By ALISON ROWE | Contributing Writer
On Sunday, June 3, a beloved institution returns to the heart of The Village, as Pacific Palisades Art Association presents its annual Village Green Art Show and Sale.
This lively spring show attracts artists from as far afield as San Francisco and Palos Verdes, drawn by the prestigious Sunset Boulevard address and the friendly atmosphere. Yet the core of the work is made by the members of the Palisades Art Association themselves and reflects its Palisadian sensibilities.
Renee Agarwal, a fine arts graduate of UCLA, now teaches art to others. Her students range from 5 years to 100 years in age. Agarwal employs watercolor, acrylic and pastel in her vibrant work, which is often painted en plein air, or out in nature, to capture the nuances of the light and landscape.
Annette Alexakis, president of the association, works in watercolor, pastel, oils and brush pen.
A Palisades Charter High School graduate, she has plenty of family support in her official position.
Her son, James, has joined her as treasurer, and son Christopher—himself a graduate of Otis College of Art—is vice president. She joked that her husband, Glenn, is also her unofficial production manager.
Teacher and muralist Terri Bromberg has a highly developed color sense that is apparent not only in her paintings, but also in her glassworks, which are for sale too. Unlike the association’s other exhibitions held in Palisades Branch Library, the spring show features jewelry, glass and textile arts, proving the tremendous versatility of the artists taking part.
Judith Carr lives and works in Santa Monica Canyon surrounded by nature. Yet her world is not bounded by the canyon—she speaks Greek, Japanese and Italian, and teaches English as a foreign language to students from all over the world.
Her semi-figurative paintings use brush and palette knife with acrylic paint to achieve dramatic color and textural effects that reference the ocean and land.
Martha Mead is known in the Palisades for her specialist murals, one of which decorates Marquez Charter Elementary School. However, she will show some more portable pieces on Village Green. Her subjects range from local scenes in oils to still life paintings, and her distinctive handmade aprons also have a place.
As a child, Wanda Norman Storey was influenced by seeing French plein air painters at work. Now she follows their example and sets up her easel outdoors to paint the beauty of our surroundings.
Storey, who works in watercolor and acrylic, also makes jewelry and will be offering both for sale at the show.
Pacific Palisades Historical Society, with President Eric Dugdale, also has a place on the Green to show historic photographs of the Palisades and local landmarks.
The association was founded in 1948 and, in addition to the Village Green show, currently mounts four exhibitions a year.
For more information on becoming a member of the Pacific Palisades Art Association, contact paliart/membership.org or sign up for the newsletter at palisadesart@gmail.com.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.