The Tyrone Hospital Art Gallery is now featuring the work of Joseph Ieraci, Jr. of Tyrone.
The exhibit will remain on display until April 29.
Ieraci works in a variety of media including watercolor, pen and ink, oil, and acrylic. His subject matter is also varied with pieces featuring wildlife, landscape, and portraits.
Ieraci, an artist for more than 30 years, is a graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. He is retired from Norfolk Southern where his artistic talent was also his livelihood as he worked as an illustrator.
“In the years before personal computers were used in industry, the designs for trains were all sketched by hand and that is what I did when I worked for Norfolk Southern,” said Ieraci.
Some of Ieraci’s work has found a home overseas.
“When businessmen from abroad came here to meet with people at Norfolk Southern, they would see my sketches and sometimes they would ask to take a sketch or two with them.”
As a result, Ieraci’s sketches found their way to such places as Germany and Japan.
Ieraci said his exhibit at Tyrone Hospital is his largest to date.
“I have entered individual pieces in contests and did a smaller exhibit, but this is the largest display of my work.”
For Ieraci, every surface may be viewed as a canvas and every life story, image, and experience serves as inspiration for his work.
“Life serves as my inspiration. I like to illustrate stories that people tell me.”
Some of the works on display are of a military theme depicting aircraft and soldiers. There is one pen and ink drawing of the American Legion in Tyrone accompanied by a portrait of the legion’s namesake.
One unique experience Ieraci captured on canvas is a scene of soldiers on the Gettysburg battlefield filling their canteens at a spring.
“I am interested in the ‘ghosts of Gettysburg’. I have visited the battlefield on many occasions”, said Ieraci.
“Many individuals have reported ghostly sightings on the Gettysburg battlefield. I hadn’t had such an experience until recently.
“On a night excursion to the battlefield in an area near a stream, I heard people talking, saw smoke and heard rattling sounds. It was as if some soldiers had gathered at the stream to fill their canteens.”
After reporting his experience to the park rangers who routinely document such sightings, Ieraci did some documentation of his own, he captured the images on canvas.
Ieraci’s artwork has graced the windows of East End Pizza in Tyrone during the holiday season for the past 30 years. He is also known for being able to turn almost any surface into a work of art. He has done paintings on trucks and cars, created landscapes on spare tire covers, and painted murals in private homes. He also does caricatures and has often been asked to do such drawings for guests at parties and special events.
Over the years he has also supported a variety of charitable causes, donating works of art to support fund raisers.
The public is welcome to visit the hospital and view Ieraci’s exhibit. The exhibit is located on the hospital’s first floor.
For more information about the Tyrone Hospital Art Gallery contact Annette Lynn at 684-6315 or Theresa Yanchetz at 684-6348.
