The people of Pittsburgh and surrounding areas have always cherished holiday traditions. One of the most near and dear to so many hearts are the magical holiday window displays. This year, with the help of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP), thirteen businesses are participating in a holiday window display competition and Fresh Nostalgia is honored to be a part of this socially distanced holiday event!
Each participating business was paired with a local artist who had only 25 days to share their artistic vision, collaborate with their selected business, design, fabricate, and implement the window. This initiative is led by Jayla Patton, an accomplished artist herself who created a 3,500 square foot pavement mural for the PDP back in September. Jayla has an extensive background as an illustrator, comic artist, animator and educator and was eager to curate and coordinate the work that supports the artists and Downtown retailers – two sectors that have been particularly hard hit as a result of the ongoing pandemic.
The resulting work is inspiring and creative in equal measures, with displays reflecting vintage, cartoony, elegant, campy, or whimsical styles to name a few, but all with that seasonal familiarity that resonates so much with Pittsburgh residents and visitors alike! With outdoor activations also offering the safest option for any holiday activities this year, public art has been a natural fit for inclusion, so the PDP looked for ways to integrate a compelling holiday themed installation and get small businesses involved as part of the effort. Efforts such as this are the exact reason that I am so energized by this great city and why I chose it as the home location of FN's brick and mortar shop!
So here is a pictorial look at my very own walking tour of these thirteen windows. I hope this will inspire you to come down and take a look for yourself...trust me, these windows are more stunning in person than what my iPhone was able to capture!
Social Status - 717 Liberty Ave
Artist: Jemeelah Platt
Broff's Diamond & Loan Co. - 715 Liberty Ave
Artist: Jessica Alpern Brown
Love, Pittsburgh - 805 Liberty Ave
Artist: Katy Dement
PG&H - 536 Smithfield St
Artist: Alycia Washington
Inkwell At Oxford - 424 Fourth Ave
Artist: Toni Liberto
Joseph Orlando Clothiers - 300 Fourth Ave
Artist: Tom Sarver
Peter Lawrence - 413 Wood St
Artist: Staci Backauskas
Boutique La Passerelle - 417 Wood St
Artist: Sarah Jacobs
306 Forbes Boutique - 306 Forbes Ave
Artist: Jen Joyce
Market Street Grocery - 435 Market St
Artist: Cat Burton
Heinz Healey's - 160 Fifth Ave
Artist: Megan Shalonis
Nicholas Coffee & Tea Co. - 23 Market Square
Artist: Dave English
Fresh Nostalgia Boutique - 143 Sixth St
Artist: Suzanne Mauro
