About the Design

Patricia Bellan-Gillen: "Nature was my inspiration for this design. I wanted to convey the connections that all living things have through nature. The design also pays tribute to the museum itself—to its commitment to the natural sciences and education."

About the Artist

Fourth-grade students from Burgettstown Area Elementary School painted self-portraits that Bellan-Gillen incorporated into an urn that is attached to the T. rex. There was a family connection in the project—her husband, Vince Gillen, teaches the pint-sized Picassos.

Born and raised in Western Pennsylvania, Bellan-Gillen received the prestigious Dorothy L. Stubnitz Professor of Art award in 2001 for her dedication and achievements as a professor of art at Carnegie Mellon University. Her paintings and prints have been featured in more than 23 solo exhibitions throughout the United States. Bellan-Gillen spent six weeks working in her Burgettstown barn-turned-studio to give her T. rex a personality of its own.

About the Sponsor

Laurel Foundation of Pittsburgh, a private philanthropic organization, is providing major funding for the free public art exhibit.

"We believe that DinoMite Days will draw new visitors to the region, exposing them to a community rich with history and culture," said Donna Panazzi, vice president of Laurel Foundation. "From the world-class dinosaur exhibit here at Carnegie Museum of Natural History to Pittsburgh's picturesque parks and floral gardens, the City is brimming with vitality. We're thrilled to partner with the Museum on DinoMite Days, and to help raise funds for the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and for other nonprofit organizations, through the sponsorship and auction of the dinosaurs."