Published by IN Community Magazines – Penn Hills Winter 2016

PITTSBURGH – Clothing designer Cary Heard recently organized a makeover that gave the a local woman more energy and confidence.

“I would describe it as a total transformation,” Heard says.

More than 40 applicants applied for the makeover and Heard selected two winners, although one dropped out at the last minute. He says he picked the finalists based on their heart-felt applications. The makeover was completed in conjunction with a fashion show at Epiphany Church on Washington Place in August.

The makeover finalist walked down the runway at the start of the fashion show and then again at the end to show off her new look. The makeover took about two hours and included a new hairstyle and makeup. The makeover recipient was stunned by her transformation, according to Heard.

“She really couldn’t believe herself in the mirror,” he says. “The crowd was in awe. It was well worth all the time and energy spent.”

The event, which also included a fashion show that featured collections by Heard and three other designers, attracted a sellout crowd. Heard says he organized the makeover and fashion show to spread self-love and respect in the community. The proceeds from the event benefitted the NEED program which organizes tours for high school students so they can visit historically black colleges and universities in the eastern and southern United States. Heard says he is pleased with the results and plans to organize another event soon.

“It was also a humbling experience for me,” Heard says.

Heard, a 2011 graduate from Penn Hills High School, has been interested in fashion since he was a child. Unlike most kids, Heard enjoyed browsing in department stores with his mother and picking out his own clothes.

“I wasn’t the usual youngster who threw a tantrum and wanted to leave the store after only being there for 20 minutes,” Heard laughs.

He began drawing his own designs and got his first sewing machine at age 13. He taught himself how to sew and began making gowns and formal vests for his classmates at Penn Hills High School. Heard completed an internship at Sugar Boutique in Lawrenceville where he met a number of other designers and models. He hosted his first fashion show at the Omni William Penn Hotel and has participated in Pittsburgh Fashion Week for three years. Heard specializes in creating bold designs for full-figured women.

“There aren’t too many designers that take that avenue of clientele,” he says. “Plus size women don’t have the greatest selection to pick from in the department stores.”

Balmain is Heard’s favorite fashion line and a number of designers have influenced him, including Malcolm Williams, Darlene Perkins, Miyoshi Anderson, Kari Kramer, and Evon Renda. He also looks to his family for inspiration. When Heard begins creating a new collection, he starts with a color story and begins sketching designs, although some elements will change along the way. Then he selects fabrics and models.

Heard’s business has grown and, although it has been stressful at times, he says eventually it won’t feel like work because he’s so passionate about design. Heard says he has learned from his mistakes along the way and urges other aspiring designers to remain humble and follow their hearts.

“My heart has been my GPS through everything, even when I doubted myself,” he says. “Your heart will sort out the bad and guide you to your dreams faster.”

Published in IN Community Magazines – South Fayette Summer 2016

PITTSBURGH – When Steve Rudzinski began acting in low-budget horror films more than a decade ago, he never expected he would eventually shoot a movie in his hometown of Bridgeville.

Rudzinski finished filming his horror comedy feature, called “CarousHELL,” there in late May and early June. The film is about a carousel unicorn that goes on a bloody rampage.  The script is extremely funny, Rudzinski says, and he hopes to have a local premiere for the film. His wife came up with the name for the movie while she was in the shower.

“I said ‘honey that’s a great title,’ which is like 90 percent of a picture idea,” Rudzinski says.

He grew up in Bridgeville but has lived in New York, New Jersey and California while pursuing his career as an actor, writer, producer and director. Rudzinski’s wife is also from Pittsburgh and they moved back to the area after they were married.

“It’s interesting and cool to be back home after being one for so long,” Rudzinski says. “But part of me is also saying I went nowhere.”

The iconic horror comedy movie “Army of Darkness” drove Rudzinski to pursue a career in film.

“It was a movie that very much wanted to be its own thing,” he says. “It really spoke to me because it didn’t care about being a comedy or horror or fantasy film because it was all of these things. It was completely up my alley.”

Bruce Campbell, the star of “Army of Darkness,” also inspired Rudzinski with his expressive acting style.

“His entire being is expressed through his face,” Rudzinski says. “Emotions in a face can tell so much more of the story than almost anything else on the screen.”

When he turned 18, Rudzinski began acting in micro-budget films and he says it was a learning experience. Because the budgets were so small, there was a lot of pressure to get scenes right on the first shot. He also wrote and directed, and in 2010 he started producing his own horror comedy films.

“I am extremely lucky with what I have accomplished, because I can do it as a career instead of struggling to do it on the side,” Rudzinski says.

His advice to aspiring actors is to follow their dreams, but he also cautions them that it’s a lot of hard work.

“You have to keep practicing, even in your bedroom by yourself,” Rudzinski says. “Audition for as much as you can for whatever you can. You may not like the project or character but it’s a job as much as it’s an art. I don’t think people can be choosey in a very difficult industry.”

For aspiring directors, Rudzinski says they need to learn that nothing will ever be perfect.

“Sometimes you have to say it’s good enough,” he says. “The whole movie matters more than just this one shot right now.”

