Stress reduction with pictures of greenery!
Most folks would agree a walk on a path in the woods or in a park is rejuvenating. After a few minutes you leave your cares behind. Data suggests that a short duration of viewing green pictures may help people recover from stress. Read a New York Times article here on this subject by author Gretchen Reynolds.
If it were that simple to lower stress by mentally taking a walk through this pictorial map of Schenley Park wouldn’t that be a great addition to your home or office, or as a gift to a family with a new baby?
But who needs an excuse to fall in love with the Schenley Park Pictorial Map? Penned in the late 1930’s a time in history we cannot call stress free, perhaps the illustrator found it calming to draw the park. I found a print of the black and white ink drawing in the 1980’s while researching the park. I was so enchanted by it I added color and a brief park history.
Prints in two sizes are always available from me and can be ordered here.
If you love pictorial maps here is a link for more reading.
Licensing my work for use: Schenley Park Map
I was excited when the quarterly magazine Western Pennsylvania History Magazine contacted me about using my Schenley Park Map (on the left) to illustrate a stunning and thorough 14 page article (125 citations!) about Mary Schenley titled “What’s in a Namesake” by Jake Oresick. It was published in Fall of 2015. Their publications are beautifully printed and designed and I could not be more thrilled to be part of it. This is the spread page where my map appears.
You can order a map from me and it is here on my site in two sizes 18″ square and 30″ square. It is a wonderful help in keeping my art supplies stocked and dealing with various dollar and cents issues we all have!
Listen to an NPR story about Mary Schenley written and produced by Margaret J. Krauss where she and author Jake Oresick talk about Mary Schenley.
I am always happy to discuss license agreements to use my work, and in the case of Schenley Park, the park has been a passion of mine since moving here from Boston years ago. Obviously this is a Depression Era drawing and I am not old enough to have drawn it myself. As an artist, when I found the black and white drawing in a file, it broke my heart to think Pittsburghers had no way to enjoy this map.
So I added color, information, history and a red border to make it more compatible with the Frick Park Map which people love to frame together as a set. Though at this point in time (2024) the Frick Pittsburgh Museum store does not carry Frick map anymore. I never set out to be a map seller but no one else I approached would take it over, so I decided to do it myself. It brings such pleasure to so many people who love that park and it is a beautiful piece to get lost in while studying it.
The BIGGEST audience for my print is children and men! So, Pittsburgh women or men who do not know what to get for your husbands, buy a print! Or folks who have to come up with a memorable baby present but don’t want to contribute to instant landfill, buy a print! Or alumni of Pitt, CMU and Carlow who are not fond of pennants or logos, this is your go to gift!
If you would like to discuss licensing any of my work shoot me a message through my site.
Schenley Park Map
Schenley Park Map goes to Vintage Grand Prix
You can always order this Schenley Park Map directly from me
Carol Skinger and Audra Azoury are teaming up to share a vendors tent at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix (PVGP) in Schenley Park July 20 and 21, 2013. Business hours are 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM. It is FREE and open to the public. We will be located in Vendors Village to sell our work during race weekend. Artist Carol Skinger will be featuring her Vintage Schenley Park Map, so perfectly matched to this venue. Jewelry Designer Audra Azoury will be selling her Pittsburgh inspired jewelry. Audra pairs strong industrial materials, modern laser cutting technology, and gritty urban inspired finishes with classic lines and shapes to produce jewelry that doesn’t have to scream for attention to get it. Her work sells at Heinz History Center and the Carnegie Museum shop, among other places.
Where? Vendor Village is located on the fairway and around the green on the 2nd hole and around the tee of the 3rd hole of the golf course. Bob O’Conner Golf Course at Schenley Park 5370 Schenley Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Vendor Village is marked with signage along Schenley Drive, directly across from the Golf Course Clubhouse. It is known as Gate A, and also one of the main stops of the 15 or so shuttle busses that run free all day Saturday and Sunday. The Vendor tents are along a pedestrian pathway that leads from Schenley Drive to British Car Day(!), Patron Parking and good viewing location of the race course. It is the entrance that many use to start their walk through the Car Shows. It is also shown on PVGP’s Schenley map on line and in the Race Programs. (Note this is exactly why Carol Skinger’s vintage map is needed!!!)
