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Offramp Gallery to Open in Historic Pasadena Home

Swelter by Anita Bunn

Offramp Gallery will open on September 14, 2008 in a private historic residence in northwest Pasadena, offering a unique art-viewing experience. Located in the former Le Mone Studio and home, the gallery will exhibit work by emerging and mid-career artists in a range of media, as well as site-specific installations in the adjacent library.

The inaugural exhibition is Anita Bunn: Blind Spot. The dates of the exhibition are September 14 - November 16, 2008, with a reception for the artist on Sunday, September 14, from 2-5pm. Ms. Bunn explores her fascination with what is noticed and what is eliminated from view as she allows her gaze to drift to the periphery in this ongoing series of photographs.

The gallery is located at 1702 Lincoln Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91103 and will be open by appointment only.

The setting for the gallery is a unique historic home, originally a bungalow, built on speculation in 1924. In 1942, the house was purchased by dancer Evelyn Le Mone and artist/woodworker Wallace (Wally) Le Mone, who began the transformation of the house by building a dance studio adjacent to the house, and then connecting it to the original bungalow with a grand foyer and living room.

By 1947 the Le Mones had established the Le Mone Studios at the residence which became one of Pasadena's best known and long-lived cultural institutions. Evelyn Le Mone continued to teach students at the Lincoln Avenue location and remained there for over fifty years. She sold the property in 1998.

Gallery director, Jane Chafin, and architect, Chaz Alexander, bought the property in December, 2007 and currently reside there. They are in the process of renovating the original bungalow and landscaping. Offramp Gallery will open in September, 2008 in part of what used to be the dance studio.