In addition to being filmmaker, Rudzinski works for Marvel Live Appearances and portrays Spiderman at parades, stage shows, and other events around the world. Rudzinski is a comic book fan and says the job has fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming a superhero. He loves meeting children and making their dreams come true. Some children love to ask questions but Rudzinski says he’s never been stumped. However, sometimes a child is too overwhelmed by the experience and it helps when the parents can step to make them feel more comfortable.

“It’s really fun when the parents are part of the fantasy,” Rudzinski says.

He also acts in stage shows where Spiderman and other superheroes battle a villain. The shows are very similar to professional wrestling because there are a lot of choreographed falls, leaps and hits. The events also teach children the importance of physical fitness or standing up to bullies, among other messages.

Rudzinski also had the opportunity to portray the Joker at the Shrine Circus in Pittsburgh in April. Although he usually plays heroes, Rudzinski says he also enjoyed being a villain.

“I jumped at the offer because it’s so nice to be the heel,” he says.

The Shrine Circus was very different from the Spiderman events because he appeared before a much a larger audience. He had to exaggerate his movements even more than usual. Plus, he had to avoid all the circus animals.

“The tigers act more like house cats but you still have to be very careful,” Rudzinski says.

In the future, Rudzinski says he would like to act in more films and direct projects with bigger budgets. He would also hopes to become a Power Ranger but says that will have to wait until “CarousHELL” is finished.

“I never worry about more than one major project at a time,” Rudzinski says.

For more information visit: http://silverspotlightfilms.moonfruit.com/

Published in IN Community Magazines – Moon Township Winter 2016

PITTSBURGH – Paige Landay, an art student from Moon, says her first attempt at street painting with chalk pastels was a challenging and rewarding experience. She created the painting for the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts in State College in July.

Landay graduated from Moon Area High School in 2014 and is a junior at Penn State University where she studies art education. After attending the arts festival for several years, she decided to participate in this year’s street painting event. Using chalk pastels and painting on the street surface were both new experiences, Landay says.

“Working on the street surface is not like canvas or paper,” Landay says. “You are on top of the artwork rather than having paper on an easel.”

She created a grid to help her map out the painting and create the proper perspective. Landay brought a gardening kneepad because she had to kneel for many hours while completing her painting.

“I was in many different awkward positions to try and work on the piece without ruining it,” she says.

Landay also had to contend with the weather and two rainstorms threatened to wash away her work. She had to use tarps and a tent to protect her painting. It took about 20 hours to complete the work and the weather was also very hot.

Landay and several other artists completed their works while the art festival was ongoing, so attendees could watch them work. Many passersby asked questions and offered compliments while Landay worked, and she sometimes took breaks to chat with onlookers. One observer told Landay she will be a great inspiration as an art teacher.

“It was a very interactive experience,” she says. “It was fun to get that immediate response rather than waiting until the piece is finished.”

Her piece was based on the painting “Girl with Sailboat,” which was originally created by artist Edmund Charles Tarbell in 1899. She chose that picture because it had a summer theme and incorporated lots of colors.

“Since the street surface is already dark, I wanted to make sure I could use very vibrant colors,” Landay says.

After the festival ended, the streets were washed and the paintings disappeared. Landay says she would have been frustrated if the rain had washed away her painting while she was working on it, but she was not disappointed that her painting was only on display temporarily.

“It served its purpose,” she says. “We also took lots of pictures.”

In the future, Landay would like to expand her artistic skills by exploring other media. She is enrolled in a studio art class this semester and is looking forward to trying her had at oil painting because many famous artists have worked in that medium. Landay says she has always wanted to be an art teacher and that art was her favorite class in school. Her family supported her artistic pursuits and encouraged her to attend different workshops and camps. Landay also enjoys studying art history and impressionists, such as Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh, are among her favorite artists. Landay enjoys working with many different media but says painting and drawing are her two favorite pursuits.

“I feel more comfortable with a paintbrush or pencil in my hand,” she says. “But, you have to know how to do everything to be an art teacher.”

Landay says she has always wanted to be an art teacher and would prefer to teach either elementary school students or high school students. Working in an elementary school means she could help students develop a passion for art at a young age. On the other hand, she could also help high school students further develop their talents. She advises students of any age who are interested in art to continue practicing.

“Never stop doing it because you can do artwork as long as you live,” Landay says. “I don’t want them to be discouraged about doing art in their life.”

Since she was three years old, Landay has also been passionate about dancing.

“Using the body, lighting, and costuming means that dance is an art as well,” Landay says. “I like doing art with both my hands and my entire body.”

She is a member of the Penn State Ballet Club where she performs in many different styles, including lyrical and modern dance. She plans to continue pursuing her interest in dance when she begins teaching and would like to contribute to theatrical performances at her school, because she is also interested in special effects makeup. While attending Moon Area High School, she learned how to create different makeup effects by watching Youtube videos. She used her talents to help the school principal become the Grinch for a holiday assembly.

“It got a great reaction and he really got into the role,” Landay says.