ROONEY AND RAY ARTS, INC.
News Articles and Press Releases

• 1/15/19; Ray Sokolowski's clay maquette for his life sized cast bronze Saints Francis & Clare Bench sculpture was acquisioned by St. Bonaventure University in Olean, NY, the site for which the full sized sculpture was commissioned.
The sculpture was accepted by Ludwig Brunner, Executive Direction of The Quick Center for the Arts. The Bench maquette was also included in the Juried Catholic Arts Exhibition in 2018 at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. 

• 10/20/18; Kathy Rooney wins Best of Show Award for her George Harrison portrait at the 2018 Annual Invitational Show, Butler Art Center, Butler, PA. Exhibit ran from Oct. 17 – Nov. 10, 2018.

• 7/15/17; Kathy Rooney drawing commission of Pittsburgh's first amusement ride from 1895, The Switchback Railway located on the Point for Brian Butko's book, Pittsburgh's Original Lost Kennywood.

• 7/21/17 – 4/21/1028; Kathy Rooney's poster about Nellie Bly was included in the exhibit, Art of Facts | Uncovering Pittsburgh Stories, 20th Anniversary Exhibit by the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators at Heinz History Center.

• 6/15/17; Ray Sokolowski's painting of St. Bonaventure's birthplace (Civita di Bagnoregio) was made into a mural for a donor wall at St. Bonaventure Univ. on the new McGinley-Carney Ministries Center. 
This painting was also used as an on-screen visual during the National Franciscan Federation conference in Buffalo which featured the work of St. Bonaventure.

• 1/29/17, Kathy Rooney leads an historic sports walking tour with Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Brian O'Neill with her illustrated history map entitled "Art Rooney's North Shore Neighborhood, Then & Now" that covers the sports stadiums of the North Side. 

• 6/12/16 – 9/5/17; Ray Sokolowski's painting exhibit, Life Stories, was shown at Point Park University, Lawrence Hall Gallery, in downtown Pittsburgh for 3 months in 2016.
A versatile show of insightful recollections.

• 10/15/12; Creative Nonfiction Magazine, "Solving a problem," an interview with
Kathy Rooney.

• 9/20/12; Mt. Lebanon Magazine, "Here & Now", Kathy Rooney's digital illustration
for "Undaunted, The Forgotten Giants of the Allegheny Observatory".

• 4/20/12; Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Kathy Rooney - Film Notes: 'Undaunted'
shows pioneers who reached for the stars at Allegheny Observatory.

• 10/1/11: PSInside, Kathy Rooney talks about illustrating true crime stories for
Creative Nonfiction Magazine. Written by Kathy Rooney.

• 9/1/11: PSInside, Kathy Rooney interviews artist John Ritter on his solo exhibit
in New York City.

• 3/27/11: Interview by Kathy Rooney for Nice Pick, Cowher - A Pittsburgh Steelers Blog

• 11/1/10: PSInside, Kathy Rooney and Ron Mahoney give a presentation of their
art to Sto-Rox High School art students.

• 10/1/10: PSInside, Kathy Rooney currates art exhibit for Father Ryan Arts Center,
entitled The BEST of Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators.

• 9/23/09: Interview by Ray Sokolowski & Kathy Rooney in the Artisan Quarterly
coinciding with Ray's exhibit From South Side to Italy and Back at the Father Ryan
Arts Center

• 8/15/09 : PRESS RELEASE From South Side to Italy and Back;
Ray Sokolowski's first solo exhibit

• 6/1/09 : PRESS RELEASE Rooney and Ray Arts


• 3/1/09 : KATHY ROONEY, Interview, Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators Newsletter


• 5/28/08 : RAY SOKOLOWSKI, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Art Review, Westmorland
Biennial showcases region's artistic talent.


• 10/22/03 : RAY SOKOLOWSKI Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Sculptor shapes men
who shaped football." by Gene Collier
Pittsburgh, PA, Oct. 22, 2003 - Columnist Gene Collier writes about Ray's recently unveiled sculpture,
The Hope Harvey Football Club, Circa 1923 and reflects on the historical Pittsburgh setting in which the
team played football.


• 10/8/03 : RAY SOKOLOWSKI, Press Release, Hope Harvey Football Club,
Circa 1923, sculpture by Ray Sokolowski


• 8/03 : Rooney and Ray Arts, Inc., Press Release
Rooney and Ray Arts, Inc. is born.


• 8/7/03 : KATHY ROONEY Pittsburgh Tribune Review, "Pittsburgh Society
of Illustrators presents its first show" by Kurt Shaw, Art Critic
August 7, 2003, Pittsburgh, PA - Kathy's work is mentioned in article about Pittsburgh Society of
Illustrators' first show at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts


• 7/22/03 : KATHY ROONEY Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Short Takes:
Illustrators' show enlightening" - by Mary Thomas, Post-Gazette Art Critic
July 22, 2003, Pittsburgh PA - Kathy's work is mentioned in article about a Pittsburgh Society of
Illustrators show at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts


• 4/10/02 : KATHY ROONEY Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Mural by Rooney cousin
puts legends on new Steelers headquarters", By Margaret Smykla, Tri-State
Sports & News Service
April 10, 2002, Kathy Rooney, a computer artist and cousin of Steelers president Dan Rooney, has
created a mural for the team's headquarters at the UPMC Sports Complex on the South Side. She had
to bid with other artists for the commission.

• 4/02 : KATHY ROONEY, Press Release, The Pittsburgh Steeler Mural


• 3/24/02 : KATHY ROONEY Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "The Arts: Illustrators to
exhibit work at World West Galleries" by Dave Zuchowski, Washington County
Art Critic
March 24, 02, Washington, PA - Kathy's work is mentioned in article about a Pittsburgh Society of
Illustrators show at The World West Gallery.


• 2/17/02 : KATHY ROONEY Valley News Dispatch, "Artists celebrate base-
ball's beauty just in time for spring training" by Rex Rutkoski, Staff Writer
Feb. 17, 2002, Pittsburgh, PA - Kathy's work is mentioned in article about a Pittsburgh Society of
Illustrators show "Play Ball", at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh

• 1/14/02 : KATHY ROONEY Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Scribbles: PSI's
Home Run" - by Patricia Sheridan Post-Gazette
July 22, 2003, Pittsburgh PA - Kathy's work is mentioned in article about a Pittsburgh Society of
Illustrators show at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh


• 10/11/97 : RAY SOKOLOWSKI Pittsburgh Business Times, "Window on
the World", by Patty Tascarella
Oct. 11, 1997, Pittsburgh, PA Picture and article talks about Ray's unique window displays.
Fashion designer Mary Margaret Stewart, gives her sparse but artfully designed front window
and Ray credit for attracting customers to her year-old clothing shop, Iman B.


• 10/16/78 : KATHY ROONEY The Pittsburgh Press, "Artist Society Show
Modest, But Talented" - by Maureen Meister
Oct. 16, 1978, Pittsburgh, PA, - Kathy's early work is called out in an article about a Pittsburgh
Society of Artists group show.


• Nov. 1977 : KATHY ROONEY Somerset News, "Rooney Art Show Offers
Diversity" - by Debbie Courtney
Nov.,1977, Somerset, PA - Article about Kathy's first one artist show at the Dressler Gallery.