November Guest Artist Stevo Sadvary
The Path to Whimsical Weavings and Magnificent Mosaics
Our November 4 ESAL meeting will take us on the path in Stevo Sadvary’s life that has led him to becoming a full time mosaic artist. We will join him in his Squirrel Hill studio as he enlightens us on the vast variety of creative works in which he engages. Here is a summary of the facets of this versatile artist and his interesting bio:
“A passion for art and pleasing clients.” That’s what makes Stevo so Stevo-licious. Whether dreaming up whimsical weavings or piecing together magnificent mosaics, Stevo is the rare artist who manages to be both highly creative and very accessible.
Stevo Sadvary, who grew up in Washington county and studied weaving and textiles at Edinboro University and Information Science at the University of Pittsburgh, has lived in Pittsburgh since 1989. And his creativity bubbles over into all sorts of other interesting areas, from painting to songwriting to web designing.
Yet Stevo’s enduring fascination with tile and glass forms the real body of his work – and his success. He has completed numerous private mosaic commissions ranging from kitchen backsplashes, floors, showers, house number plaques, and fireplaces to pet portraits, schools, corporate lobby art, and commercial signage – in areas ranging from Puerto Rico to Florida and Maryland. Stevo’s spirited nature is also evident in his many public art pieces throughout the Pittsburgh area.
For several years, Stevo’s name was on a commercially popular, signature series of hand-knit sweaters. His tapestries, scarves, knit hats and hand-woven rugs add color and texture to the lives of many customers.
Like the artist himself, Stevo’s work is fun, yet stylish. Creative, yet professional, his joy in creating distinctive pieces is always balanced by his sensitivity to clients. These qualities, little by little, bring Stevo closer to his self-confessed goal: “Making the world a happier place.” He is a true genius matching unusual color combinations together in his mosaics and fiber art. They appear to dazzle with life and joy.
When Stevo is not working on commissioned art he keeps busy in his Squirrel Hill studio. Serving as both production workshop and showcase gallery, the studio is a magnificent light-filled space located on the uppermost floor of the landmark Morrowfield building’s parking annex. This is where Stevo has pieced together many mosaic motifs in glass: mirrors, fish, flowers, still-lifes, abstracts, trains, sailboats, icons, nursery art, flower pots, trivets, tables, butterflies, Pittsburgh bridges, stars and suns. Most of this work is displayed on his website, stevosphere.com.