Gallery 169 is pleased to present “GRASSES,” a new series of drawings by Pacific Palisades-based artist Marta Chaffee. The exhibition opens on Saturday, March 22 from 5 – 8pm and runs through April 27 at Gallery 169. The artist will be present on Saturdays from 12-3pm and the gallery is open by appointment. A portion of the proceeds from sales will go to the relief efforts for artists impacted by the recent fires. Complimentary valet parking available at the opening.
Chaffee (b. 1936) has created art inspired by the Southern California landscape for over six decades. In “GRASSES,” she explores the subtle beauty and complexity of humble yet pervasive plant life through soft pencil tones and erased shapes. Her compositions blur the boundaries between abstraction and representation, offering a meditative reflection on time, light, and the changing forms of nature.
Born and raised in Pasadena, Chaffee earned her B.A. from Occidental College and an M.F.A. from Otis Art Institute after studying at UCLA and the Art Students League in New York. Her work has been exhibited at major institutions including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Laguna Art Museum, Santa Barbara Art Museum, and the Newport Harbor Art Museum. Her pieces are held in private and public collections such as the Total Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul, The Beverly Hilton Hotel, and Bank of America. Notably, Chaffee was the one of two female Los Angeles artists depicted in Kent Twitchell’s iconic mural, “Six Los Angeles Artists” (1980, Torrance), and was a finalist in the 1984 Olympic International Art Competition.
About Gallery 169
Founded in 2008 by Frank Langen, Gallery 169 has become a cultural hub in the Santa Monica Canyon. The gallery showcases work by established and emerging artists, fostering a vibrant and engaged art community. Located in a building designed by James Tyler, FAIA, Gallery 169 offers a welcoming space where art, conversation, and community intersect at the edge of the Pacific
