Westmoreland Museum of Art hosts a one-of-a-kind 鈥渁-maze-ing鈥� experience
Courtesy of the Westmoreland Museum of American Art
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg recently launched a new interactive experience that blends creativity, play and discovery – the Art Maze experience.
Open through Aug. 17, the immersive installation will invite visitors to go beyond gallery viewing and embark upon a maze-like adventure melding exploration, problem solving and a deeper connection with art.
The one-of-a-kind experience features colorful murals painted by five artists from Westmoreland and Allegheny counties. The installation is a collaborative effort between the museum and A-MAZE-D, a team led by professional maze and puzzle designer Dave Phillips and muralist Chris Minsal, A-MAZE-D produces mazes for museums, zoos, schools and venues across the country and the Westmoreland’s Art Maze installation will be one of their largest installations yet.
Making art approachable
Museum Director Silvia Filippini-Fantoni said the museum learned through data from market research that there are many people who may not have a direct interest in art, but are actively seeking enriching activities to do with their families.
“We want to get people who may be intimidated by art to connect with it in a way that’s unexpected, fun and playful,” she said.
Dante DiAndrea, Westmoreland’s public programs and internal events manager, explained that the connection with Minsal was made at an American Alliance of Museums (AAM) Conference last year where they learned about his work and how he, as a supporting artist, helps install mazes across the country.
Visitors who enter the art maze will receive a guide to help navigate the experience. Part of the challenge will be to find images from the Westmoreland collection that inspired the mural painted by each artist. When they locate the work, they will see a sticker next to it that contains a letter to help spell out a word when the puzzle is completed.
“Everyone will also have to find their way out of the maze,” said Filippini-Fantoni.
Meet the artists
Among the contributing artists is Darryl Audia, Jr., a Greensburg resident and art educator with more than 20 years of experience. Audia currently teaches painting and drawing at Greensburg Salem High School. His work can be seen in local museums, galleries and retail spaces.
“I have loved to draw and make things since I was a young child,”
said Audia. “Visual art, in my view, is not just for a small few, but instead an essential part of being human. It’s a way of being, seeing and communicating that all people can (and should) tap into.”
Audia joined the project both as a challenge and to connect with other creative people.
“I am naturally drawn to opportunities for collaboration in art as well as education,” he said. “It seemed like a good excuse to challenge myself, especially since I enjoy working on larger scale surfaces, and meet other like-minded creatives that I could learn from.”
Stacey Pydynkowski is another area artist who worked on the project. A graduate of Saint Vincent College in Latrobe and a member of the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Society of Artists, Pydynkowski lives in Mount Pleasant and has loved art for as long as she can remember.
“As a child who struggled to express herself in words, the realization that there were other ways to communicate beyond the realm of verbal language quietly changed the course of my life,” she said.
Pydynkowski found herself turning to art during difficult times in her life and soon learned that it became an outlet and respite from chaos. Pydynkowski, who teaches painting workshops at You Are Here Gallery in Jeannette, has painted several murals in the region, said that if she can help facilitate that experience for others-helping them find comfort, strength, belonging, or solace in visual imagery – she feels as if she’s done her job.
When the museum issued an open call for artists, Pydynkowski jumped at the chance.
“In one section of the application, we were presented with images of several paintings from the collection and asked to choose three that resonated with us for a potential mural. It was a great exercise in reflecting on artwork from past eras through the lens of the current moment, like merging the voices of then and now,” she said, adding that helping to bring the project to life was a dream come true.
Like Audia, Pydynkowski welcomed the collaboration.
“It was creative, encouraging, inspiring and motivating,” she said. I loved sneaking away from my section to catch a glimpse of the other artists’ sections, unfolding and coming to life; it felt so special to be a part of that.”.
DiAndrea praised the efforts of the artists.
“They put in many hours and were very dedicated. We’re incredibly grateful and couldn’t have done this without them,” he said.