Vanessa German is the original founder of the Art House, which began just by making sculptures on the front porch of her studio. Her artwork began to attract the children of the neighborhood and before she knew it, something big had happened. German began her project Love Front Porch, which she hoped would help tie her community back together. What started as simply a space where she would engage in her creative process, eventually grew the attention of neighborhood kids. She began to teach them how to make art on the side, and it got so big that she needed more space. This is when she bought another property and thus the ARThouse was established.
Image credit to Erika Beras
German is a well-known visual and performance artist and her work has been displayed in galleries all over the country. You can find and even buy some of her best work here!
German is dedicated to making a difference with her art. She wishes to tell others a story about her community that is not otherwise told. Despite the bad image Homewood gets, she's proud of her neighborhood and finds it a source of hope in her life. More than anything she hopes to spread love throughout the community and the rest of the world through ART. In an interview with CBS Pittsburgh back in 2014 (when she finally moved into the permanent location), she says that she wanted it to be "a place where you can go to let your heart speak and let your soul speak".
7703 Hamilton Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15208