An artist collective in the Alle-Kiski Valley was the result of the right people, the right place and the right time.
Three area artists — James Sabulsky, Dave Howard and Alyssa Penman — had individually thought to establish a space to showcase and promote artwork in the Alle-Kiski Valley, according to Sabulsky, of Lower Burrell.
But it wasn’t until a four-hour conversation between Penman and Howard outside of Howard’s Uncle Dave’s Art Studio in Allegheny Township, and then connecting with Sabulsky, that they were able to create the Alloy 13 Artisans collective.
It is housed at the new Aluminum City Arts center, 200 Freeport Road in New Kensington.
“We wanted three things: a place to showcase our art, a place we could teach and a place we could make art in,” Howard said. “This place provides us with all three things.”
An open house for Alloy 13 will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday.
The name, Alloy 13, has its roots in New Kensington history.
“Alloy 13 pays homage to the metal-making process, which combines two or more elements, which on our end is combining multiple different types of creatives into one collective,” Sabulsky said. “The ‘13’ part is for aluminum, which is the 13th element on the periodic table.”
The collective is on the second floor of Aluminum City Arts. It features four rooms: a photography studio, a retail space and two working studios.
Aluminum City Arts was officially opened in November by Brian DeFelices and Ernesto Camacho Jr., formerly of the Manos Gallery in Tarentum. They plan the former Alcoa building to be a “cultural hub.”
“Our grassroots movement happened at the same time their grassroots movement happened,” Howard said.
Sabulsky, a photographer, said the collective’s space features everything from glasswork and mosaics to paintings and woven rug making.
About a dozen artists are involved in the collective.
“There was nothing involving the arts in the Alle-Kiski Valley,” he said. “We wanted to start something where you could join, create and meet other artists. We all have something different to bring to the table.
Penman of New Kensington said her mission behind starting the collective was to build community among artists, where they could learn from and encourage each other.
“We could give what we had, give what we need to the other artists in the collective,” she said.
And learn from each other they have.
Dawn Sowanick of East Deer started as a photographer and is delving into different mediums such as gelli paint printing.
“I’m trying out different stuff, which I never thought I would do,” Sowanick said.
Penman, who does rug weaving, said it’s rewarding to see artists expand their creativity.
“We, as a group, have an extremely positive impact on each other,” she said. “There is a collective benefit to it. If one of us succeeds, we all succeed.”
Sabulsky said the collective fills a need in the Alle-Kiski Valley.
“The amount of talent in the Valley is comparable to anywhere in the United States,” he said, “or the world.”