2-D art, including murals, mosaic, photography, etc.
Digital / Lighting / Projection Art
Community Engagement and Social Justice
Pittsburgh Creative Corps Artist Directory
Shane Pilster
Do What We Love, LLC
Primary Discipline
Artistic Practice
Murals
Illustration / Comics / Graphic Novels
Digital / Photography
Portrait, 2022, spray paint.
Shane Pilster with Max Gonzales, Steel Valley: Past to Present, 2023, spray paint, 156′ x 20.’ Commissioned for the Waterfront Mall, Pittsburgh, PA.
Shane Pilster with Max Gonzales, Welcome Back, 2021, spray paint, 56′ x 9.’ Murals created for Dick’s Sporting Goods’ Back to School campaign, with imagery integrated into their advertising and displayed in almost all of their 900 stores nationwide.
Shane Pilster with Max Gonzales, Community Forge: Looking into the Future, 2022, spray paint, 36′ x 14.’ Commissioned for Community Forge in Pittsburgh, PA
Condado Tacos, 2022 and 2023, spray paint. Commissioned by Condado Tacos to paint murals in multiple locations: South Hills Village, Youngstown, Cranberry, and McCandless.
About the Artist
Shane Pilster is a dynamic creative force, skilled in artistry, muralism, curation, and graphic design. He merges graffiti and urban arts with a strong dedication to community engagement, taking on roles as an educator, advocate, and mentor. Shane uses graffiti to amplify the voices of marginalized groups, sharing his expertise to empower individuals to use art for personal or societal change.
Originally from Santa Cruz, CA, Shane has been rooted in Pittsburgh since 2004. He initiated the Graffiti Art Program at Rivers of Steel (Carrie Furnaces) in 2013 and co-founded HCUAP, collaborating with impactful nonprofits like Hip-Hop On LOCK and The YMCA. His portfolio ranges from local projects to partnerships with national corporations such as Dick’s Sporting Goods and Verizon.
With over two decades of spray painting experience and fifteen years of engaging with youth and the public, Shane has contributed to numerous public art installations and workshops. He continues to refine his craft alongside fellow artist and mural partner Max Gonzales.
In Shane Pilster’s career, you’ll find a blend of artistic skill and a commitment to nurturing creativity and social change within communities, leaving a lasting impact through vibrant expressions of art.
Photo by @OutAfterDark
Web
Accreditations, Certifications, and/or Awards
- Lead on Voodoo Brewery projects in Reno, NV, Colorado Springs, CO, and the Northshore, Pittsburgh, 2023
- Co-Lead with Max Gonzales for the Strawberry Way Mural project (PDP & CAPA collaboration), UPTOWN mural project (Uptown Partners), and Erie mural project (Sisters of Saint Joseph Neighborhood Network), 2022
- Created and organized “Murals on a Mission” in New Kensington with Rivers of Steel, 2021
- Co-lead “Homestead Streetside Gallery” with Rivers of Steel and Doug Lopretto, 2020
- One of ten artists selected for “Making Our Differences Our Strengths” with the Westmoreland Diversity Coalition, 2020
- Curated international graffiti artist showcase in Homestead, 2019
- Co-created Homestead First Fridays with Rivers of Steel, 2019
- Pittsburgh’s “Who’s Next: Art” by The Incline, 2018
- Formed Hemispheric Conversations: Urban Art Project with Caitlin Bruce and Oreen Cohen, 2016
- Started Graffiti Arts Program at Rivers of Steel, 2013
- Whirl Magazine interview/cover art, 2009
Provides Fabrication Services to Other Artists
No
Teaching Artist
Yes, all ages
Joined the Directory
May 2024
Related
PROJECT
Pittsburgh Creative Corps
Designed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pittsburgh Creative Corps initiative engages artists and creative workers to activate the public realm while providing economic opportunity.
“Public art is a pillar in my creative practice and it is the foundation of everything I create. I have encouraged, paid, taught, and collaborated with so many other artists to bring them into the world of public art, as it is the most vulnerable place to have your art live, which is in the eyes and opinions of everyone.”
Shane Pilster
Contact the Artist
Please enter information in all of the required fields below.
Related
PROJECT
Pittsburgh Creative Corps
Designed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pittsburgh Creative Corps initiative engages artists and creative workers to activate the public realm while providing economic opportunity.
