By Christopher Pratt

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A one-man show of fur, feathers, and fossils.

As visitors walk through Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s fossil exhibits, they’re treated to intricate illustrations of creatures that lived long before there were humans around to sketch them. The man responsible for these real-life recreations is Mark Klingler, master scientific illustrator for the museum. The cumulative excellence of Klingler’s work is now on display in a solo exhibition called Fur, Feathers and Fossils at the William T. Golden Center for Science and Engineering in Washington, D.C. 

The invitation for the solo show came from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The AAAS publishes the internationally recognized Science magazine, for which Klingler provided the cover art for a May 2001 issue featuring a published paper by Carnegie Museum scientist Dr. Zhe-Xi Luo on the earliest mammal ever discovered, the Hadrocodium wui (which had the appearance of a large mouse). Klingler would go on to win an award for the illu-stration from the Society of Vertebrate Paelontology. In addition to Science, Klingler’s scientific illustrations have also appeared in National Geographic, Discover, and Nature.

“ While I’ve exhibited my work before, this is by far my largest solo exhibition,” Klingler says. And how did it feel to see 100 pieces of his work—from reconstructions of fossil organisms to wildlife illustrations—on display in the nation’s capitol?  “Fantastic!” he says.   

The exhibit in Washington, D.C., runs through March 2006 before returning to Klingler’s home base in Pittsburgh for an exhibit at Carnegie Museum of Natural History that opens June 10, 2006.

Making room for more beautiful gems.

A special occasion was made even more so for the 170 people attending the Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems’ 25th anniversary celebration when Carnegie Museum of Natural History announced plans to expand the hall, highlighted by a gallery dedicated to gems and jewelry.

But it became downright unforgettable for one guest in particular when Henry Hillman revealed the name of one part of the expansion—The Ronald W. Wertz Gallery, in honor of a man he says has worked with the museum to develop “one of the most active and successful mineral and gem acquisition programs of any major natural history museum in North America.”

“ I thank Henry and Carnegie Museum for this unexpected honor,” Wertz said, reacting to the news. “We had always hoped to have the opportunity to expand the hall, and the Wertz Gallery will meet that need.”

The Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems is considered among the top exhibits of its kind, with more than 1,300 minerals and gems from around the world. The expansion project will enable it “to place more of an emphasis on exhibiting gems and jewelry," noted Bill DeWalt, director of Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Hillman Hall’s expansion plans also include a dynamic new entryway and space for traveling exhibits.

A million-dollar difference.

The difference is measurable® isn’t just Mellon Financial Corporation’s corporate mantra. It also describes the company’s impact on the local community. Take, for instance, Mellon’s recent million-dollar commitment to the future of Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh and the region. And add that to the $1.5 million Mellon has contributed to the museums over the past 15 years.

It’s money that Mellon’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Marty McGuinn considers “an investment in the future of the whole city.” In his words, “The four Carnegie Museums provide so many diverse opportunities for people from all walks of life. We believe the museums are a critical component to the ongoing economic development of western Pennsylvania. Supporting them makes good business sense.”

You can measure the difference Mellon has made for Carnegie Museums by its funding of The Andy Warhol Museum’s opening event in 1994; its endowment to support The Warhol’s Mellon Bank Education Resource Center; its funding of various programs at Carnegie Science Center; its decision to be lead sponsor of the 1999-2000 Carnegie International; and the company’s sponsorship of Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s spectacular 2004 DinoMite Days Gala.

“ Thanks to its latest million-dollar gift,” says Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh President David Hillenbrand, “the difference that Mellon makes to Carnegie Museums, and the region, will be felt for years to come.”

It’s a hit: the evolution of animals on canvas.

It took the Industrial Revolution, the discovery of dinosaur fossils, and Darwin's theory of evolution to make people start thinking of animals as more than just things to put on a plate or in front of a plow.

Fierce Friends, Artists and Animals, 1750-1900, a collaboration between curators at Carnegie Museum of Art and Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum, captures how all this new information affected the artists of the time. Recently opening at the Van Gogh Museum to great reviews, Fierce Friends was organized by Louise Lippincott, curator of fine arts at Carnegie Museum of Art, and Andreas Blühm from the Van Gogh. Noted international art critic Richard Dorment, in a London Telegraph article praising the show, called the duo “the most interesting art historians working anywhere in the world today.”

The exhibition traces the evolution of animal art from anatomically incorrect images to paintings infused with human-like feelings and emotions. Highlights include the first underwater landscape, a painting of a monkey, a painting by a monkey, and two works by Van Gogh: a crab struggling helplessly on its back and a haunting image of a bat, orange light glowing from behind its transparent wings.

The exhibition comes to Carnegie Museum of Art in March 2006 and is the kickoff event for Pittsburgh Roars, a nine-month regional marketing campaign promoting western Pennsylvania as a must-see cultural destination.

Andy Warhol goes to Washington.

Prolific and provocative, iconic and iconoclastic, Andy Warhol challenged a lot of traditional notions about art and culture. And now he’s challenging the notion that Pittsburgh can’t show people in larger cities something about, well, art and culture.

The Andy Warhol Museum has collaborated with the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., to present Warhol Legacy: Selections from The Andy Warhol Museum, an exhibition of more than 150 of Warhol’s paintings, photographs, drawings, sculptures, works on paper, and films. The exhibition, which opened in September and runs through February 20, is being sponsored by PNC Bank Financial Services Group.

“ Most of us are very familiar with Warhol’s famous images of Campbell’s Soup cans, Marilyn Monroe, and the like, many of which are part of this exhibition,” says Stacey Schmidt, associate curator of contemporary art at the Corcoran. “But Warhol Legacy offers Corcoran visitors a chance to discover aspects of Warhol’s career with which they may not be familiar.”

Those sentiments are echoed by Thomas Sokolowski, director of The Warhol, who says the Corcoran exhibition will “help deepen knowledge of this world-famous artist by incorporating The Warhol’s unique archival collection.” Better yet, he notes, “it proves there is still more to be learned about ‘the boy from Pittsburgh who made good.’”

A happening place for science.

Science happens everywhere, every day. But it’s never as fun or engaging as it is at Carnegie Science Center. That’s the message of the Science Center’s new promotional campaign and website. Launched on November 15, the website allows visitors to purchase OMNIMAX® tickets online, shop the XPLOR store, schedule group visits, and get the latest scientific happenings on the North Shore.  Check out the new website at www.CarnegieScienceCenter.org or www.ScienceHappens.org

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