By Anne Levin
Just a week after attending the packed opening of an exhibit honoring his 90th birthday at Ellarslie, Trenton’s City Museum, artist Mel Leipzig died in his sleep on Saturday morning, November 1.
The Brooklyn-born painter was known for realist portraits of people from many walks of life. He was a professor of fine art and art history at Mercer County Community College from 1968 until his retirement in 2013. A devoted Trenton resident, he lived in the city’s Glen Afton neighborhood until moving to an assisted living facility a few months ago. His death came 18 years to the day after that of his wife, Mary Jo, who died on November 1, 2007.
“Many will remember him for his artistic accomplishments, work ethic, and his productivity — the count is still out but it appears that he painted over 600 pieces,” wrote Dan Aubrey, a close friend of Leipzig’s and the curator of one of the exhibits devoted to his output, “Paintings and Politicians,” currently on view at Trenton City Hall. “However, he will also be remembered for his support and encouragement of artists of all types — not just those who painted in the style he preferred.”
Part of the realist revival, Leipzig studied with Josef Albers at Yale University at a time when realism was not in vogue. He painted directly from life and worked with a limited palette of colors. Leipzig’s paintings are in the collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art, the National Academy Museum and the Cooper-Hewitt Museum in New York City. In New Jersey, his works are in the collections of the New Jersey State Museum, the Montclair Art Museum, the Morris Museum, the Noyes Museum of Art, the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Museum at Rutgers, and the Jersey City Museum.
Aubrey and his wife, artist Liz Aubrey, will give a talk on Leipzig on Sunday, November 9 at 4 p.m. at Old City Hall, 13 Crosswicks Street in Bordentown.
Leipzig’s paintings of architects will be on view at The Lobby Club, on Front Street in Trenton, starting with an opening reception on Friday, November 7 at 5 p.m. The subjects include Michael Graves; Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown; John Clark and John Hatch, who curated the show; and Michael Farewell, who recalled his sessions with the artist in an email.
“I first got to know Mel when he was painting my portrait as one of a series,” Farewell said. “We spent several days talking about art as he painted away. His memories at the Yale School of Art under Josef Albers were especially memorable — even back then Mel had his own voice and direction and Albers, the great advocate of Bauhaus abstraction, would only shake his head at Mel’s interest in realist painting. In the end Mel became the great documenter of the life in Trenton, all captured with a kind of flashbulb immediacy. He was our Balzac, setting out to capture the human comedy in all its honesty and expressiveness. Or as Whitman proclaimed, ‘he was an American, one of the roughs, a kosmos.’ ”
Liz Aubrey, curator of “Tattoo & Street Artists: Mel Leipzig Portraits” at the Trenton Free Library Public Gallery beginning December 11, first met Leipzig during the spring of 1974, when she graduated from high school early and took a life-drawing class with him before setting off for college at the University of Colorado.
“At the time, I lacked a broad understanding of the art world, and this continued through the years I studied at U of C,” she said. “It wasn’t until I returned and connected with Mel again through the Trenton Artists Workshop Association (TAWA). My husband Dan, Mel, his wife Mary Jo and I would go out to dinners together with other artists and discuss art. Mel also led us on field trips that visited galleries. Mel’s knowledge of art is amazing and contagious. I owe a lot to him for inspiring me to continue my pursuits in the art world.”
In a Town Topics story previewing the “Mel at 90” exhibit, curator Joan Perkes described Leipzig as someone who had an ability to paint and believe against the trend. “Everybody pooh-poohed the revival of realism, but he had the courage to follow his vision,” she said. “His paintings are remarkable. He is so far beyond being a figure in the community.”
Numerous tributes to Leipzig appeared on social media after his death became known.
“The State Museum mourns the passing of painter, Mel Leipzig,” read one post. “Many of our regular visitors will remember Mel’s multi-year tenure as our Artist-in-Residence, painting environmental portraits of a number of Museum staff, other artists and objects from our collections in the galleries. Always willing to interact with visitors, particularly young people, Mel was an engaging presence who brought art to life for all who spoke with him and watched him work. We extend our sincerest sympathy to his family, friends, and former colleagues and students at Mercer County Community College.”
The Center for Contemporary Art posted, “It is with great sadness that we mark the passing of longtime friend, collaborator, teacher, mentor, and artist Mel Leipzig. Throughout the years Mel has been a supporter of The Center, whether it was in sharing his own work for our gallery visitors, or introducing us to the work of others. He will live on in the many lives he touched and all the wonderful works of art he left behind. Thank you, Mel, you will be missed.”