WE ARE NOW ARTica Again @ 5110 Penn Avenue

Everything old is NEW again! ARTica which first opened 8 years ago, is again a solo enterprise and redecorating and reorganizing to bring you a wonderful new crop of artists, artsy items, furniture and collectibles! Starting with our Friday, October 7,  Unblurred art crawl on Penn Ave, you'll step inside the shop to find yourself enjoying a whole new experience. And we'll be bringing in more items every week up until the holidays! Our new hours will soon be posted on the door. Or call Christine for an appointment at 
412-596-6521!
You're going to love our new ARTica!  

Why we Hate our Ceiling and other REASONS to REMODLE in 2016

Bernie and I looked up and couldn't stand it. In fact, If we'd had enough brown paper, the ceiling would be covered up like a triple X novella.

Why do a renovation?

10: It's never been done.
9. IF it has been done, it doesn't look like it.
8.Those lights have old books spacing them from the ceiling. Yikes!
7. The areas where the fluorescent bulbs supposedly fit are now either too short or too wide. (How does that happen?)
6. Aren't fluorescents a little too retro?
5. We think of our customers as "guests" and the harsh lights show every once of dust on our floor and furniture.
4. The harsh light make Bernie crazy. 3.Harsh lights show the lines around my eyes. 2.We'll use any excuse to decorate. And the NUMBER ONE REASON TO RENOVATE IS: Everyone and every thing will look SEXIER under the NEW lighting!

"Think we could use a new look for a new year?" asked Bernie.  "Oh yeah," I whole heatedly agreed. It's going to happen. So, as they say.... wait for it!

Don't forget to check out our "FOR SALE" tab at the top of the blog to see what's in our store. Below, a sampling.....

Who OPENS on NEW YEARS DAY???? We DO!

Sure, we admit it's a bold move but as long as the weather outside isn't frightful...MOSTLY MOD and ARTica be open.. So will several of our Penn Ave cohorts, like Most Wanted Fine Art with their annual show of over 60 local artists, the Irma Freeman Center will be showcasing and so will the newly opened Bantha Tea Bar  modeled after the Star Wars bar. Just to name a  few. ( click here for more on BGC's Penn Ave page) We all figured, if you got up New Year's Day ( say, by at least 2 pm) you'd be asking yourself, "what next?" Now you'll have at least have one great option: The First Friday Unblurred on Penn Avenue. Yep, we're sticking to our usual fun-filled schedule. So grab your friends and lingering out of town guests and relatives and come this way, for sure.  MOSLY MOD and ARTica is offering after holiday markdowns (in red) and 20% off anything in the store over $50. We'll keep the lights on for ya from 5 pm to 10 pm!

Where We Find Our Stuff

Bernie and sidekick "Timmy" stretching their legs on the road to Johnstown

People always ask, "Where do you get your stuff?" We don't mind telling you "IT AIN'T EASY!" Not nearly as easy as it looks. In addition to the stuff in our personal collections we fancy others might like to buy from us, we wait around for relatives to offer us goodies or comb the highways, and byways--literally--looking for all the cool stuff you find in MOSTLY MOD and ARTica Gallery. It seems a lot of people these days want to keep whatever they have. That's not necessarily good news for us. It means we have to go out further and further to find more interesting items. Often taking full days out of the store, just to "go see" what's out there. We are hearing the same from our fellow retro friends, so this is obviously a new trend...this "keeping what you have" thing.

View from the Johnstown Lookout

Part of us is actually glad to hear it. We applaud that people suddenly find Grandma's funky lamp interesting; or that they create a perfect corner for their Great Uncle's credenza, because that means people who come into our store will "get" what we have, and truly appreciate items we find interesting or we are passionate about. They'll add what we have to the stuff they decided to keep...But then that means its harder for us to find great stuff.  But, hey, we'll keep at it, because in addition to loving our job of presenting you: Amazing lamps, quirky gadgets, mid-century furniture, retro mash-ups and primitive pieces, what we love just as much is the thrill of the hunt!

Johnstown Incline

Mixing it Up @ Pgh's Vintage Mixer

We survived the Vintage Mixer on Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7 respectively. No small feat! Bernie and I needed the help of some auxiliary fellows: Drew Knapton, Lynn Barrows, and Janet Watkins to get through it all. And Getting in is always easier than getting out. At the end of each day we all left looking like casting call for the walking dead. Still, we never had so much fun. Flanked by a fun group that included a guy with wagon wheels and antique pop bottle, another with girlly clothing and gas guages and "Stephen" whose love of vintage clothing and Hawaiian Tiki expanded into our space via floppy flowers from faux leis and other tropical folliage. His hunky mannequin also drew folks to both our booth, as Steve had fronds placed over a key body part, which did nothing to stop speculation.

Bess and Jason the hosts and planners have created a real monster event. Making the Pittsburgh Vintage mixer a two days was sheer genius. The Night Owl peice really boosted us for the next day. The people who came where as much a show as the Mixer itself. All the great comments about our merchandise, the jovial crowd, the madly and modly dressed, the stories about bands, kitchen sets, jewelry and every other thing related to mid century. Thanks to the whole Pgh Mixer Team for doing this with us and for us, two glorious times a year!

Hunts and Haunts

Bernie and I thought we'd shoot up to Philly to pick up some great stuff he'd gotten at an auction. Stuff for his home. Yes, Were always looking for ourselves. if not for the shop and in this case it we went for a two-fer. We were also going to check out an auction in the Philly area. So at 4 am I get my wake-up call, Bernie whizzes over and I put the address into what Bernie calls the "gips," that Berniespeak for GPS. It sets the route for us, and we're on our way.

I don't have to tell you this early in the morning is very unglamorous. Bernie has on his signature ball cap and plaid shirt, I'm in my many layers and hoodie, dreads roped by a pale green head band, just in case my ears get cold when Bernie lowers the window on the highway to let out cigarette smoke. Neither of us is smiling at this hour. But inwardly were happy for the potential adventure ahead.

I'm napping  off and on most of way. My daughter, Brigette had got married just a few days before, and I'm feeling like a ton of bricks hit me. I leave the g(i)ps to do most of my chatting with Bernie for the next hour or so, and it seems to work out. He affectionately names the GPS "Larry."

I wake up to assess our progress. New Stanton... Breezewood, (Zzzz) Somerset, Valley Forge road signs connect with my bleary eyes. We are soon stopping at the auction house where Bernie is presented with a lovely but small sculpture, and a few nearly packaged photos.


"They looked bigger on online, Christine," he tells me with a chuckle. Everything looks bigger online. Even the a lithograph I ordered on Ebay showed up in the smalled package ever. Other expectations of what you expect and then don't get came into my mind.

I recall another recent road trip when Bernie made a stop, mid point, to show me the final resting place of Andy Warhol.  I wasn't sure what say, it was so mundane a grave site after all the colorful things I've heard or read about him. No major stone, a crypt or even  a psychedelic sarcophagus.  If someone hadn't put the white wig and Campbell's soup cans on the headstone, it could easily go unnoticed.  The stone was grey and sooooo ordinary. I wonder if it would have bothered Andy to be put away in such a, well, dignified manner? One thing that was completely apporiate, Well placed security cameras angled right at his grave, Lest some pranker even consider messing with the already mussed wig.

Got a Big Appetite for Retro? Visit MOSTLY MOD and ARTica Gallery at PVM-- Pittsburgh's only Maxi RETRO event!

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