Collier artist's work to be featured in upcoming children's museum exhibit

Kathleen Zimbicki’s upcoming showcase at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh is proof that art is for all ages.

A legend in the Pittsburgh art scene, Zimbicki’s most recent work features her watercolor pieces with drawings done by her great-grandchildren and neighbor children on top of the paint.

A display of Zimbicki’s work will be featured at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh starting April 6.

Zimbicki, of Collier, turns 90 on April 4. She recalled that when she posted the children’s art on her Facebook account, the response was overwhelming.

“I was so amazed,” Zimbicki said. “Really great artists in the city responded and said they loved them.”

A friend of Zimbicki’s sent pictures of the art to the Children’s Museum, and, Zimbicki said, “when museums call, you answer.

“I’m honored. I’m really honored.”

The display will run until the end of April and is included with general admission at the museum.

“It’s a collaboration of her work with children to contribute to her pieces,” said Lacey Murray, curator at the Children’s Museum. “We thought it would be a cool thing to showcase at our museum.”

Zimbicki also will host an art class at the museum April 6 from 1 to 3 p.m.

“It’s been a joy seeing what the kids do, and it’s been a joy seeing how people appreciate children’s art,” she said.

Zimbicki is an award-winning watercolor painter and fixture in the Pittsburgh art community. She has lived in her home in the Rennerdale section of Collier since 1957 and raised her family there.

Her home is cozy with paintings, projects and other art she has worked on or collected over the years. Her whimsical, colorful paintings enhance a story of a fulfilling and fun life.

“I cared about art and have done it my whole life,” she said.

Zimbicki grew up in a musically talented family. Her competitive nature prompted her to pursue art, and her artwork has been exhibited all over the world.

She thanks her late husband, Mike, who was encouraging of her craft.

“He was a marvelous help,” she said. “I got in all the guilds and worked my life in art.”

Over half-of-a-century of Zimbicki’s life has been dedicated to creating and promoting art. She was recognized as a “master visual artist” by the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and selected by the group for its first Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.

She owned and operated Studio Z, on the South Side’s East Carson Street, from 1976 to 2003. There, she showcased her own work and highlighted pieces from veteran and up-and-coming artists.

“Artists are always looking for a place to show,” she said “There’s nothing more fun than to do art and care about it and hope other people care about it.”

Her artwork was also recently featured in “Remembering Rennerdale,” a book that highlights that section of Collier.

“It was a love. My entire life has be a love of art,” Zimbicki said.

She also has taught aspiring artists of all ages and skill levels at many different places — including Le Pouldu, France.

“I love teaching. … You learn a lot by teaching,” she said.

In her recent work, some of her co-artists include her great-grandchildren, neighborhood children and others. Zimbicki’s granddaughter, Kali Seech, teaches art to kindergarten students, which is where her children’s work originated for this exhibit.

A black outline and design done by the children made a painting go from good to great.

“I love the idea,” Zimbicki said. “It turned out to be not a bad painting, because these children added layers.

“Sometimes, they go for an empty space, sometimes they go for the body. I learn so much.”

Zimbicki said she is proud of Seech’s work with the young students.

“She teaches (children) technical stuff about Picasso … it’s amazing,” she said. “She’s an extremely good teacher.”

Stephanie Dissen, whose family lives across from across the street from Zimbicki, said her children, Anisa, 6, and Eli, 8, have a special friendship with Zimbicki.

“Kathleen’s very patient with what they do. She really lets them be free,” Dissen said. “She’s very good about teaching them about art. They love her.”

Anisa and Eli are excited for the upcoming exhibit and look forward to seeing pieces displayed that they helped create.

“They just love it,” Dissen said. “They think it’s the coolest thing.”

Zimbicki encourages people to get children involved in being creative and to do artwork.

“If you can be doing art, that makes a fulfilling life,” she said.