Emily Paige Armstrong had hoped to make a positive impact on her new community.
The 2015 New Kensington-Arnold High School grad had recently bought a home in Sharpsburg with her twin sister, Catherine.
Still in the process of settling in, Armstrong found an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.
A request for qualifications was posted about two months for a mural project by Artspiraton, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting Sharpsburg, Etna and Millvale through the arts.
It’s part of a partnership with Sharpsburg Neighborhood Association, and partially funded via a Creative Communities Cultivation grant through the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.
The project is a 240-square-foot mural on the side of Conicella Family Dentistry, 701 Main St.
Armstrong submitted an application and artwork examples in conjunction with her professional partner, Phil Seth of Pittsburgh.
They’ll get the opportunity to make an impact in the borough as officials announced the pair were selected out of about 40 applicants to create the mural.
“I really want to see the community thrive,” Armstrong said. “I think Sharpsburg has some really great businesses. It has the foundation to be the next big art hub in Pittsburgh.”
Nanci Goldberg, founder and director of Artspiration founder and owner of Ketchup City Creative in Sharpsburg, said Armstrong and Seth really made a great impression during the artist screening process.
“We loved their energy, their ties to the local community and their sketch,” Goldberg said. “They have good experience with working with community and kids. We hope to incorporate something from local kids as well.”
The idea for the project came about a few years ago through discussions between Goldberg and Dr. Bruno Conicella, a borough dentist for the past 36 years.
Work is expected to begin in August and completed in September, weather permitting. The artists will be paid $7,200 for the project.
A QR code will be worked into the mural. It will link to a map of Sharpsburg highlighting various businesses and other borough sites.
More about the artists
Armstrong, 27, graduated from Carlow University in 2020. She majored in biology and studio art with a minor in women and gender studies.
Her love of art developed in high school, as did her sister’s artistic talents.
Emily’s focus is on 2D mixed media and digital drawings while Catherine does a lot of 3D media and ceramics.
“I’ve always had a passion for it and was really eager to get working on some things,” Armstrong said. “In high school, I did a lot of really cool projects. … I’m inspired by social justice movements as well as queerness.”
She began her professional career shortly after college. Her art features lots of bright colors and bold lines.
Armstrong and Seth are both artists at Redfishbowl Studios in Lawrenceville.
“We have a lot of respect for each other as creatives in the art community, and he has an insane amount of talent,” Armstrong said. “This collaboration came from wanting to work together. We have gotten along and love to have deep conversations about life and the world and how to make it better with our artwork.”
A Sharpsburg meet-and-greet is planned for 6-9 p.m. Friday, July 5 at Ketchup City Creative, 612 Main St.
The public will get to meet the artists and give input on the project as well as check out some of their pieces.
More information about the mural is available at artspirationpgh.org/rfq-welcome-to-sharpsburg.
More information about the artists is available on Instagram via @artbyemilypaige and @philsethcreative.
Michael DiVittorio is a TribLive reporter covering general news in Western Pennsylvania, with a penchant for festivals and food. He can be reached at mdivittorio@triblive.com.
