Lindsay Surmacz

My strongest artistic inspirations involve confluence – the elegant combination of seemingly disparate elements into a vibrant, dynamic whole. This comes from an upbringing that, for me, included heavy involvement in theatre and music (especially percussion), a degree in Creative Writing, a career in science education, and a passion for making stuff. It’s no wonder, then, why I feel at home in the pinnacle of coordinated confusion: the circus.

As a teenager, my dream was to play drums for Cirque du Soleil. More than a decade later, I hopped aboard the circus train, and have delighted in its culture ever since, studying multiple disciplines and integrating them with my other professional practices. Circus and science education. Circus and music performance. Circus and creative writing. Circus and filmmaking. These are the artistic experiments that follow me through my days and nights, growing bigger, louder, and more colorful all the time.

Pittsburgh, which I have been blessed to call home throughout my life, is a rich planting ground for work like this. This city that was once a cradle for steel and jazz has reinvented itself as a hub for life science and technology innovations while cultivating a new generation of artistic luminaries. Historically, Pittsburghers have been strong people who work hard to build strong things. I move in service of that spirit, enriching myself and my community through artistic expression that requires a strong mind, a strong body, and a strong purpose through all the bumps and bravos!

Photo by J. Aaron Hager