Richard Maxwell

SAXONBURG — The Saxonburg Area Artists Cooperative will open “Retrospective: The Collected Works of Richard Maxwell” on Saturday.

A reception will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Acoustic blues music will be provided by Melissa Seager and Max Dubel of Pittsburgh. Refreshments will be served

The artist, a native of Natrona Heights who died in 2010, was known by most people simply as “Maxwell.”

He was a street performer long before street performers were common outside of New York City, Chicago or Los Angeles.

Maxwell would recite his poetry and play his drum for whoever would listen. Most were unaware that he was also a visual artist.

The influences of Picasso's cubism, the surrealism of Salvador Dali and pop art satire combine with Maxwell's unique calligraphic prose/poetry to become visual labyrinths on paper and canvas.

As an artist and poet, Maxwell forged connections between books and poems, movies and fairy-tales, to create relationships based on sounds, images and history.

The paintings, drawings and poetry are on loan from the collection of Joe Ryzner, a longtime friend of the artist.

The exhibit will continue through Aug. 24.

The SAAC gallery is at 215 Main St., rear entrance. Gallery hours are noon to 8 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays. Admission is free.

For more information, call 412-260-5779.