An anniversary at Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, has led to some intriguing discoveries and a few mysteries within the school's art collection.

The Benedictine college is celebrating 25 years of coeducational enrollment, which inspired Saint Vincent Gallery director Brother Nathan Cochran to organize "Women Artists From the Saint Vincent Art Collections." The richly varied show represents photography and fiber, and the 18th to 21st centuries, but is grounded in 20th-century painting.

Of particular interest are artists Anna Marie Hufnagel (dates unverified, possibly 1866-1952) and Gertrude Quastler (1909-1963), both of whom are well represented in the collection by works that exhibit technical adeptness and eager engagement with stylistic experimentation. Exemplary are Hufnagel's confidently brushed watercolors "Cathedral" and "Street Crowd," and Quastler's Cezanne-like tempera "Landscape" in various greens and her patterned woodcut "Bugs."

They are among several artists in the collection about whom little is known -- including Yetta Bornstein, Helen Gerardia, Rosemary B. Johns and Hilda R. Karniol -- and Cochran welcomes submission of biographical information.

Also noteworthy are "Early the First Day of Deer Hunting Season," of 1941, by Mary Martha Himler, a founder of the unique Greater Latrobe School District Art Collection; a 1911 "Landscape" by Scalp Level artist Olive Turney; Helen Siegl's several exceptional prints; Lois Odendahl's photograph "A View Through the Skylight -- Saint Vincent," which has watercolor qualities; and Linda Quigley's emotion-capturing "Freshman Arrival #1 in Dorm," of 1990.

Cochran lists other works that may be visited on campus in the exhibition brochure, including the elegant limestone "Saint Benedict and the Raven" of 1946 by Janet de Coux (who sculpted William Penn for Harrisburg's Capitol Complex) and Anne Lopez's fiery mural-sized "Six Hundred and Five Ovals (Fancy Pants)" of 1998.

"Women" continues through Oct. 5. Admission is free. Gallery hours are noon to 3 p.m. and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and noon to 3 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. For information, 724-805-2107.

Fe Arts gallery in Lawrenceville came up with a novel -- and practical -- idea for Pittsburgh's anniversary celebration. "In the making: 250 years/250 artists" features 250 works by artists who will also be included, with contact information for each, in a catalog to be sent to 1,000 art museums and galleries nationally.

The publication is supported by a $35,000 grant from the Sprout Fund, part of the organization's budgetary allocation for 250th anniversary arts projects.

Jill Larson, Fe Arts director, says of her idea that Pittsburgh is "one of the few cities of this size where you can find 250 qualified artists. I knew that would not be an issue."

Jurors Vicky A. Clark, Janet McCall, Michael Olijnyk and Katherine Talcott, all of whom are local curators and/or arts administrators, and Joey Kennedy, an art instructor at the Community College of Butler County, reviewed submissions from more than 350 artists living in the 14 Southwestern Pennsylvania counties. Larson chose the actual exhibited artwork, which was limited to 3 by 4 feet in size due to wall space.

At that the art fills the gallery floor to ceiling, but in a visually manageable way thanks to Larson's considerable investment of time to ensure a complementary hang. Sculpture and video, as well as site-specific installations, are integrated on and along the walls into a unified whole of wildly different parts.

Artists represented range from established names to new voices, and part of the enjoyment of the show comes from recognition or discovery.

As representative and large as the exhibition is, some artists are missing, which underscores the size of the region's artist community. But it's a good effort and a clever way to potentially give national exposure to a significant selection of local artists.

A launch party for the catalog will be held from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18, following the close of Day 2 of the 2008 Lawrenceville Artists' Studio Tour (Day 1 is Oct. 11). It's $35 pre-ordered and $40 after the launch.

"Making" continues through Jan. 10 at 4102 Butler St. Admission is free. Gallery hours are noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays. For information, call 412-860-6028.

• Adam Welch, 2008 Emerging Artist of the Year, will speak at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, 6300 Fifth Ave., Shadyside; 412-361-0873.

• Allison Smith, exhibiting in "Inner and Outer Space," will speak at 3 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Mattress Factory museum, 500 Sampsonia Way, North Side, with "Fuzzy" Randolph of the Waynesburg University Museum; 412-231-3169.

The Yes Men, guerrilla activist performance artists known for infiltrating corporate conferences, are soliciting participants for a public event "about the Iraq war" in October (date to be determined) "near New York." For information, go to www.BecauseWeWantIt.org. In November, an exhibition on their work will be at the Miller Gallery, CMU.