Tess Senay Raynovich Art & Earth Fund

Supporting artists and Eco-art 

  • Big Bright Red Bench for The ART House.
    Where it started: 2016 Vanessa German ART House in Homewood.
  • Give a little love get a lot back.
    THIS! what a sweet surprise from Vanessa German on the Art House steps next to the bench we donated.
  •  a parking lot + old cloth strips...
    Becky getting things ready for our Tied Together with Love Bench Project 2017
  • + love = Paradise
    Tied Together  with Love Bench @ 2017 University of Pittsburgh Parking Day 
  • All our favoites come here to sit and think of Tess.
    2019 Sewickley.
  • A bus stop + eco-beauty bench + your support = Tess is Love Bench Project

    Beaver & Broad Street bench 2019
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We are working on a new bench for 2023. We would love to hear of any spots that you think might need us! If you can donate to this project, any amount will help!

Thanks for supporting the Tess is Love Bench Project!

Tess is Love Bench Project needs you!

TESS IS LOVE BENCH PROJECT STORY


Several years ago Vanessa German, artist & activist, put out a message that the Art House, a community space for art & peace that she created in Homewood, a neighborhood of Pittsburgh, was in need of a bench. We admire Vanessa German for her art and for the love and inspiration she gives to the Art House, so we donated a beautiful big bright red bench to the House. The house is covered with a beautiful mosaic that the community made together and the words "Tess is Love" are on the front steps next to the bench. 


This unexpected remembrance of Tess meant so much to us. It stuck with us. When we participated in Pitt's PARKing Day it was a natural fit to have a bench, but we also wanted to bring the spirit of the Art House to the project. Tess's aunt, Anne Newman,jumped in to donate the bench. We wrote "_______is Love" on strips of recycled material.On the day of the event we asked people to fill in the blank and tie their strip on to the previous strip,eventually weaving everyone's love definition together on the bench. We had a great response and it was beautiful. This stuck with us also.


Diana Schwab, one of our board members, noticed that in Tess's hometown the benches that had been at the bus stops had been removed and suggested that we donate a bench to promote public transit along with giving to the community.  

This spring our first official "Tess is Love" bench was installed! This bench comes from Landscape Forms which has strong environmental policies for their processes and products. And the bench is beautiful! 


Bring us your ideas! Seriously, we want ideas for locations, bench artists, funding, etc. We are so grateful for all of you!


Thanks for supporting the Tess is Love Bench Project!