 250 pieces representing nearly 90 art students.
�That�s what we said we wanted to do from the beginning,� Mark Clemente said. �We met Miss Gabi through East Suburban Citizen Advocacy. She�s taught classes here, and when she came to us with the idea, we thought it sounded great.�
Nastuck, 44, of Latrobe, said she started thinking about an exhibit the moment she came in the door at Brushes & Beans.
�As soon as I saw the space, I thought, �We should have a show here,�� she said.
Nastuck was introduced to the Clementes through Heather Speeney, executive director at East Suburban Citizens� Advocacy.
ESCA has formed a partnership with Nastuck that has allowed her to run free online art classes twice a week for the past few years. The classes include students of all ages and all abilities, including from Clelian Heights, a vocational, educational and residential facility for children and adults with developmental disabilities.
�We wanted more for her students than just being able to create,� Speeney said. �This allows them to get their names out there, to even make money by selling their art.�
Nastuck said selling their art has been, well, a tough sell for some students.
�A lot of them didn�t want to part with theirs,� she said. �And what I said was: if you want to be an artist, you have to be able to part with your work. It was a good lesson.�
Below, Nastuck and Speeney discuss their partnership.
Speeney said the exhibit � and giving students a choice to sell their art � is good preparation for the future.
�It�s a way to prepare them for next year,� she said. �We can talk about, �What are you going to make for the show?� versus �What are you going to make for yourself?��
Nastuck said the exhibit is a great way to take her studio full of art and share it with a wider audience.
�All my students are so proud of their work,� she said. �But seeing it in a space like this, hung in a professional way? It makes you feel differently.�
Nastuck will host an artists� reception on Sunday, April 10, from 1-4 p.m. at Brushes & Beans, 4550 William Penn Highway in Murrysville.
For more, see MissGabisArtStudio.com.
Patrick Varine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Patrick at 724-850-2862, pvarine@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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