Coffee, Art, and Music

100% of the proceeds from Shane Henderson’s print of the National Opera House to the restoration of the historical building.

Music, art, and coffee. On their own, each is undeniably good. But together, the trio creates a gorgeous, slightly caffeinated composition, one brought to life in a rotating art installation at Commonplace Coffee, featuring an architectural print of the National Opera House by local artist Shane Henderson.

Henderson's stunning illustration shines a light on the National Opera House (NOH), a nonprofit working to restore the historic Homewood building to its original magnificence while transforming the space into a museum and artistic hub for the community. The artist has designed a bright, streamlined architectural print of the NOH – available for sale throughout the series of art installations – that will benefit the NOH and their efforts to protect and preserve the building.

“[It] stood out to me was that there was this important landmark that was sadly in very bad shape, so I'm pleased that my artwork can help to save and restore such a beautiful, historic building and a cultural landmark in the city of Pittsburgh,” Henderson said.

Henderson’s Opera House print, currently for sale at Commonplace’s location in the Mexican War Streets, displays the Queen Anne-style building head-on. It’s a building of immense cultural and historical significance, becoming a center of Black community life in the 1930s. When Mary Cardwell Dawson, a renowned musician and educator, rented the third floor as a space for the National Negro Opera Company, the first permanent African-American Opera in the nation, the NOH rose to national significance.

“At the NOH, our mission is to honor the house’s history by bringing the community together and elevating artist voices. This collaboration is so special to us because it combines all of those things!” said Carly Otte, National Opera House’s operations manager, in a press release.

Henderson’s art installations will continue at the Mexican War Streets cafe through Oct. 31. Currently, there are three colorways of the fundraiser-created National Opera House drawing along with nine other prints available. After closing on the 31st, the art installation will travel to other locations of Commonplace in the city, starting with Voluto on Penn Avenue through December, then the Point Breeze location through February, and Squirrel Hill in March and April of 2022. Each location will showcase new prints – in addition to the NOH drawing – from Henderson, reflective of the shop’s neighborhood.