Three Palisadians Have Photos on Display in Group Exhibition

‘Multiple Visions: A Group Exhibit of the Creative Photography Workshops,’ is currently on view through January 29 at the Edward Cella Art & Architecture Gallery, 6010 Wilshire Blvd. (across from LACMA).   Contributing artists include Pacific Palisades residents Debbie Alexander, Maria Kolligian and Jan Woods.   The exhibit features several of Tracey Landworth’s intermediate and advanced students.   A second-generation Angeleno and longtime teacher of photography with an MFA from Pratt Institute, Landworth and her experienced staff offer courses for students of all ages and abilities.   Alexander, who has been studying with Landworth for four years, thinks of her teacher as her ‘photography mother and my fellow classmates as my photography family.’   For years, Alexander had been satisfied with taking ‘happy’ snapshots, recalling that on vacation her family lost patience with her for constantly taking photos.   Her friend Jill Stein encouraged her to join Landworth’s class, where she said she began to get serious.   ’At first, it was quite a challenge to break from convention and become more abstract with my work,’ Alexander says, adding that it was difficult to move from being a documentarian to doing more interpretive work. ‘That is where my classmates come in, because they can see what I don’t and offer constructive criticism.   ’I am constantly experimenting with techniques,’ Alexander continues. ‘In ‘Eye Spy Painters I-IV,’ I played with shadows, while in ‘The Bean I-IV,’ I worked with reflections.’   She plans to work more in these areas while further pursuing her series on workmen doing their jobs.   ’I’ve worn out my Rebel Xti by constantly experimenting with what I can achieve by looking through that viewfinder,’ Alexander says. ‘When magic occurs, I become more confident in my ability and feel an incredible sense of instant gratification with my work. I feel my imagination knows no boundaries, so my photographic possibilities are endless.’   She also wants to continue contributing occasional essays and feature articles (often illustrated by her photographs) to the Palisadian-Post.   Edward Cella Art & Architecture Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and by appointment.