French Painter David Gista Opens Glencoe Gallery

David Gista

The highly-regarded French artist David Gista has opened The Art School and “Gallery G” at 348 Tudor Ct. in Glencoe – an attractive storefront space across the street from Writers’ Theatre in downtown Glencoe. One room is devoted to the Gallery G exhibition space and the other serves as a classroom for the art instruction now being offered by Gista’s Art School.

We visited Saturday, February 13, for the closing party (think wine, Chinese food to celebrate the Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day sweets!) of Susan Cua’s show “Je t’aime Paris.”

pastel painting by Susan Cua

As you might guess from the name, this collection of Cua’s work consists of images from the city of Paris, oil pastel paintings executed in Cua’s expressionistic hand. Cua was on hand to tell us about her other career as a classically-trained musician and her passion for world travel.

The next show in Gallery G will feature etchings by Scott Kieffer and watercolors by Barbara Roseman, with an opening reception February 20, from 4-8pm.

The Art School

The Art School is offering a variety of art classes for adults, teens and kids with an unusual flexible class pass for adult classes; instructors include Gista himself and Italian architect and artist Carlo Locascio. Gista plans to use the gallery as a venue to promote the work of advanced students, as well as juried and guest artist shows throughout the year.

"Gallery G" in Glencoe

David Gista is a graduate of Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris (yes, THAT Beaux-Arts), who was “discovered” in 1995 by the internationally recognized Darthea Speyer Gallery in Paris, who also represents the late Ed Paschke and Leon Golub. Gista’s first visit to Chicago was in 1996 when he met Gary Marks, and in 1997 Gista held his first one-man show in the United States at the Gary Marks Gallery. Gista also participated in a group exposition at Chicago’s Zolla-Lieberman Gallery, as well as exhibiting work in Hamburg, Germany and in France.

Through the Darthea Speyer Gallery connection, Gista was invited by the late Ed Pashke to serve as a guest speaker/lecturer at Northwestern University. Since then he was one of twelve featured artists as part of Chicago Artist’s Month and had solo exhibitions at The University Club of Chicago as well as The Union League Club of Chicago, and The Art Center in Highland Park. You may also have seen his work published locally in East on Central.

Carlo Locascio holds a Masters degree in Architecture from the University of Architecture, Palermo Italy; Fine Art Teaching Degree, Istituto Pubblica Istruzione, Rome, Degree in Fine Art, Academy of Art, Palermo. He is an award winning architect, designer and figurative painter who creates multi-media work, saying “My inspiration is the unending need to give expression to the abstract meanings hidden in everyday life, as informed by my personal memories and dreams.” (Chicago Sun Times, Oct. 2008)

You can drop by the gallery in person, visit them on Facebook, at their website or give them a call: 847-242-0104.