FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mandy Wilson – mwilson@contemporarycraft.org
412.465.1637

Rachel Saul Rearick Named
New Executive Director at Contemporary Craft
PITTSBURGH, PA (May 14, 2021)—The Contemporary Craft board of directors named Rachel
Saul Rearick, 39, as executive director of the 50-year-old visual arts organization, effective
June 1, 2021. Rearick succeeds Janet L. McCall, who served in that capacity for half of theorganization’s history.
“Contemporary Craft has played a vital role in my development. I
am honored to be charged with assuming the helm of one of thepreeminent craft organizations in the nation. I look forward toworking with the board and staff in extending Contemporary
Craft’s creative excellence and craft art thought-leadership in ourregion and across the country,” said Rearick. “I have loved mywork at Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT). I am leaving it only
because of this opportunity to accept my dream job atContemporary Craft. It feels like a homecoming to me.”
Rearick brings a myriad of experiences in the field of craft, community development,
fundraising and strategic planning to her new role as executive director at Contemporary Craft.
Hired as the first full-time arts and culture manager at PIT responsible for ongoing art programs
at the airport; she also managed the impending architectural integrations for public art that will
be part of the Terminal Modernization Program. Her role at PIT was expanded earlier this year
to include managing the Neighborhood 91, the world’s first advanced manufacturing/3D
printing and supply chain in one ecosystem. Previously, Rearick was arts, culture and history
specialist in the City of Pittsburgh Planning Department after serving four years as assistantdirector of education at Contemporary Craft where she scheduled and managed almost 100
studio workshops annually. She also served in grant writing and development positions at
West Virginia University and the Private Industry Council of Westmoreland and Fayette, Inc.
--more--As a printmaker, Rearick embraces her love for craft in her own artist practice. She uses thecraft media of wood—cutting and carving pieces for printing—and introduced metals into theartworks that she creates collaboratively with her wife, Katie. Rearick’s work has been shownin regional exhibitions at Associated Artists of Pittsburgh Gallery, Borelli-Edwards Gallery, theWestmoreland Museum of American Art, and Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, as well as Sulfur
Studios in Savannah, Georgia. She has taught, lectured and juried exhibitions extensively
throughout Pennsylvania and serves on the Art Advisory Committee of the Sports andExhibition Authority and as an Advisory Committee member of the Office of Public Art. Rearick
is a current board member of Artist Image Resource and a former board member of Millvale
Community Library.
“Janet has been an incredible leader of Contemporary Craft for the past 25 years. Faced withreplacing her has been a daunting task. We have successfully completed an extensive search
for a new executive director and are thrilled to have someone in Rachel Rearick to continue ourorganization’s legacy and can carry us forward to new heights,” said Susan Golomb, chair ofContemporary Craft board of directors.
Rearick lives in Stanton Heights with her wife, Katie Rearick; the couple is expecting their firstchild in July. Rearick received her BFA from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and her MPA
in organizational leadership from Gannon University. She has been a guest lecturer at Carnegie
Mellon University, Duquesne University, Penn State University, Rhode Island School of Designand Slippery Rock University.
The selection of Rachel Rearick as the next executive director was delegated by the board ofdirectors to a Search and Transition Committee, which worked with Nonprofit Talent and DHR
International in conducting a national search.
###ABOUT CONTEMPORARY CRAFT
Celebrating its 50th anniversary year in 2021, Contemporary Craft presents contemporary art in craft media by regional,national, and international artists. Contemporary Craft offers cutting edge exhibitions focusing on multicultural diversity
and contemporary art, as well as a range of artist-led studio workshops, community outreach programs, and astore. Located at 5645 Butler Street in the Upper Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA, Contemporary Craft’s
exhibition and Drop-In Studio art activity are always free to the public. For more information, visit
www.contemporarycraft.org.