Dear Pittsburgh: I'm coming home.

Life doesn't always go as planned... ...and sometimes that's a really good thing. If everything we asked for and chased after resulted in our ideal outcome, what fun would that be? As an artist, I'd never learn how to get better at my craft nor would we strive to become better people. We would be stagnant and boring with nothing to surprise us. Why am I bringing this up? Because my quality of life will soon be in a much better place: Pittsburgh. This February I will be moving back home to the city of bridges. I've been three years removed from the place that taught and gave me so much. And even in such a short time, it has changed a lot. Just ask my good friend and artist, Baron Batch, who is making things happen over at Studio AM in Homestead, a part of western Pennsylvania that is especially close to my heart. It's where my grandfather, or 'Pap' as I called him, grew up and made his living for so many years. The same man who introduced me to the city, Three Rivers Stadium, and the Stillers. Whereas Gerald Wickerham, or Pap, was executive director of the North Side Development Council working on constructing new offices and landmarks during the height of the steel industry, this generation of young creatives are finding ways to repurpose those same interiors with their own ideas designed for today's world while still maintaining the blue-collar mentality. One foot firmly planted in the past and the other proudly moving forward towards the future. It's exciting to have the opportunity to put my own stamp on a city that was molded by previous generations of my family. Now, that's not to say that I didn't enjoy my time in Boston. I met some really great people, experienced historical moments, both good and bad, and made some pictures that I'm proud of. And for those things, I am truly grateful. But it's time to come home to the place I truly belong. Being back in Pittsburgh is a feeling unlike any other. It's a combination of the tangible and intangible moments. There is certainly a general sense of feeling welcome in such a friendly part of the world. But there's also a self-confidence that comes with being in a place that is open to change and taking chances. There are no limits to what someone can accomplish in such a progressive place. Don't get me wrong - nothing will come easily. There will be a new set of challenges that await. But with the support of friends (let's face it, they're really family at this point) like Jeff & Beth Swensen, Justin Merriman, Stephanie Strasburg, Mickey & Molly Miller, Andy Russell, Jasmine Goldband, Baron Batch, Sean Beauford, and the rest of the folks I've missed dearly these last few years, I can't go wrong. And not to mention all of the Pamela's hotcakes I can eat! See yinz guys soon... --Jared