Renowned Romanian artist judges the 44th annual
Malibu Art Association’s exhibition.
By Melonie Magruder / Special to The Malibu Times
Celebrated architect and designer Miron Hunt, who also is an internationally known painter with regular exhibitions in Paris and Brittany where Hunt spends half his time, judged this year’s Malibu Art Association exhibition, which opens March 3 at the Palisades Public Library Gallery in Pacific Palisades. With a theme this year of “Spring Colors,” this show will feature works of some 30 local artists and will include oils, pastels, watercolors and photography.
Hunt was born in Romania and fled the country as a young man to escape political unrest. He spent time in Germany, gradually making his way to California in the ’70s via Chicago.
“I am an architect by training, but I have been painting all my life,” Hunt said, his accent still thick after three decades in the U.S. “Arts and crafts were very important to me and you see so many great architects here.”
While skilled at traditional mediums, Hunt said he enjoys finding unusual materials for his works.
“Lately, I have been visiting antique stores, looking for unusual old armoires or cabinets,” he said. “The panels from the doors make wonderful board for oil painting.”
Hunt was asked to jury this exhibit by Maria Bleyberg, a fellow Romanian and longtime member of the MAA.
“Maria asked me to judge and I looked at everything without knowing any of the names,” Hunt said. “I didn’t want to know who the artists were, just what they painted or photographed. There were some very nice landscapes.”
The top winners this year were: 1st Place, Joanne Unger for her oil painting titled “Still Life with Chinese Vase;” 2nd Place, Jackie Blue for her seascape pastel titled “Luminous Horizon;” 3rd Place, Maria Bleyburg for her oil painting titled “Midday Magnolia;” and honorable mentions went to Jackie Blue and Gay Summer Rick.
The contributing artists are all members of the MAA, which was formed 44 years ago by Malibu resident Marjorie Knowles.
“I had a friend who was a prominent artist back then,” Knowles said. “She usually exhibited at [then] Trancas Restaurant, but one year, she said she was too busy and suggested I find some other artists.”
An artist herself, Knowles thought to form an artists’ association and put an ad in the paper seeking like-minded parties.
“My husband told me I couldn’t do this,” she said. “But I just ignored him.”
She was inundated with response.
“We had 50 artists sign up right away,” Knowles said. “They were definitely hungry for something.”
Their first exhibit was judged by John Merrick, who was then the mayor of Malibu and who was a civil court judge.
The association quickly grew to include up to 150 members, confirming Malibu’s reputation as “an artists colony.” While ostensibly designed to promote artist members, the MAA is also comprised of non-artists who are simply dedicated to art and education.
Honorary celebrity members of the MAA include Jane Seymour, Dick Van Dyke, David Carradine, Herb Alpert and Pierce Brosnan.
“The association really works to help not only its own members, but the community as well,” explained Jackie Blue, the current association president. “We are a nonprofit organization and we have seven public venues available to our members for solo shows. Our members contribute a generous portion of any sales to the association to fund art supplies for Malibu High School and the local library.”
The association engages judges with no ties to the group to ensure a blind jury process.
All of this year’s exhibition entries will be available for viewing at the Palisades Library through the month of March, with the opening reception to take place March 3 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The reception is open to the public.
All works are available for purchase and proceeds are used to establish art education scholarships.
Blue expressed gratitude for the exhibition’s opportunities for all the Malibu area artists involved: “This show is fun for everyone. It’s all about getting your work juried and out there for the public.”
The Palisades Library, at 861 Alma Real Drive, Pacific Palisades, is open Monday-Friday at varying hours. More information can be obtained by calling Maria Bleyberg at 310.454.4903.