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The city that gave the world Duane Michals (but not, despite rumors, Andy Warhol) is still nurturing artists.

And some of the most active artists from the Mon-Yough area get a chance to display their talents to the public this weekend when the McKeesport Art Group holds its annual exhibition at Jacob Woll Pavilion in Renziehausen Park.

The judged competition, which opens to the public tomorrow night, comes as the art group celebrates its 50th anniversary.

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Current president Jan Catalogna, who recently retired from PNC Bank, says the group was founded in 1958 with help from one of McKeesport's favorite artists, the late Jeff Madden.

Madden, former art director of the G.C. Murphy Co., became famous for his paintings depicting McKeesport life in the 1950s through the '70s. Many of his prints still decorate the walls of homes and offices in the Mon Valley.

"Jeff was so popular in the city that a group of people who were interested in art got together and said, we should form a club," Catalogna said.

Like many of the art group's 40 members, Catalogna is a painter --- she works in acrylics and oils on canvas and on the blades of old saws, and many of her paintings depict wildlife.

But other members enter their photography, pen-and-ink or charcoal drawings, or sculpture.

At least one member, Dan Piesik, is a blacksmith, and another Ray Spisak, carves in wood using a chainsaw. Weather permitting, Spisak will be demonstrating the art of chainsaw carving on Saturday or Sunday.

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A few members, like Ray Madden of North Braddock, worked in commercial art during their professional lives. Madden ("no relation to Jeff," he says, "but everybody asks that") designed and painted outdoor advertising displays and vehicles for clients such as Cott Beverage and General Nutrition Center.

You can also see his work on the outside of the Dorothy's Candies building in White Oak.

Madden, who works in oils, watercolors and pencils, doesn't have a favorite subject.

"All kinds of things catch my eye," he says. "I've painted in Arizona, including scenery and (portraits of) Indians, and I've painted landscapes around Pittsburgh."

The ages of participants in this weekend's show range from students at McKeesport Area High School --- who are exhibiting a series of theater-type posters --- to retirees like Catalogna's mother, Ruth Burton, who recently celebrated her 90th birthday.

"Mom liked to draw from the time she was in school, and she still has notebooks from her high school days," Catalogna says. Burton has two landscape paintings entered in the show.

Crafts --- including quilts --- are also on display.

Entries are judged in different classifications according to the skill level of the artist --- amateur, experienced or professional --- and paintings and other "flat" works are judged separately from three-dimensional art, like carving and sculpture.

This year's judge was Peg Panasiti of the Latrobe Art Center, who evaluated more than 130 works entered in this year's competition.

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The exhibition opens to the public at 5 p.m. Friday. Awards will be distributed at 7 p.m., after brief remarks by city Mayor Jim Brewster.

Art group members will then host a free reception and buffet.

Admission is free, but selected artworks and crafts (including the theater posters made by MAHS students) will be for sale, and the art group will also sponsor a "Chinese auction."

Hours are from 12 to 8 p.m. Saturday and 12 to 6 p.m. Sunday.

The Jacob Woll Pavilion is located inside Renzie Park, just off University Drive near the entrance to Penn State Greater Allegheny campus.

For more information, call Catalogna at (412) 469-2710 or Madden at (412) 824-6646.

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P.S.: By the way, I don't know much about art, but I know what I like. And the Tube City Tiger really likes this painting (at right) by Ray Spisak.

In fact, I think I heard him say it was "g-r-r-r-eat!"

Or maybe that was some other tiger.