Artist draws on memories
The air has cleared considerably over Pittsburgh since the mills closed, but smoke has gotten into the eyes of local residents.
Artist Nevin Robinson, known for his intricate pen and ink drawings of the city skyline, sports stadiums and other buildings, has been besieged with requests for drawings of old steel mills.
"I think people are amazed at how much the area has changed," said Robinson, who has sold his artwork for 22 years from a cart at Station Square on the South Side.
Robinson said the drawings have become popular gifts for husbands, fathers, grandfathers and friends who worked inside the massive furnaces, and others who no longer live in the city.
Among the most requested is the storied Homestead Works. Once the region's largest mill, it's now home to The Waterfront, a sprawling shopping and entertainment complex along the Monongahela River.
"Apparently, some of the hard feelings about the collapse of the steel industry have subsided and people are feeling nostalgic, especially relatives of those who worked there," he said.
Ron Baraff, manager of museum collections and archives for the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area, said it has taken nearly a generation, but steel is important once again.
"For those who grew up here, the mills are an enduring symbol of the region," he said. "The physical landscape has changed, but people still see the area as it was, and part of them wants to cling to that."
Many times, it's children or grandchildren of mill workers who seek information.
"Somewhere along the way, people realize that someone worked very hard and dedicated themselves to their craft, and they're very proud of that," Baraff said.
The Homestead Works stretched over 430 acres. Built in 1879, it became the flagship of U.S. Steel. By the time the mill closed in 1986, it held the sweat of more than 200,000 workers.
Today, Baraff said there is only one integrated steel mill -- the Edgar Thomson Mon Valley Works in Braddock -- fully functioning in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
Most of the old ones, like Homestead, were dismantled and their grounds redeveloped long ago, so making accurate drawings of their exteriors presents a special challenge.
"There were very few photos taken of the mills due to security reasons, and the ones I have seen usually have a big group of people standing in front, so you can't see any details of the actual structure," Robinson said.
Rivers of Steel was able to provide several images, including one of the mill taken by the Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record, a national organization tasked with documenting structures before they are demolished.
Robinson also worked from aerial shots and architectural plans to complete a new, authentic drawing of the Homestead Works. Robinson expects to put the finishing touches on the drawing within the next few days and offer it for sale on his Web site and at his Station Square cart. Prices range from $10 to $125.
"I think people like the drawings because of all the little details, but it's the subject that grabs their eye first," Robinson said. "They'll see a building or a particular scene and it reminds them of something special."
Robinson, who grew up in Lawrenceville, began drawing pictures from magazines as a young boy during a bout with rheumatic fever. A few years later, he sketched Victorian houses in Shadyside, and became a neighborhood favorite.
"People would come out and ask if I would draw their house. I just worked my way down the streets," he said of his early sales.
After more than 25 years, Robinson said he still finds inspiration in the Steel City.
"I don't think I'll ever run out of subjects," he said.
Additional Information:
About the artist
For more information, visit Nevin Robinson's cart in Station Square.
