Very late notice was received by the club on October 15th that longtime member Malcolm N. MacKenzie passed away July 7th, 2012.
Malcolm’s tenure at the Salmagundi Club began as a Scholarship applicant in 1971, rising through the ranks to ultimately occupy a seat on the Board of Directors as Chairman of the Art Committee. Stepping down from that position after a number of years, Malcolm continued his participation in the club’s activities as both an exhibiting artist and volunteer staffer on auction nights.
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1948, the son of a physician, Malcolm moved to New York City in 1966 to study with Frank Reilly. Reilly was known for his broad knowledge of the basic tools of art and his ability to simplify his composition, making him one of the most sought out teachers on the New York art scene.
Artistically, Malcolm developed his own voice using the fundamental formulas of classical training to interpret New York landscapes and environs in his own way. Looking at Malcolm’s oil paintings, one can immediately identify his work. He painted what few artists would select as a subject: discarded images in one’s local setting, a computer station, a television set, a bottle of whiskey or an unassuming neighborhood bank branch.
Sought out by museum galleries in New York and elsewhere throughout his lifetime and the recipient of many awards, Malcolm was never driven or motivated by the need for recognition. It was always about the art.
A 2010 retrospective exhibit in the Patron’s Gallery provided a detailed look at Malcolm’s body of work.
The Salmagundian 
I will miss Malcolm very much. He was a gentleman in every sense of the word and a wonderful artist. A “Malcolm” painting was always instantly identifiable and he never held back on the paintings he generously submitted for our auctions–they were always fully realized and were alive with color.
It is sad that we only realized that something wasn’t right when no paintings arrived from Malcolm for the Fall Auctions. I can only hope that he was surrounded by people who loved him when he died.
I will miss Mr. MacKenzie very much. He saw beauty in everything around him and kindly shared his visions with the rest of us. Rest in peace.
We will miss Malcolm very much. A great ARTIST
Malcolm was my mother’s younger brother; my uncle. We just got word of his passing this afternoon. My mother told me that throughout high school, Malcolm said that once he graduated, he was leaving for New York City….and he did. My mother received a self-portrait of Malcolm a few years ago. I took a photograph of the painting, had it blown up and framed. A fascinating piece to me because it was that of my uncle whom I had rarely seen. My mother and I have several pieces Malcolm painted decades ago. I have grown up with these paintings. Tonight I will study the self-portrait again, but for a different reason.
I went to high school with Malcolm and saw him as a budding artist. We used to gather “the gang” in his Volvo and drive around town. We didn’t exactly hit the regular teen-age spots. He did always talk about moving to New York City when he graduated. and he did just that. He was a gentleman and a gentle man. He was a wonderful artist in high school and only became much better. I am so sad to hear of his passing. I have sweet memories of our high school years together.
Malcolm was my youngest brother, seven years younger than I. He was the youngest of five children: sisters Jill and Ann and brothers John and David, parents Ian and Margaret MacKenzie. He was always a dear person…brilliant and talented and followed his dream. Salmagundi was his family in NYC.
i have three if his painting, and have tried to find him in artist listed and can’t understand why he is not listed. I find his work wonderful and he should be listed, but just can’t find him. Don’t understand.
I now have 152 paintings of Malcolm MacKenzie’s.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/138306045@N03/c47714
Contact me at: CMalone-at-CrewsFS.com
Thank you again for the information, i just don’t undersand why I can’t find his name in the artist listed. His work I think is outstanding and don’t know why he is not reconized.
I now have 152 paintings by my uncle, Malcolm MacKenzie.
To view them: https://www.flickr.com/gp/138306045@N03/c47714
To contact me: CMalone-at-CrewsFS.com