PR: Rivers of Steel Presents: 2014 Master Artist & Tradition Bearer Awards
Jeff Leber, VP/COO
Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area
412.464.4020, ext. 35
jleber@riversofsteel.com
Images: Cathleen Bailey art and Kapeluck Moses art [click images for larger view]
Master Artists are those who have reached a high level of excellence in their art form; who began by learning from people within their community; who are recognized both within and outside of their community; and who are dedicated to sharing their skills with others, sometimes as a professional but always as a way of life.
Tradition Bearers may or may not be artists. They are individuals who are recognized for their expertise and for their sustained efforts to carry, preserve, and share traditional knowledge.
This year Rivers of Steel is proud to introduce our 2014 Master Artists and Tradition Bearers:
- Cathleen Bailey, master artist and tradition bearer in multiple genres including Yoruba sacred and ceremonial beadwork, African American quilting, and writing stories and narrative poems.
- George Balerdose, master of the Highland bagpipe, Scottish smallpipes, and uilleann pipes.
- Joe Grkman, master accordionist, both button box and piano accordions, in the Slovenian traditional. He performs with his family polka band, “Grkmania.”
- Mimi Jong, master of the traditional two-string Chinese fiddle called the erhu.
- Michael Kapeluck, master of the art of iconography in the Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic traditions: the representation in art of Christ, the Virgin Mary, angels, saints, feast days, parables, miracles etc.
- Mac Martin, master bluegrass musician and founder of the legendary Dixie Travelers traditional bluegrass band.
- David Motak, master creator of szopka (shop-kah), a traditional Polish art that originated as ornate theatrical sets combining rich architectural elements into elaborate constructions of various sizes.
- Yuriy Mudrenko, master painter and sculptor whose work includes landscapes, folklore, and historical portraits as well as Russian icons in a variety of media.
- Dean Poloka, master choreographer and ethnic researcher of traditional Carpatho-Rusyn music, song and dance.
- Charley Rappaport, master player, teacher, and champion of European folk music that features stringed instruments, particularly the mandolin family.
- Brett Ridgeway, master musician preserving the musical heritage of the Appalachian people.
- Sam Robinson, oral historian of Pittsburgh’s steel heritage.
www.riversofsteel.com/
If you believe you are a Master Artist or Tradition Bearer, please contact Mary Briggs mbriggs@riversofsteel.com to be vetted for inclusion in the Folklife Directory.
Funding for this initiative and tonight’s program has been partially provided by the Folk Arts Infrastructure Initiative in Pennsylvania with funding support from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Park Service.
The Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area is managed by the non-profit Rivers of Steel Heritage Corporation (RSHC) in partnership with the National Park Service and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. RSHC works with communities throughout the region to identify, conserve, promote and interpret the cultural, historic, recreational and other resources associated with steel and steel-related industries. The goal of the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area is to use these resources to encourage community revitalization through cultural tourism, historic preservation, natural and recreational resource conservation, cultural and educational programs and related economic development. Rivers of Steel National Heritage area includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties.