SWPA Art Bash at PennWest California: A Celebration of Art and Community
There are some places that never really leave you.
For me, PennWest California, formerly California University of Pennsylvania, is one of them.
I spent years there figuring out not just what I wanted to do, but who I wanted to be creatively. The classrooms, studios, late nights, and critiques shaped the foundation of my career. And more importantly, the people did.
So coming back to photograph the SW PA Art Bash this year wasn’t just another job, it felt like stepping back into something that still matters.
Vulcan Hall, PennWest California Painting Studio
On paper, the Art Bash is exactly what you’d hope for:
A full day of workshops, live demos, vendors, music, and community, spread across campus from Vulcan Hall to Coover Hall.
Artists from across southwestern Pennsylvania showed up to share what they do, from ceramics and printmaking to collage, poetry, and performance.
Students sold work they’ve spent months creating. Clubs raised money to keep their programs alive. Visiting artists connected with new audiences. And everywhere you looked, people were making things together.
But being there in person, it’s something different.
It’s energy. It’s curiosity. It’s people trying something new without worrying if they’re “good” at it.
It’s what art is supposed to be.
Vireo Music performing at SW PA Art Bash 2026
Walking through the event, I couldn’t help but think about how many people I know who started right here.
People who went on to win Grammys.
Tour the world as musicians.
Teach the next generation of artists.
Build careers as illustrators, designers, photographers, and full-time makers.
That doesn’t happen by accident.
It comes from programs like this, led by professors who care, who push, and who give students the space to figure things out. It comes from environments where creativity isn’t treated like an extra, but like something essential.
And you see the results of that in events like this.
Not just in the work, but in the people.
Professor Todd Pinkham
This year’s Art Bash felt especially meaningful.
There’s been talk about the future of the art program here, and whether it will continue in the same way it has for so many years.
And standing in the middle of this event, watching students sell their work, artists connect, and the community show up… it’s hard not to think about what would be lost.
Because this isn’t just a program.
It’s a starting point.
It’s where people discover something they didn’t know they were capable of. It’s where careers begin, connections are made, and confidence is built.
It’s where people find their thing.
That’s why alumni come back for events like this.
Not just for nostalgia, but because they know what this place gave them.
Photographing the SWPA Art Bash reminded me of that in the best way. It wasn’t just about documenting an event, it was about capturing something that still has impact.
Something that’s still working.
Something that still matters.
And honestly… I’m already looking forward to next year.
Laurie Barnes - The artist behind making this event possible!
