Mel Leipzig, a painter known for his intensely detailed, realistic portraits of everyday people and places, died on November 1 at age 90. Over a career spanning more than five decades, the Brooklyn-born artist taught at Mercer County Community College from 1968 to 2013, founded the Trenton Artist Workshop Association (TAWA) in 1979, and never painted from photographs, instead practicing what he called 'designing with reality.' His work is held by major institutions including the Whitney Museum, the National Academy Museum, and the New Jersey State Museum.
Leipzig's death marks the loss of a dedicated educator and regional catalyst who mentored generations of artists and built TAWA into a vital force for New Jersey talent. His refusal to stop painting—even after injuring his right arm, he taught himself to use his left—and his focus on the dignity of ordinary subjects earned him comparisons to Chekhov by critic Peter Schjeldahl. The recent citywide exhibition series 'A Community Celebrates an Icon: Mel Leipzig at 90' at the Trenton City Museum underscores his lasting impact on both his students and the broader art community.