Back in 2019, Greg Souchick and Rick Minard shared a vision for downtown Bradford. They dreamed it could become a place where artists could share their work, public art could bring people together and creatives could learn new skills. That vision materialized into Allegheny Mountain Arts, a gallery and workshop space located at 181 Main St.

“It was our dream to have a gallery and be able to display things, but Bradford didn’t have an art gallery,” said Souchik. “We came up with the idea, and since I already owned the building, it seemed a natural fit.”

They host about six shows a year, featuring talented artists from across the region.

“We try to have people’s work displayed for about a month,” said Souchick. “We host our shows mostly in the spring, summer and fall, but not so much in the wintertime.”

Minard, who has taught at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford since 2011, brings a broad range of expertise. Over the years, he has taught drawing, painting, graphic design, photography, art history and printmaking.

“Acrylic painting is my favorite,” said Minard. “I consider myself primarily a painter, but I have strong skills in other areas such as graphic design and photography.”

Souchik began drawing at an early age, encouraged by his father.

“My father was a lithographer, and he would bring home stacks of paper cut off the ends of the big industrial reams for me,” said Souchick. “So I have been a drawer and a doodler for pretty much all of my life.”

He describes himself as a graduate of the school of hard knocks.

“Everything I have done has been self-taught,” said Souchick. “I enjoy working in acrylic and have become pretty well-known for my portraits of rock stars.”

He also makes jewelry created from sea glass found by his wife during their trips abroad.

“One of my specialties is Greek sea glass jewelry,” said Souchick. “My wife loves to beach comb, and she found some lovely sea glass in Greece that we knew would make nice jewelry.”

Allegheny Mountain Arts functions as both a gallery and a creative workshop. Over the years, the pair have hosted one-day workshops in painting, pour painting, pen and ink drawing, card making and more.

“We have done quite a variety, but there is a lot more we would like to do,” said Minard. “We are always looking for new ideas.”

One of those ideas is the newly formed Bradford Region Arts Group (BRAG), a nonprofit with a mission to support and connect 2D and 3D artists across the region, not just in Bradford.

Souchick has donated the use of the building to BRAG so rent won’t be a barrier while the group establishes itself.
“We believe it is important for the community to have a place where artists can go for inspiration and support,” said Souchick. “We aim to elevate artists who haven’t had much exposure and give them opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have without going into a bigger city.”

One of BRAG’s first major projects recently wrapped up. The pair painted a beautiful patriotic mural on a wall at Union Square, visible from CVS’s prescription pickup window. The mural, featuring a dynamic flying eagle and rippling flag, celebrates America’s impending 250th anniversary.

Currently, the pair are hard at work on another mural, located at the Friendship Table on East Corydon Street. This mural, featuring a cornucopia of fruit and vegetables, celebrates the Friendship Table’s dedication to feeding our community. Minard said he expects the mural to be finished by Friday.

Souchick and Minard are no strangers to murals. Between the two of them, they have painted the well-known Woodstock mural and the Phlash Phelps mural, and pieces inside the VFW and American Legion in Mount Jewett.

“We make a pretty good team,” Souchick said. “At this point, we have it pretty much down to a science.”

BRAG hopes to make public art a bigger part of the town’s identity, with long-term goals that include a mural walk through downtown.

“The more people who come downtown, the more stores fill up, the more property values increase,” said Souchick. “Art can revitalize a community.”

The group is seeking funding for more murals and other projects, with options for donating through Venmo (@BradfordRegionArtsGroup) or Patreon, or by mail to the gallery. Donors giving $100 will receive a signed print of the 250th anniversary mural; those giving $500 or more will receive a signed, limited edition giclée print.

Beyond beautifying the city Souchick and Minard see their efforts as a way to bring people together.

“If someone can walk by my work and get a smile out of it, that is what we are going for,” said Minard. “We just want to bring a little more beauty into the world.”

Or, as Souchik puts it, “A community that supports art is a stronger community.”