Larry Melnick

Larry Melnick Painter, teacher and long-time Berkeley resident died on February 16, 2010 in the care of friends. He was known as an accomplished, generous, humble man who was the very finest of listeners. In a career spanning 45 years, he produced a body of abstract, intellectual art that belies easy classification. Mr. Melnick enriched the lives of countless children through his classes in East Bay schools and recreation programs. He headed the Strawberry Canyon children's art program at UC Berkeley for 20 summers. He kept and cherished art created by his students. Born November 7, 1934 in Brooklyn, NY, Larry's talent flourished early. He won his first art award at age 11 and showed seriousness and determination about his art even at that age. He earned a Diploma in Fine Arts at Cooper Union Art School, a BA in Classics at Brooklyn College and his Masters in Fine Arts in 1965 at UC Berkeley. Mr. Melnick's work has been exhibited in the Bay Area in a number of shows. His last one man show, "Awakenings," was at the Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology in Berkeley in 2008. (See "Larry Melnick American Artist" on YouTube) Larry is survived by his nephew, Kenneth Melnick and by his cousin Barbara Gordon, whose family nurtured and supported Larry's artistic gifts, second cousins Deena Merksy and Reuben Hersh and by a circle of close friends. His legacy is an impressive body of paintings and drawings and the love he inspired in his friends and family. A small number of his drawings are on exhibit today until March 10 at the Art House Gallery in Berkeley, 510 472-3170 .