grief is a beautiful name for a baby girl – Artist in Residence Exhibition

Presented by: Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse
Artist: Sara Jean Ruiz
Exhibition Dates: April 4 – June 2026
Opening Reception: Saturday, April 4, 2026 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse Gallery, 214 N. Lexington St., Pittsburgh, PA 15208 (North Point Breeze)
Hours: Daily, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Admission: Free

About the Exhibition:

Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse presents its 8th annual Artist in Residence gallery show, grief is a beautiful name for a baby girl by Sara Jean Ruiz.

From the artist:
“In this body of work, I use repurposed textiles and my own childhood images along with found images printed onto recycled fabrics to stitch together the felt memory of loss in its many forms. What does it mean to lose something, to lose someone? What fills in the space in your chest? I am looking at these feelings as someone with complex PTSD, and contemplating the way grief can seem to tether you to a place you wish you weren’t. Grief is not my name—how do I keep from becoming her?”

About the Artist:

Sara Jean Ruiz grew up in rural South Texas. As an adult with C‑PTSD, her desire to create images from difficult experiences grew. She received her BFA from Texas A&M University‑Kingsville in 2019. Furthermore, she completed her MFA in printmaking at The Ohio State University in 2023. Ruiz relocated to Pittsburgh in 2023.

Find more information here!

Find more events going on in Pittsburgh here!