3/24/02 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Starting with an opening reception from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, visitors to the World West Galleries in Washington over the next four weeks will be able to see the work of some of the nation's top illustrators.

The exhibition, a showcase of nearly 50 works by members of the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators, will be open for public viewing through April 29.

"Many of our roughly 65 members are seasoned veterans who've been working as professional illustrators for 30 years or more," said Rick Antolic, PSI director of public relations. "Some of the high-profile clients they work with include Disney, Sony Records, NBC, ABC, CBS, the National Football League, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Wendy's and Taco Bell."

Talk about impressive credentials.

Society member Michael Killen created the animated Chihuahua seen on the popular Taco Bell commercial, and member George Gaadt illustrated the label for Captain Morgan Rum. Society President Fred Carlson has worked on more than 350 CD and album covers since 1984, including Ricky Scaggs' "That's It." He's also received more than 150 commissions from National Review Magazine since 1990, and his work has been published numerous times in the Wall Street Journal.

Dave Bowers, an illustrator from Eighty Four who paints in the tradition of the Old Masters and Renaissance artists, recently had his work featured on the cover of Cigar Aficionado magazine. One of his illustrations also appeared in the TV Guide last fall to reintroduce the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" series. And George Schill of Monroeville has created more than 4,000 cards for the American Greetings Company, including the world's largest birthday card, presented to Bob Hope on his 80th birthday.

"As you can see, the level of quality and professionalism of the pieces in the show are quite staggering," Antolic said.

More name recognition comes from society member Kathy Rooney, cousin of Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, who will include a piece in the exhibit titled "Dan Rooney's Cafe and Bar." The cafe was on Gen. Robinson Street on Pittsburgh's North Side on a site presently occupied by PNC Park. While Rooney's grandfather operated the cafe, he raised his family of seven children in the apartment one floor above it.

"We had the circa-1920 sepia tone photo I used as a model in the family for years," said Kathy Rooney, a corporate art director and illustrator. "No one, however, noticed the blurred head mysteriously sticking his head out of a window on the side of the building."If you look closely, you'll see that she included it in her illustration.

Kathy Rooney, who joined PSI two years ago, said she's amazed at the talent in the group, whose members, thanks to the computer age, no longer have to live in New York, Chicago or Los Angeles to build an impressive portfolio.

"Because most of us work from home, the society gives us a chance to meet people in the same field and discuss the issues that consume our lives," she said.

This month's exhibition at the World West Galleries will mark the first time PSI has staged one of its two annual group shows outside of Allegheny County. Dave Biber, PSI's vice-president and a graphic designer at Carnegie Mellon University, completed a lot of work at the galleries the past couple of years. He also trained gallery owners Peter and Robin West on how to use computer software to produce their fine art reproductions.

Biber was so impressed with the galleries after seeing them, it was only a matter of time before one of the society's exhibits would be mounted there.

"Robin and I really appreciate being able to host the exhibition in our galleries," said Peter West. "Even though our major focus is fine art, part of the work we do is illustration and graphic design. We've also printed for a lot of the society's illustrators, so we really feel a deep kinship with them."

Biber said people should come to see the show because the quality of art will be "second to none." It will also give visitors the opportunity to see the original prototype of images they might find on a cereal box, a children's book, a movie poster, a technical manual, a kiosk in a zoo, a billboard or a magazine ad.

"Illustrators often are some of the best artistic technicians around because we have to please our clients' eye rather than our own," Biber said. "If, for instance, a client wants to show six people holding his product in a certain atmosphere, it's our job to realize his personal vision."

Of the society's current membership, the majority of illustrators are professionals with a few students and illustrators by avocation. The exhibit is open to any member who wishes to participate, and organizers of the exhibit at World West Galleries expect around 25 members will show their work. First-, second- and third-place awards will be selected by jury, and the winners will be announced before the opening reception.

The Exhibit of the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators at the World West Galleries, 56 N. Main St., Washington, will run from Friday through April 29. The opening reception from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday is free and open to the public. Regular gallery hours are from noon to 5 p.m. weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Call 724-225-4663. For information on the PSI, go to http://www.pittsburghillustrators.org.

Dave Zuchowski is a free-lance writer who covers arts and entertainment for Washington Sunday. He can be reached by e-mail at: owlscribe@yahoo.com