Palladio Antiques & Art, Memphis’ original upscale designer antique and fine art showroom, introduces the Art Galleries of Palladio, a traditional art gallery situated inside the Palladio showroom located at 2169 Central Ave. in Cooper-Young.
The inaugural show will open in January with well-known Memphis artist Pam Black Wagner's show entitled "Encore -- 25 Years of Painting." An artist’s reception will kick off the show on Friday, Jan. 7 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Palladio Antiques & Art and is free and open to the public.
Since opening in 1996, Palladio Antiques & Art has offered fine art in its vast showroom bearing antiques from around the world. However, this newly designated art gallery is designed to open the opportunity to showcase fine art in a traditional gallery setting.
“Fine art is a valuable aspect of our antique retail business,” said Mindy Roberts, owner of The Palladio Group. “Until recently, we have not had the appropriate space to display multiple pieces by a select artist in a gallery setting. It was important that we reconfigure an area to feature artists, such as Pam Black Wagner, who are important to our customers.”
Wagner’s paintings embody natural beauty, appreciation of the outdoors and the joy of life itself. Her paintings take viewers back to a simpler time and reminds them to enjoy nature and the many small wonders of the world.
“We’re thrilled to launch the Art Galleries of Palladio by featuring Pam Wagner’s work,” Roberts said. “Palladio Antiques & Art clientele have very cultivated tastes, and we focus on offering the highest quality antiques available from across the globe and we want our fine art to be in the same league. We believe Pam Wagner’s work offers the quality our customers are looking for in order to define the decorative spaces inside their homes.”
Born in Jersey City, N.J., Wagner has fond memories of spending time in the art studios of both of her grandfathers. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., and opened her own art studio in Denver, Colo., in the 1980s with great success. After being transferred to the Mississippi Delta for a three-year stretch for her husband’s career, Wagner and her husband then moved to Memphis. Some of Wagner’s influences include Edward Hopper, Mark Rothko and René Matisse.
Palladio Antiques & Art is the flagship showroom of The Palladio Group, which began in 1996 when Memphians Mindy and Frank Roberts decided to invest their love of antiques, historic homes and vintage architecture into the revitalization of Midtown’s historic Cooper-Young District. Their venture, which started with Palladio Antiques, quickly grew to encompass nine individual businesses: Palladio Antiques & Art, Market Central, Memphis WaterWorks, Crafted Classics, The Art Factory, Gallery Fifty Six, Architectural Arts, Café Palladio and TPG Venues. Located within a block of each other, The Palladio Group’s collection of shops and art galleries are great destinations for interior designers, antiques dealers and homeowners looking for unique furniture, art and accents. For more information, call (901) 276-3801 or visit www.thepalladiogroup.com.
