As part of our annual holiday sale, Blue Ruin Gallery is pleased to present It's Nice to be Naughty, a group show that brings together local and national artists.

Jen Buczynski is a Pittsburgh-based artist whose interests range from painting and sculpture to Polaroid photography. She has studied Visual Arts and History both in Pittsburgh and Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her main focus is women, whether they are painted on canvas or jewelry boxes.

“I hope they capture some of the dynamics of femininity. They are often exaggerated and cartoony, but isn’t that feminine? We color our hair, wear lipstick and eyeliner, adorn ourselves with lavish jewelry, and squish ourselves into push-up bras. My girls are inspired by girls I see everyday: the cute girl who works at the coffee shop; the one on the “T” wearing that really cool jacket; the one with the guts to dye her hair pink.

I truly enjoy being a female and believe that there is nothing wrong with relishing the “girly” things in life. It’s OK to like pink and kittens and glitter eye shadow (and in my case hunting dogs and anything with a skull on it). Enjoy it, be playful or pouty or sexy or strong. I hope that my girls remind you of someone you know and love, or hate, or look up to, or one that you’d like to be.”

Sera Swan "I studied jewelry making/small metals at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. I have been showing my work as well as teaching in the arts for over ten years. I have participated in many local exhibitions including James Gallery, Penn Gallery, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Garfield Artworks, etc. And, locally I have taught at CCAC, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and for numerous smaller organizations. The title for the series I gave you is Primitive Experimentive."

Jocelyn Geisler is a local artist from the Southside. She attended Antioch College where she studied dance and theatre. Jocelyn graduated from Chatham College with a degree in English and dramatic literature. She currently spends her time exploring all areas of art including painting, writing, and the performing arts. Jocelyn focuses mainly on color and movement in her paintings. The shapes and figures found in her paintings often reflect her love for dance and her fascination with the female form..