Mt Washington Wild Turkeys
Anire Mosley
1. When did you become aware of artist as a vocation, profession and how?I've always been aware of the vocational potential of art. My father has been an artist all my life. Granted, it was not his primary source of income, but he has friends and associates whose creative endeavors ran the gamut from full time to part-time artists
2. What was the first work of art that made an impression on you and why?
Most likely one of my fathers' sculptures I grew up around but one piece, in particular, would be Charles White’s Wanted Poster #14.
3. How does it feel to see a blank canvas, paper, computer screen?
It feels like the promise of infinite possibilities.
4. How did you go about making the Team/Mascot for TripleAAAnimals?
I developed the logo first because I wanted to illustrate the topography and the inclines that traverse it, Then I researched turkey images and found several that I could amalgamate into one image.
5. What is something about art making that people who aren’t artist do not know?
The amount of research involved in creating whether it be a single work of art or a series. Whether it’s reading, looking at the world, cataloging images, ruminating, listening to music or even experiencing life. If it fuels your art, It’s work.
6. If you were to nominate a new TripleAAAnimals team, what would it be?
West Park Wild Rabbits or, from a random personal experience, the Federal Street extension Wild Deer.
7. What music is on heavy rotation as you work or do you work in silence?
Recently its been Th1rt33n – Its a perfect day for an exorcism, Terence Blanchard & Donald Harrison-Black Pearl, The Twilite Tone-The Clearing and Live sets from DJ Tara, Selecta, Lord Finesse and Easy Moe Bee’s Time machine sessions to name a few.
Mexican War Street Squirrels
Megan Jones
1. When did you become aware of artist as a vocation, profession and how?
I went to college for graphic design but didn’t truly start creating in my style until 2019. I didn’t consider myself an artist but friends started pushing me to share my drawings on the internet and things grew from there.
2. What was the first work of art that made an impression on you and why?
This is a tough one… My grandma had a painting in her living room when I was growing up of a man in front of a fireplace with his dog. I can’t say that this inspired me or is why I create my art but it’s a piece that’s always stuck with me. I remember being around 7 and thinking how crazy it was that the artist was able to make the fire look like it was glowing and couldn’t believe it wasn’t a photograph. That’s the first time I remember actually admiring art.
3. How does it feel to see a blank canvas, paper, computer screen?
It can be daunting at times but normally I’m just anxiously excited to start. I never know if it’s going to be something quick or if I’ll look up and 4 hours have passed by. I much prefer seeing a finished piece.
4. How did you go about making the Team/Mascot for TripleAAAnimals?
I’m not originally from Pittsburgh so my first instinct was to learn a little bit more about the Mexican War Streets. I wanted to include things that people would instantly recognize when they saw my artwork, like the Mattress Factory mannequin. I also looked at images of squirrels on google for a solid hour. I highly recommend this, they’re hilarious.
5. What is something about art making that people who aren’t artist do not know?
For me personally, most people don’t know I can’t draw anything that isn’t digital. I create everything with my index finger on my laptop’s trackpad and that’s it. You’d be very upset if you gave me a pencil and asked me to draw something. I get a lot of questions about if I can paint my artwork. I think from the outside art can seem very linear to people who aren’t creating it when in reality every medium is it’s own world.
6. If you were to nominate a new TripleAAAnimals team, what would it be?
Hmm… I’m a crazy cat lady but haven’t seen too many kitties since I moved here. Maybe the Mysterious Manchester Kitties who take over the city streets at night?
7. What music is on heavy rotation as you work or do you work in silence?
I’m a murder podcast girl. I actually listen to them at 2x the speed so I can consume more of them. If I’m not listening to a podcast, it’s probably 70s rock in my ears.
Sugar Top Grubby Groundhogs
Naomi Chambers
1. When did you become aware of artist as a vocation, profession and how?
I knew 1 professional artist growing up that wasn’t my art teacher, Mr. Sijou Nijie. Yet and still I didn’t consider it an option for myself until a teacher told me I would make a great artist when I was 16 or so. I started mulling it over in my head then.
2. What was the first work of art that made an impression on you and why?
The Red Balloon, Fantasia, and so many children’s books.
For some reason the East Liberty Carnegie Library and Dilworth were in cahoots to make ultra sensitive children and I watched The Red Balloon more times than my memory can count. And I loved it everytime. It slowed me down and I had to watch everytime. I felt all the emotions watching that movie.
3. How does it feel to see a blank canvas, paper, computer screen?
It’s a good high
4. How did you go about making the Team/Mascot for TripleAAAnimals?
I never saw so many Groundhogs til I moved to SugarTop. They would just look at me as I walked with my children, and they were so gloriously plump. So I wanted to really capture their “you’re in my world”-ness. After I identified a perfect groundhog stance, My partner, Darnell helped me draw it out in Adobe Illustrator. An app I hadn’t use since college, 10 yrs ago. I wanted to use the same font and colors from my favorite white and blue iconic sugar packets. I’m happy with the slight retro vibes of what we created.
5. What is something about art making that people who aren’t artist do not know?
All the conceptual work that goes into the simplest art. So much mental math and mapping. You use your whole noodle and every subject from your lifelong education. Also I’d say most non artists don’t understand the sacrifices artists make to create.
6. If you were to nominate a new TripleAAAnimals team, what would it be?
Highland Park Sharks, it was my swim team name growing up. Lol… can we pick that aren’t native to the area. The zoo has a few sharks.
7. What music is on heavy rotation as you work or do you work in silence?
90s rap, 90s alternative, Soul, R&B, idk really anything I can bop to.
Check out current collection of the AAA League Collection here (more to come soon!)