WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., Sept. 4, 2019 — Nutting Gallery opens its 2019-20 season on Wednesday, Sept. 4 with an exhibition featuring the colorful mosaics of artist Stevo Sadvary. Free and open to the public, the opening reception is from 5:30 to 7 p.m. today and offers a chance to meet the artist.
“His creativity bubbles over into a wide range of interest and media, from painting to songwriting to web designing to gardening. For several years, Stevo’s name was on a commercially popular, signature series of hand-knit sweaters. His tapestries, scarves, knit hats and hand-woven rugs add color and texture to the lives of many customers,” said Robert Villamagna, WLU’s retired professor of art and the recently retired director of the Nutting Gallery. (Villamagna retired from the director position on Aug. 20 after serving in this role for 21 years.)
Sadvary grew up in Washington County, Pa., and studied weaving and textiles at Edinboro University and Information Science at the University of Pittsburgh. He has lived in Pittsburgh since 1989.
The artist’s enduring fascination with tile and glass forms the real body of his work – and his success. He has completed numerous public and private mosaic commissions in homes, schools, corporations, and commercial signage on buildings from Puerto Rico to Florida and Maryland to Ohio.
Sadvary’s spirited nature is also evident in his many public art pieces throughout the Pittsburgh area. When he’s not working on commissions and public art, he is busy in his Squirrel Hill studio. Serving as both production workshop and showcase gallery, the studio is a magnificent light-filled space located on the uppermost floor of the landmark Morrowfield building’s parking annex.
Located in the Hall of Fine Arts, the Nutting Gallery is dedicated to educating, enriching and engaging students and the public through art exhibitions of the highest quality and to promoting the visual arts within the WLU community. Additional exhibitions planned for Fall 2019 include: plain air paintings of Stephen Haynes, followed by the work of ceramic artist Eric Pardue. The fall semester will wrap up with the WLU Senior Exhibition.