Hazelwood art exhibit at Keystone Church highlights environmental injustices

The exhibit is about more than art.

“Building Our Futures, Keeping Our Spaces” highlights environmental injustices, their consequences and human impact in Hazelwood and neighboring communities from the perspective of youth artists.

The Center of Life in Hazelwood teamed with New Voices Pittsburgh, Art Excursions Unlimited and Women for a Healthy Environment to present the exhibit at e Keystone Church in Hazelwood.

Center of Life, a Pittsburgh nonprofit, offers after-school and summer programs focusing on the arts, fitness, educational enrichment, and family strengthening, all of which are offered to Hazelwood and Pittsburgh families for free.

Courtesy of Bailey McGrady

The exhibit “Building Our Futures, Keeping Our Spaces” at the Keystone Church in Hazelwood opened on Jan. 29. It addresses environmental injustices, its consequences, and the human impact in Hazelwood and neighboring communities from the perspective of youth artists.

The exhibition’s collaborators hosted a gallery opening Wednesday.

The Rev. Tim Smith, the CEO of Center of Life and pastor at Keystone Church, said the first thing he noticed when he walked in was that the exhibit had an Andy Warhol feel to it.

“You can see through it,” Smith said. “The exhibit will evolve, and we will add pieces to it.”

He said they plan to continue holding religious services and other gatherings in the space and work around the works of art.

Courtesy of Bailey McGrady

The exhibit “Building Our Futures, Keeping Our Spaces” opened Jan. 29 at the Keystone Church in Hazelwood.

The creative process was led by Edith Abeyta, an artist with Arts Excursions Unlimited.

Smith said Abeyta knows how to make something out of nothing. She often uses materials – like recycled items — in unusual ways.

She said it is important to showcase the art of the children who took the photos of each other. Subjects were allowed to choose an item to be photographed with, said Baylie McGrady, marketing communications coordinator for Center of Life.

One of the pictures shows Ari Moyer, 9, holding a saw. She is called “Saw Warrior.”

“The saw is a tool you can used to help build a house,” she said. “I really like the picture. It’s beautiful, really. I was surprised when I saw it.”

Courtesy of Bailey McGrady

The exhibit “Building Our Futures, Keeping Our Spaces” at the Keystone Church in Hazelwood opened on Jan. 29. It addresses environmental injustices, its consequences, and the human impact in Hazelwood and neighboring communities from the perspective of youth artists. It includes photos taken by the youngsters posing with household items such as this one of Ari Moyer, 9, with a saw.

Center of Life director of programming Joy Cannon said some residents don’t have access to quality health care. Not having something as necessary as an inhaler for asthma can cause a bigger problem in the long run, she said.

“Hazelwood is a great place and a lot of development is happening here,” Cannon said. “We want people who have lived here a long time to stay here and not feel forced out.”

The exhibit will remain open by appointment through May 9.