News Archive

“Melega Art Museum” Nominated for Emmy®!

The WQED's OnQ (Pittsburgh's premier television news magazine) feature, "The Melega Art Museum", was nominated in 2007 for an Emmy® in the "Entertainment Feature" category. We did not win, but the old cliche “It was an honor to be nominated” could not be more sincerely felt by all of us associated with the Melega. The Emmy® is an annual award recognizing excellence in various areas of the television industry as determined by the Academy for Television Arts & Sciences. We are so pleased and impressed with the feature and feel so lucky to have worked with two of television's best, David Solomon, Writer/Producer and Frank Caloiero, Photographer/Editor. The sensational show has been rebroadcast since its October 2006 premier. If you can't wait for a rebroadcast, the Emmy® nominated production can be viewed by visiting the WQED.org website.

Click here to watch the “The Melega Art Museum" feature online.

Charter Member Doris Dyen wins original Frank L. Melega Artwork Study for “Daisytown”.

On February 5th, 2007, the live drawing for an original Frank L. Melega artwork took place on the WMBS 590 AM radio show, ’“The State Theatre Radio Hour” . The winning name was drawn by the show’s host and former State Theatre Executive Director, Marty Schiff. Museum members that live outside of the the WMBS Radio signal were able to listen to the broadcast over the Internet at wmbs590.com.

The lucky winner is Doris Dyen. In an amazing coincidence, when the memberships were first offered late last year, the first one to arrive in the mail was from Doris! A surprise bonus was announced by Mr. Shiff, just before the drawing. The winner of the painting would receive an additional year of membership at no additional cost. Doris was first contacted by telephone to give her the good news. Needless to say, it came as quite a surprise.

On Wednesday, February 7th, Curator Patrick Daugherty delivered the artwork to Doris at her workplace in the historic Bolt Building, home of the Rivers of Steel Heritage Area. “I am certain the Melega artwork has found a very good home with Doris Dyen. She knows the area’s rich history and is committed to its preservation” Daugherty said.

For links to WMBS 590 AM , The State Theatre Center for the Arts, and The Rivers of Steel Heritage Area, visit our “Links” page.

The magnificent Marty Schiff

WMBS Renaissance Man, Mike Krcil

A very happy Doris Dyen.

News Archive

The Frank L. Melega Art Museum is an equal opportunity provider.

Construction Underway for the New Melega Art Museum and You Can Help.

On Schedule to open this Fall.

Thanks to our grants and gifts and the hard work of the museum and Brownsville Area Development Corporation (BARC) staff, plus, of course, our volunteers and members, the new Melega Art Museum continues to get closer to the Fall 2010 goal for completion. It is no surprise that more funds are needed to help finish the project. Your tax deductible donation can make the difference. No amount is too small, or too big.

The new first floor location will give the museum easier access and better visibility. Our state-of-the art energy efficient lighting will set a new standard in museum lighting design. Plus, all first-floor spaces are connected inside to make it easier than ever to visit the Heritage Center.

Your greatly appreciated donation can be sent to:

Frank L. Melega Art Museum, 71 Market Street, Brownsville, PA 15417

Seven New Giclee and Archival Paper Limited Editions Debut

The expanding selection of Melega Limited Editions now includes murals.
Download a catalog at the Museum Shop page. Click here

Remy Coyle

Rembrandt at Melega Art Museum!

Thanks to our volunteer, Rembrandt (Remy) Coyle, the Melega Art Museum is now open on Sunday, 1:00 - 4:00 PM. The museum is also open by appointment by calling 724-785-9331 or 724-245-6120. The second phone number is the home phone of museum Director, Patrick Daugherty, “I want everyone to have an opportunity to visit our museum. Just give me a call and I will make every effort for the museum to be open to fit your schedule”.

In Memoriam: U. S Congressman John Murtha 1932-2010

Melega Art Museum Receives $75,000 Grant.

Congressman John P. Murtha announced on August 26, 2009 that the Frank L. Melega Art Museum’s sponsor, the Brownsville Area Revitalization Corporation (BARC), has received a $75, 000 grant to help complete the museum’s new first floor historic Flatiron Building location. The new space will include a second gallery, office, first floor access, built-in display cases, state of the art “green” museum lighting system, and open access to the Heritage Center. The grant was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development. A special thanks to Congressman Murtha, Norma Ryan, and all those individuals involved in helping to make our dream come true to expand, improve, and better serve our community.

Museum Assistant, Remy Coyle, stands in the future Market Street entrance to the new museum space.

Turn to the back page of the July issue of Pittsburgh Magazine and you will find the ever delightful column “Rick Sebak’s Unusual Back Page of Pittsburgh Magazine”. The column’s tantalizing title “Unexpected Art in the Mon Valley” refers to none other than the Melega Art Museum.

