Above: A photo taken by Brighton Heights photographer Kent Noble, whose work will be on display in the new BHCF offices.

by Kelsey Shea

The recently opened Brighton Heights Citizens Federation office is already serving a dual purpose in the Northside community.

BHCF board member and local artist Susan Benn visited the new offices soon after they opened this spring and immediately saw their potential.

A painting done by Brighton Heights artist Ann Heckel.

“When got there and saw the long, white walls, I said ‘This should be a gallery,” said Benn, who has spent the last few months making her vision a reality in the BHCF offices at 3629 California Ave.

Benn recruited three Brighton Heights residents to submit paintings and photographs to place in the office space for visitors and BHCF members to enjoy and even purchase.

The BHCF will host a gallery opening in their offices on May 8, from 6-9 p.m.

Benn hopes the gallery will help nurture the diverse and growing artist community in Brighton Heights

“I think it’s going to be very mixed,” said Benn, who said the three artists vary in style. “A lot of young artists are moving here because it’s very affordable… We have so many people interested in doing creative things here.”

The three artists whose works will be displayed are photographer Kent Noble and painters David Horvath and Ann Heckel.

David Horvath recently began painting large, Warhol-style portraits of famous individuals like Marilyn Monroe and local icons like Pittsburgh Penguin Evgeni Malkin. Though it began as a hobby, Horvath’s paintings have been very popular and sell quickly.

Contrasting Horvath’s modern, contemporary paintings, Brighton Height’s artist Ann Heckel’s work is more traditional, with impressionist landscapes and abstract natural scenes.

The lone photographer, Kent Noble, will feature a series of photos he shot at the Northside’s own Riverview Park.

Noble anticipates that the gallery will be a positive thing for the Brighton Heights growing arts community.

“I’ve shown before [in galleries], but never so locally,” said Noble, who primarily uses social media and online platforms to publish and sell his photographs. “It’ll be nice to have a place to show art and look at other people’s stuff.”

The paintings will be put on display on May 8, and the BHCF plans to show them until at least June 9, so they’ll be on display for a special showing that will be a part of the Brighton Heights annual house tour.

Office/Art Exhibit hours will be:
Tuesday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Wednesday evenings 5:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m.
Fridays from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Saturdays 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.