This evening at 5:30 pm, the Ebell of Los Angeles opens an exhibition of portrait paintings by Windsor Village resident Ingrid Allen along with landscape and still life paintings of her mother, Liv Saether.
Allen grew up in Los Angeles in a family of painters. Her mother and stepfather founded the Bruchion School of Art where she studied Old Masters portraiture techniques. The school operated from 1986 through 1994 in Venice. Allen remembers coming home from school and watching people making their own paints, learning how to stretch canvases and being surrounded by artists. She also studied in Florence, Italy, but left the world of painting after college and became a customer designer. Her earliest clients included Kanye West, Lady Gaga and Rihanna. She developed MAKE SOMETHING!!! workshops for teenagers, which have had more than 2,000 high school participants in Los Angeles, New York, London, and beyond. Now, Allen works exclusively for Bruno Mars.
Since the birth of her daughter Olivia, now three, Allen has returned to painting attempting to balance her career as a successful costume designer with more time for her family. She’s married to Joe Donnelly, author and former editor of LA Weekly who has a new book out this month. L.A. Man: Profiles From a Big City and a Small World. Like Allen’s life, the exhibit is a family centric show with portraits of her mother and her stepbrother as well a painting by Olivia, the next generation painter in her family.
“She loves to paint. As a small child, she can sit for two hours painting, it’s amazing,” said Allen.
It was through her daughter that Allen met Julie Stromberg and her young son Julian, at nearby Harold Henry Park. The two became friends and soon began discussing an exhibit at the Ebell.
“I love the art salon at the Ebell,” said Stromberg, a member and former board member at the Ebell. “It’s one of my favorite events at the Ebell because it’s free to the public and the space is fantastic and I thought, ‘Ingrid is a neighbor, we should do a show of her work!’ said Stromberg.
She invited Ingrid and Liv to several events at the Ebell. Both were impressed with the space and delighted at the possibility of doing a joint show. Stromberg worked with Art Salon chair Donna Russell who was able to schedule the show opening tonight through April 27.
“The art salon is open to the public from 9am-5pm when the building is open,” said Russell. “Though, it’s best to check with office (by calling 323-931- 1277) before coming in case there is an event or some reason the space is closed to the public.”
The exhibit opens tonight with a free reception at 5:30 pm. RSVP to [email protected] or call 323-931-1277, x131. There is free parking in the lot across from our entrance at 743 South Lucerne Boulevard.
Ebell of Los Angeles
743 S Lucerne Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90005
[email protected]
www.ebellla.org