WQED personality and producer Rick Sebak visited the Melega Art Museum recently and interviewed museum director Patrick Daugherty about the Melega Art Museum for his popular Pittsburgh Magazine column. Mr. Sebak hosts and produces "It's Pittsburgh & a Lot of Other Stuff" seen Wednesdays at 7:30 PM on WQED, channel 13 in the Pittsburgh area. He said how impressed he was with the museum and also purchased a Melega original watercolor for his art collection. Thanks, Rick!

Our local Public Television station, and the nation’s first, WQED in Pittsburgh, has been a very good friend to the Melega Art Museum. WQED's OnQ (Pittsburgh's premier television news magazine) feature, "The Melega Art Museum", was nominated in 2007 for an Emmy® in the "Entertainment Feature" category. We did not win, but the old cliche “It was an honor to be nominated” could not be more sincerely felt by all of us associated with the Melega.

Now more than ever it is important to support organizations that support and promote the arts.

Click on the link below which takes you to the WQED website where they will be more than happy to accept a donation or membership pledge.

http://wqed.org/support/

Melega Art Museum in 2011 July “Pittsburgh Magazine”

Rick Sebak at the Melega Art Museum

Pittsburgh Magazine - July 2011

2012 National Road Festival

Juried Exhibition Awards

The 2012 National Road Festival Juried Exhibition concluded April 27th. Presented in cooperation with Market Street Arts, and funded in part by a Sprout Fund Seed Award, the juried exhibition was open to residents of Fayette, Westmoreland, Washington, and Greene counties. One Best of Show and three Jurors’ Awards were chosen by jurors Patrick Daugherty and Greg Harrison. The Best of Show award included an invitation to have a one-person show at the Melega in 2013. Ron Nigro was awarded Best of Show for his mixed media sculpture “Ship of Fools”. Colleen Nelson, Richard Stoner, and Suzanne Widmer received Jurors’ Awards. We look forward to Ron’s show next year. A 2014 Juried show is also planned.

Suzanne Widmer

“4th Act”

Encaustic

Colleen Nelson

“GNP”

Acrylic on Canvas

Richard Stoner

“Bank Lane, Latrobe, Pennsylvania”

Gelatin Silver Print

Best of Show: “Ship of Fools” an imaginative and fanciful creation by Ron Nigro.

In Memoriam: Barbara Jamma Smith

1931 - 2012

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of Barbara Jamma Smith on July 23rd this year. In 1999, Barbara was the first artist to have a solo exhibition at the Frank L. Melega Art Museum. A talented and award winning artist working in a variety of media including oils and watercolor. She was also a sculptor and iconographer.

The Frank L. Melega Art Museum’s first exhibition postcard: Barbara Jamma Smith exhibition “A Little Variety - The Spice of Life”, Drawings, Paintings, and Sculptures, September 18 - November 14, 1999

National Road Festival Special Event Winner Chosen

No one correctly guessed Abraham Lincoln!

Thanks for all of those who submitted a guess. Congratulations to Carolyn A. whose name was chosen in a drawing from the entries. She will soon be the proud owner of an original sketch by Frank L. Melega. Carolyn’s guess was Ronald Regan, not bad considering the subject was also an American President. Half of the guesses named a president but no Abe, honest!

If there was a prize for most unusual guess the award would go to Sara G.’s guess, Humphrey Bogart. Play it again Abe.

Visit the museum and see the complete sculpture in 3-D, just like in the movies only better, no special glasses needed.

Exhibition Extended to Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Melega Art Museum Director Patrick Daugherty

2013 Touchstone Center for Crafts Artist of the Year

Art-loving mini-schnauzer, Presto, seen here, contemplating an oil painting by Patrick Daugherty titled “Ellen Sleeping”. Presto is an expert when it comes to sleeping.

The 2013 Touchstone Center for Crafts Artist of the Year: Patrick Daugherty exhibition is open daily from 9 AM - 5:00 PM. The title of the show is “Influenced by the Right People™” and features old and new artworks. Over half of the 34 artworks have never been exhibited, 14 of which were created just for this show. Paintings, sculptures, commissions, photographs, and mixed media artworks ranging from conceptual art to super-realism. The exhibition is at Touchstone Center for Crafts. Call 724-329-1370 for more information.

View a 3 minute video about the exhibition and the successfully completed Kickstarter campaign here: http://kck.st/168okD5

Daugherty’s artworks can also be seen at

http://patrickdaugherty.com

Learn more about Touchstone at http://touchstonecrafts.org

Article by Richard G. Wells

Melega Art Museum Featured In National Magazine “Coal People” December 2013 Issue.

