Ron Donoughe, “Feeding Time,” 2016, oil on panel, 9 x 12 in. © Ron Donoughe

The works of Loretto, Pennsylvania, native Ron Donoughe are the subjects of a major exhibition on the campus of Saint Francis University. Ever wonder what more than 30 years at the easel can produce? We have one answer here.

For lovers (and creators) of plein air paintings, harnessing the character of a location in all its complexity and fleeting change is one of the most important parts of the process. Loretto, Pennsylvania, native and accomplished artist Ron Donoughe feels that way, and recently turned his creative lens toward the places he calls home. The results of his artistic inquiries form a compelling exhibition currently on view at the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, located on the campus of Saint Francis University in Loretto.

Ron Donoughe, “Ben and Friends,” oil on linen, 30 x 40 in. © Ron Donoughe

Opened on April 21 and on view through June 10, “Labor and Landscape” highlights 100 pristine plein air paintings of the Allegheny Mountain Region in Western Pennsylvania. “His idea was to explore curiously, with paintbrush in hand,” the museum writes. “He did so by visiting many businesses, farms, and even the county fair. Asking permission to paint on private premises and at many area businesses and industries, he was given personal tours of steel mills, a pretzel factory, and even a taxidermy school, to name just a few.”

While most of the paintings in the exhibition were executed en plein air, the artist is also showcasing several studio pictures created from his own photographs. “For Donoughe,” the museum continues, “it was important to interact with the people he met along the way. Such encounters, along with his privileged access, gave him unique insights into his subjects. The resulting paintings offer a delightfully fresh look at many local subjects that we might otherwise take for granted.”

To learn more, visit The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art.


1 COMMENT

  1. Andrew,

    A good ole Tarheel Boy like you … I think we need to talk. I trust that you will attend the FACE event in Florida , so I will try to find you & say” hey”. Unless you have forgotten , we Tarheels were not brought up with “hi”…. it’s a Yankee thing. LOL

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