Mel Leipzig

Melvin Donald Leipzig (May 23, 1935 – October 31, 2025) was an American visual artist and arts educator, known for his realist portraits in acrylic paint. He lived in Trenton, New Jersey, and exhibited his work both nationally and internationally.

Life and career Mel Leipzig was born on May 23, 1935, in Brooklyn, New York City. He attended Cooper Union, and received a BFA degree at Yale University, and a MFA degree at Pratt Institute.

From 1968 until 2013, Leipzig taught art courses at Mercer County Community College.

Leipzig’s artwork can be found in the collections of the New Jersey State Museum, the Yale University Art Gallery, the Whitney Museum, the National Academy Museum and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. The date of his death was reported variously as October 31 or November 1.