2006 Artist of the Pike

Daniel R. Salitrik

May 20 - October 22, 2006

Daniel R. Salitrik, photographer, was the 2006 Frank L. Melega Art Museum "Artist of the Pike".  His exhibition was featured in the WQED OnQ television show as part of their story on the Frank L. Melega Art Museum, October 2006.

“I have been taking photographs for about 40 years so, I guess this makes me a photographer” states Salitrik. The great volume of work has prompted a first for the Frank L. Melega Art Museum, two exhibitions by the same artist. “It is really one exhibition, the Artist of the Pike, separated into two different installations” explained Curator Patrick Daugherty. The first installation “People of the Pike” focused on the people of the National Road. The second installation of Salitrik’s photographs “Thirty Years of Light and Shadow: A Photographic Retrospective” reflected the photographer’s personal and artistic vision.

Mr. Salitrik is a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology in Photographic Illustration, a member of American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP), the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and a Gallery Member, Silver Eye Gallery, Pittsburgh.  A selection of his photographs can be viewed on the Internet at foliolights.com. “The bulk of my work as a Photographer is in Black & White silver images.  I have slowly transitioned to the digital image which also caused me to explore the color digital image” Salitrik explains. His style has many influences but it has evolved from pre WWII documentary photography. While working with the museum’s Curator, Salitrik was invited to be the 2006 Artist of the Pike. In this venture Dan was asked to try and document “life and times along Route 40”. In the past Artist of the Pike exhibitions, much of the focus has been on the sites and historic buildings along the National Road. “I don’t know of any other living photographer who has created such an extensive documentation of Southwestern Pennsylvania. Dan has the eye of an artist and the perspective of a historian” stated Daugherty. In this exhibit you will see images of the people, the places they work and places they gather and just have good times. It is important to note that Salitrik does not crop his images.  “I shoot full frame, print full frame and let the viewfinder be the boundary of my vision.”

Salitrik has described the work effort for an exhibition of this size as follows: 

12,000 miles driven

Many cups of coffee

Many more handshakes

6,000 images

2 ink jet printers

10 sets of color ink cartridges

1000 prints

The result is an inspired exhibition of incredible images.

Visit Daniel R. Salitrik’s website at:  www.foliolights.com

David G. Madlock

1952-2005

American Original

Memorial Exhibition

Paintings

March 25 - May 14, 2006

Past Exhibitions