Moving her gallery from Ross to Lawrenceville in 2007 was a big change for Joy Borelli-Edwards. Now she and independent curator Vicky A Clark are shaking things up again with be2, a 500-square-foot space within the Lawrenceville gallery that showcases the work of local artists.

Ms. Borelli-Edwards provides the venue and publicity; Ms. Clark chooses the artists. The smaller gallery, pronounced "be squared" features Mark Franchino and Jeremy Boyle's newest work, "untitled iii," through March 11.

Ms. Clark and Ms. Borelli-Edwards met at a reception in February 2014. Ms. Clark, an independent curator and art scholar, mentioned that she wanted to curate more shows. Ms. Borelli-Edwards, meanwhile, had 500 square feet of unused space that had been set aside for an office but had remained empty.

"I'm trying to treat it as a space where I can curate again," said Ms. Clark, who has organized exhibitions for the Carnegie Museum of Art and the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. "It's a cross between a commercial gallery and an alternative space."

Ms. Borelli-Edwards, a Pittsburgh native, opened her first gallery on Perry Highway in Ross in 1978. She said she's pleased to be able to showcase additional local artists.

"This new venture brings the creativity and talent of Vicky Clark and an accomplished group of artists working and living in the region to the Pittsburgh gallery scene," she said.

"untitled iii" is the third collaboration for Mr. Franchino and Mr. Boyle, both of whom teach art at Clarion University, along with Ms. Clark. Each man has his own wood shop and used Western Pennsylvania hardwoods such as walnut, maple, oak and cherry to create a surge protector, a clip lamp, a chandelier, light switches and conduit electrical boxes. The chandelier works and has dimmer switches, too.

"It's somewhat minimal," Ms. Clark said, but "if you start to look at all the details, it is quite extraordinary.

"They are incredible craftsmen. They figure out how to make something that shouldn't work, work. They think that art should have an element of play."

Mr. Boyle, who studied engineering briefly in college, realized that he likes using the building blocks of engineering in new, creative ways to make art. He lives outside Slippery Rock and incorporated roughly hewn lumber from nearby saw mills into this installation.

Mr. Franchino, 39, has worked with wood since he was a child and also makes furniture and wooden picture frames.

"Both Mark and I are drawn to and have experience with building things. Systems of construction are really interesting to us," he said.

Mr. Franchino agreed that the two men share many interests.

"Jeremy and I are both interested in high art, low art, what is craft, how is it made and how are things put into production," he said.

In about a year, the pair plan to unveil "untitled iv" in the larger space at be Galleries.

The next exhibition at be2, "Back and Forth," opens March 14 and features four artists -- Dana Ingham, Lenore Thomas, Janet Towbin and Kenn Bass.

be Galleries' main space has these upcoming exhibitions:

March 7-28: The work of two painters, Heidi Asmussen and Dyer Fieldsa.

April 4-May 2: The furniture, wooden screens and sculpture of Kate Joyce.

be Galleries, 3583 Butler St., 15201 is open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays (www.begalleries.com).

Marylynne Pitz: mpitz@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1648.

First Published: March 5, 2015, 5:00 a.m.