Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
Jacquie Israel has transformed her house on Iliff into a comfortable and expansive gallery where visitors can roam the world of art, from emerging and ‘outsider artists’ and emerging to established painters and photographers. She is inviting the community to an open house on Saturday, December 5, from 3 to 10 p.m., to view the art and enjoy live music featuring the Rave-Ups at 8:30 p.m. This is the third in what Israel calls her ‘art salons,’ where she has accumulated work from galleries all over the city and country with the goal of bringing new work to a wider audience. ‘Many galleries are aware that there is a world of potential collectors who don’t know they exist, and they find my events helpful in giving their artists more exposure,’ Israel says. Last year, she invited an artist to not only exhibit his work but to offer a kind of ‘101’ course in understanding modern art. The event was a fundraiser for Marquez Charter, where the youngest of Israel’s three boys attends. A 15-year Palisades resident, Israel was formerly gallery curator at Storyopolis, which was dedicated to showing children’s book and editorial illustration, and featured the work of artists from all over the world. After her third son was born, she stopped working at Storyopolis and became a consultant helping people find art for their homes and offices. Israel believes that there is a certain timidity when it comes to buying art. ‘The gallery environment can be intimidating, and people often feel inadequately educated to buy art. ‘People don’t have time to travel looking for art,’ Israel continues. ‘I am constantly visiting galleries in every part of L.A. as well as Santa Barbara and San Francisco.’ She has even gone as far as Alabama looking for folk art. There will be 80 pieces in the current exhibition, which will also be open by appointment through the end of the year. One could bet that when the Israels built their house, they envisioned the large wall expanses in order to accommodate not only large works of art but also small groupings. As one enters the living room, painted a rich, deep brown, several stunning pieces anchor the walls. The archival black-and-white pigment print diptych (40- x 65-in. each), showing a barber and a hairdresser by Mark Laita, straddles one side of the dining area. On the opposite wall are Jill Greenberg’s photos of full-grown polar bears. Greenberg, who has an amazing ability to coax powerful emotions from her subjects, photographed the animals on location against a backdrop. One of the most moving photographs, Nick Brandt’s ‘Elephant with Flaring Ears,’ hangs all alone on the wall between the living room and kitchen. A master at capturing African animals in intimate and quiet poses, Brandt has gained the praise of many naturalists, including primatologist Jane Goodall. ‘Nick’s exquisite photographs arouse deep emotions,’ Israel says. ‘They inspire a sense of awe at the beauty of creation and the sacredness of life. It’s almost impossible to look through his work without sensing the personalities of the beings whom he has photographed.’ Israel possesses a proletarian’s eye for art. On another wall, she has displayed the work of her mother-in-law, Joan Israel, whose charming polymer clay-on-canvas scenes include a colorful bird and a vibrant garden. Two of David Buckingham’s cut and welded found-metal sculptures literally nail the viewer’s attention. ‘Come On, Baby, Light My Fire’ is made up of individually cut letters from polychrome steel detritus. In another piece, Alison Foshee has pressed pushpins into whispy, flower-like shapes on cork. Upstairs, Israel has expanded her photography selections, including Jona Frank’s ‘Boys,’ which is part of a series of four photographs featuring boys. Another large digital c-print explores Mike Tierney’s almost other-worldly destination for a ride on an escalator at LAX, terminal 3. Forever open to new art, Israel has recently discovered ‘low brow’ art at galleries in Silverlake and Echo Park. In planning the open house, Jacquie and husband David thought about adding music, and coincidently re-encountered a band, the Rave-Ups, which they had loved in their 20s. ‘We found them again on Facebook and invited them to play,’ Israel says. They’ll be occupying a space in the corner of the living room for the party. ’Bring your friends, bring your kids,’ Israel says. ‘There will be drinks, music and art.’ The open house is at 943 Iliff St.
