Pen, ink, pointillism featured in Monroeville library gallery

The Friends of the Monroeville Public Library are hosting a free public reception from 6 to 8 p.m. June 15 at the library titled “Dots: The pointillist art of Jack Puglisi.”

Puglisi’s work is on display through June 25 in the library’s Elaine Biondi Gallery Space, 4000 Gateway Campus Blvd.

“Like a lot of people of my generation, I got interested in art as a result of growing up on Marvel Comic Books,” said the Point Park University graduate. “As I got older, I discovered fine art and realized that was where I wanted to pursue my endeavors.”

Puglisi was born and raised in Bethel Park, and now resides in Castle Shannon with his wife of 23 years, Lois. Their house is just a few minutes from Puglisi’s childhood home.

“My Pop also grew up in Bethel as part of a large Italian family,” Puglisi said.

Puglisi’s primary medium is pen and ink, and pointillism — also known as stippling — is the technique he favors most.

“Pointillism is the method of composing pictures from thousands of hand-placed dots of ink, creating colors and shades by the juxtaposition of the dots,” Puglisi said. “A large picture can take over three months and an undetermined number of hours to produce.”

All of the pictures in the exhibit are done in pointillism, except in small areas where a pearlescent color has been applied with a brush.

The technique was invited by French painter Georges Seurat and his student, Paul Signac, both supporters of Neo-Impressionism.

Puglisi said he was exposed to pointillism in school.

“One day about 30-some years ago I had a flash of inspiration to try it on a larger scale and was hooked,” he said.

Puglisi’s artwork is also on display at the Stifel Fine Arts Center in Oglebay West Virginia, the Westmoreland County Art Nationals and in the upcoming Southern Museum of the Allegheny’s Biannual in Bedford.

“My work is about compelling images and an interesting technique. The subject matter is almost exclusively portraits or figurative work,” added the artist, who said he obtains his ideas from spontaneous inspiration.

“After many, many pictures I have never lost the excitement of placing two or three colors of ink dots together to create another shade or hue,” Puglisi said.

A member of the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, The Pittsburgh Society of Artists as well as other local art organizations, he also is a sought-after caricature artist for both public and private events and a public speaker on matters of history.

For questions or additional information, visit Puglisi’s Instagram page JackPuglisiArt.