What’s up on Saturday July 20? Schenley Park Car International Shows and Qualifying Races. Especially famous and close to everyone’s heart is British Car Day. Located in the middle of the golf course it is the anchor of our International Car Show. British Car Day, sponsored by the Western Pennsylvania Triumph Association. It features 500 of England’s best sport and luxury automobiles. While you look at the international car show and shop at Vendor Village, there are qualifying races going on. International Car Shows 11:00 am – 4:00 pm Gates open at 9:30 AM . Come see classic, antique, and exotic vehicles including British, American, German, Asian and Italian cars on the golf course. Watch 150 vintage racers compete on the track all day, 9-5 to quality for Sunday’s featured races.
What’s up on Sunday July 21? Schenley Park Race Day! The PVGP Parade and Opening Ceremony runs from approximately 11:10 AM until noon on Sunday of Race Weekend in Schenley Park. The parade starts near the Westinghouse fountain on Schenley Drive and takes a full parade lap of the racetrack. After the completion of the parades presentations are made prior to the start of the first race at noon.
Parade & Opening Ceremony Schedule July 21
11:10 AM – Grand Marshal, Charity Ambassadors and Dignitaries
11:15 AM– Marque of the Year Mustang’s
11:25 AM – Patron Parking Participants
11:35 AM – Welcome by Ted Sohier & PVGP Officials
11:45 AM– Presentation of Color Guard and National Anthem sung by Jeff Jimerson
Noon – Ladies & Gentlemen….start your engines!
The Vintage Grand Prix mission – To maintain a world-class racing event that is free to the public to give all money to our two charities. The Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix’s mission is to produce a world-class vintage racing event in order to raise funds to help provide residential care, treatment and support for developmentally disabled individuals in the Pittsburgh region. Because of the generous support and contributions from our sponsors, and the dedication of our volunteers, we have been able to donate $3.2 million to two deserving charities: the Autism Society of Pittsburgh and Allegheny Valley School.
Come on over to Schenley Park and see us and the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix! Wear good walking shoes and bring a water bottle and sunscreen.The show grounds are open to car show participants and spectators at 8:30 AM each day
Schenley Park Illustrated Map
I am an artist myself and lover of nature and hiking. I found no decent map of Schenley Park when we moved here from Boston in the 80’s, so decided I would illustrate it myself having discovered acres of wonderful hiking trails many of them former bridal trails, just by being curious. My research in several historic archives lead me to a copy of a Depression era line drawing with no color , likely made for the 1939 anniversary. This is it! No one can beat the illustrative style of this historic drawing and it should be available. I LOVED the orientation of the drawing with East at the top. Unusual but so right for this park. All it needed was a brief history in the blank text box in the upper left, updated street names, and a few notes explaining some few elements that were illustrated but not built. Most important of all it needed an artist’s hand to add color, and I am an artist, so DONE! I created the color using color pencils. Later comparing it with the Frick Park illustrated map I added the red border which is so effective on the Frick Park map.
Perhaps you live near the park, or attend college in Oakland or run in the Pittsburgh Koman Race for the Cure. Have you ever watched the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix in the summer? Did you read or see Perks of being a Wallflower and want to visit Schenley Park? You should!
This illustrated map is a great piece of artwork originally inked in the 1930’s, with many updates by me including color, that literally draws you (so to speak) into the park. Want to know more of the history of the park and it’s creation? Click here. And more info here.
I have now made the illustrated map available to see and order in the first public place inside the park itself: Schenley Park Cafe and Visitors Center . They have a large framed map right next to the counter where you order, and they keep a small inventory of the maps in 2 sizes. The Schenley Park Map of either size can always be ordered on my website here.
Schenley Park Cafe & Visitor Center Inside an Urban EcoSteward studies the map!
It is a great place to order lunch and take a walk onto the trails right out back of this charming building designed by Rutan and Russell . You also can plan catered events there!
If you order through my website it takes 3 or 4 days and there are options for shipping the print in a tube. It is available both as 30″ square as displayed there, or a smaller size 18″ square to match the height of the Frick Park Map. The Frick Map which is available at the shop at Frick Art and Historical Center in Point Breeze. If you want to see the Frick Park Map and how it relates to the Schenley Park Map I wrote about it here . You can always simply call me to order it. 412-401-8812.
What is shown in the illustrated Schenley Park Map, other than the park land, trails and park amenities? Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University), The Cathedral of Learning at the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Library (Main Branch) Pittsburgh, Forbes Field, Phipps Conservatory, Greenfield Bridge, Panther Hollow Bridge, Charles Anderson Bridge.