Artistic spouses featured at Monroeville library's Biondi gallery

Friends of the Monroeville Public Library are featuring husband and wife Al and Patti Middlemiss in April’s art exhibit.

The pair’s works are on display at the Elaine Biondi Gallery Space through April 24. According to Patti Middlemiss, there are about 35 pieces featured.

Al Middlemiss’ latest watercolor collection of “Pittsburgh Prints” and his wife’s glass pieces are displayed and sold at the gift shop of the Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media, where they are both instructors.

Al Middlemiss studied at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and enjoys painting landscapes, ocean scenes, florals, animals and portraits. He also makes hand-painted bird houses and vibrant 3D sheet metal sculptures. His favorite media are watercolor, acrylics and oils.

At times, Al Middlemiss uses inspiration from his wife’s stained glass for his acrylic paintings. He is happiest while creating art pieces and teaching watercolor classes at PCA and watching his students succeed.

“I think about art almost all the time, even when I am not creating it,” Al Middlemiss said. “I consider myself a ‘purist’ and stick to traditional concepts of watercolor. But I always try new methods as they emerge, painting one or more paintings per week.”

His “Frick Mansion” prints are for sale at The Frick Pittsburgh Museum gift shop. Other works — such as prints, hand-painted signs and sculptures — are sold at Songbird Artistry in Lawrenceville. His Monet-themed waterlily collection has been given its own display area.

Patti Middlemiss is a stained glass artist who creates both traditional and modern windows, hangings, 3D glass art and Tiffany-style lamps. She enjoys crafting ocean and beach scenes, amusement park rides, fireworks and anything that stirs her imagination. Her favorite materials are various textures of cathedral and opalescent glass with occasional colorful gems and bevels.

“I have always had a fascination with the intensity, yet simplicity, of glass,” Patti Middlemiss said. “I love to watch how light travels through glass and has the unique ability to reflect color and shine in such a brilliant manner.”

Like her husband, some of her stained glass works are inspired by her husband’s paintings. After converting the paintings into a stained glass pattern, she matches up his paint colors with comparable glass colors.

Patti Middlemiss also sells her artwork at Songbird Artistry. Her work has been exhibited in several gallery shows, but her passion lies in teaching stained glass classes at PCA.

She said she “truly loves looking at the world through stained glass eyes.”

The Middlemisses live in Wilkins with their “book-loving daughter,” Michelle.

The Monroeville Public Library is at 4000 Gateway Campus Blvd. It is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m Friday and Saturday. It is closed on Sundays.