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Express Yourself
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The Masonic Villages is blessed to have many talented residents and is proud of those who continue to share their gifts with others. In November and December, Ernie Albert and Will White, residents from Lafayette Hill and Sewickley, respectively, showcased their creations during two art exhibits.
On Nov. 19 and 20, Lafayette Hill hosted an Art Exhibit and Birthday Celebration for
Bro. Albert, coordinated by his nephew, Walt Albert, and Josh Barol, Director of Recreation Services. A special reception was held
Nov. 19 to celebrate Bro. Albert's 100th birthday.
On display were 21 of Bro. Albert's oil paintings, including his version of "The Mona Lisa" and a self-portrait. Other artistic residents and staff from Lafayette Hill also displayed their paintings and crafts.
Born in Philadelphia in 1904, Albert began studying art in the 1920s at Frankford's La France Art Institute. For the next 42 years, he worked on the art staff of Beck Engraving Company in Philadelphia, where he did photo retouching, freehand drawing and graphic illustrations until his retirement in 1970.
In the 1940s he began painting with oils, setting up an art studio at the home he shared with his late wife, Mae. An avid traveler, Bro. Albert painted scenes from places he visited, including Hawaii, South America and Russia. He also painted numerous portraits, local landmarks and historic buildings, including Washington's Headquarters at Valley Forge, Bryn Athyn Cathedral and Elfreth's Alley. More than 300 of Bro. Albert's oil paintings have been shown in numerous galleries and are in private collections and corporations. His works have been displayed at the Buck Hotel Restaurant, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church Gallery, Westminster Seminary and Abington Art Center.
Bro. Albert's talent has been recognized by numerous awards, including first prize for a charcoal drawing of a Grecian male bust at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 1924, six "Best Works in Realism" prizes in shows sponsored by The Women's Club of Frankford, Pa., and two Art Association Prizes from the Abington Art Center. He also was selected as one of the top 100 finalists in the First American Artist Magazine National Competition in 1978, and his paintings have been chosen for the Artists of America Calendar for five different years.
A member of Oriental Lodge No. 385, Bro. Albert continued painting after retirement until 1999.
On Dec. 6, White debuted his one-week art exhibit in the University Center Art Gallery at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh. The university hosted a special Artist's Reception for White on Dec. 8, with more than 30 Sewickley residents in attendance.
Titled "What Did You Have in Mind?," White's exhibit featured 23 surrealistic watercolor paintings.
White's daughter, Melissa Cicozi, who is the assistant head of the Department of Design at Carnegie Mellon, told her father about the university's request to feature a community member in his/her own exhibit. White submitted a proposal and slides of his work before being chosen by Carnegie Mellon staff for the one-man show.
"I'm very pleased and flattered I was offered the chance to display my work," White said. "I'm pleased that people can come and look at it."
Born in Boston, White graduated from Antioch University, a liberal arts school in Ohio. He began his advertising career with Procter & Gamble and then worked for various advertising agencies, including J. Walter Thompson and Interpublic. He worked as a creative writer before rising to become a creative director. White retired in 1993 from his own creative services business. He lived in Chatham, N.J., prior to moving to Masonic Village.
After retirement, White discovered his love and talent for watercolor painting. He is a member of the Masonic Village Art Association, the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh and the West Hills Art League.
"Watercolor has a nice quality to it and a glow that other mediums don't provide," he said. "It's a good medium to work with."
White lives at Masonic Village with his wife, Lynn. They also have a son, Peter, and five grandchildren.
Bro. Albert admires the birthday cake that was given to him at his Art Exhibit in November.
Will White, a resident at Masonic Village at Sewickley, and fellow resident Norma Fox, look at Mr. White's paintings at his art exhibit at Carnegie Mellon.
Bro. Albert's rendition of the Mona Lisa, for which he offers his "apologies to Leonard Di Vinci." However, people agree that no apologies are needed!
One of Will White's paintings, titled "Underneath the Glass Sidewalk"
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