Melvin Way

Melvin Way (January 3, 1954 – February 4, 2024) was an American folk artist.

His works are held in the collections of the American Folk Art Museum, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Early life Melvin Way was born on January 3, 1954, in Ruffin, South Carolina. He moved to New York City permanently in the 1970s to attend R.C.A. Technical School in midtown Manhattan, where he learned the skills to work as a machinist. While there, he also played bass for local bands.

Art career By 1989, Way lived at Keener Men’s Shelter on Wards Island. The shelter was run by Hospital Audiences International, which offered art workshops to residents with disabilities. There, Way met artist Andrew Castrucci, who ran art workshops for the shelter's residents. Castrucci recognized Way's talent and became a lifelong friend and supportive figure. He often carried his works and works in progress in his pockets, using scotch tape to protect their surfaces.

Way was represented by the Andrew Edlin Gallery.

Selected exhibitions 2015: Melvin Way: Gaga City; Christian Berst Art Brut, Manhattan 2018: Melvin Way: The Cocaine Files Dossier (1989-2017); Andrew Edlin Gallery, New York City