You can check out the article here or click on the photos below to see the article:

http://www.coalpeople.com/2013december_issue/index.html

Special thanks to the article’s writer Richard G Wells for the fine work and for bringing well deserved attention to the fine art of Mr. Melega.

2014 National Road Festival

Juried Art Exhibition Award Recipients

The opening reception for the 2014 National Road Festival Juried Art Exhibition set a new record for attendance, with over two hundred attendees. The museum was packed for the awards ceremony officiated by Frank R. Melega and director Patrick Daugherty. Six awards were presented: two Jurors Awards, three Museum Awards and the Best of Show honor. Artworks in the exhibition include a wide range of styles from Abstract to Realism, plus many different media were represented. This great variety reflects the artworks in the permanent collection by Frank L. Melega.

The Museum Awards went to Rochel Schiffrin for her cut paper “Flying High”, “Terrance Hayes for his oil painting “Prince Lookalike” and Colleen Nelson for her acrylic painting “Are You Experienced?”.

The Jurors Awards went to Carol Randolph for her assemblage titled “Five Woods” and Daniel Salitrik for his photograph “Chincoteaque 2013” .

The Peoples Choice Award was announced at the Closing Reception. Receiving the most votes, by a large margin, was the oil painting by Diane Kiproff titled “Wednesday Girl”. A drawing was held for the artists in the show that attended the Closing Reception for the exhibitions banner. The winner is Leslie Robbins.

Prince Lookalike - Terrance Hayes

Oil Painting - 24 x 16 inches

Museum Award

Five Woods - Carol Randolph

Assemblage - 23 x 24 inches

Juror Award

"I'm beyond thrilled to have my painting named 'Best of Show’. Especially surprised and deeply honored as the other artists in the show are so brilliant!".

- Laurie Longenecker

Laurie Longenecker with her Best of Show award winning acrylic painting “Mother and Child with Angels”.

Are You Experienced? Colleen Nelson

Acrylic Painting - 24 x 30 inches

Museum Award

Chincoteaque 2013 - Daniel Salitrik

Photograph - 16 x 20 inches

Juror Award

Flying High - Rochel Schiffrin

Cut Paper - 25 x 31 inches

Museum Award

Wednesday Girl - Diane Kiproff

Oil Painting - 14 x 10 inches

2014 National Road Festival Juried Exhibition Peoples Choice Award

Leslie Robbins is having a banner day! She is the winner of the drawing for the exhibition banner. Behind her on the left is her painting Angel 2.

Coincidentally color coordinated.

In Memoriam: Samuel N. Kolmen 1931 - 2014

Our friend and Abstract painter Samuel N. Kolmen passed away October 15, 2014. His career as a successful artist came after his retirement from academia. Watching Sam paint was an event. He attacked the canvas with exuberance and flair, seriously having fun.

Samuel N. Kolmen

Interpretations

Painting - Monoprints

November 22, 2003 -

February 7, 2004

Exhibition Postcard

Samuel Kolmen at the opening reception for his show “Interpretations”

Terrance Hayes Selected To Be MacArthur Fellow

One-person Show at the Melega in 2013

In 2013 Terrance Hayes had a one-person show at the Melega Art Museum titled “Render.” We could not have been more pleased when it was announced that Terrace is the recipient of one the world’s most prestigious honors, a MacArthur Fellowship. The fellowship comes with a stipend of $625,000. When Terrance was notified of what is commonly referred to as “the Genius Grant” he was told that of course they knew of his many accomplishments in the world of poetry, but that they also knew he was a painter. No doubt the MacArthur committee was aware of Terrance’s show at the only art museum in Fayette County, the Frank L. Melega Art Museum. This March, a feature article about Mr. Hayes was in the New York Times Sunday Magazine. Melega Art Museum Director Patrick Daugherty was interviewed by Stephen Burt for the piece to learn more about Terrance Hayes the painter.

Exhibition Postcard. The show ran from October 19 to December 8, 2013

Terrance Hayes at the opening reception for his show “Render” with Frank R. Melega, son of Frank L. Melega, and Patrick Daugherty, Museum Director.

Bloom at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort

April 3 - June 28, 2015

Connie Benline, Ellen Daugherty, Patrick Daugherty, and Becky Keck,

Melega Art Museum Director, Patrick Daugherty and his wife Ellen have a number of paintings in the art exhibition Bloom along with ceramists supreme Becky Keck, and Connie Benline. A portion of the sales benefits the Uniontown Arts Fellowship, a registered non-profit organization that is doing great things for the arts in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Special thanks to Bloom organizer Becky Keck and Nemacolin Woodlands Resort Art Curator Claire Pacey. For more information visit the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort website by clicking on this link: nwlr.com