Rancho Santa Fe native ‘Remy’ Weinger follows passion and opens her first art gallery in La Jolla

With several entrepreneurs in her family tree, it’s only natural that Remington “Remy” Weinger would be inspired to branch out with her own business.

The 24-year-old artist recently opened her first gallery in La Jolla, which showcases her colorful paintings and fine art photography.

Weinger has some strong role models to look up to when it comes to succeeding as a business owner, including her grandmother, weight-loss, weight management and nutrition company founder Jenny Craig of Del Mar.

“Being an entrepreneur, she (Craig) gave me motivation to be successful,” said Weinger, who also lives in Del Mar. “She said to do what you love, and that things have a way of working out.”

“Remy reminds me of myself at 24 years old,” Craig said. “I, like Remy, was never afraid to risk failure when success depended on my own efforts and willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve it. While growing up after the Great Depression at a time when most women spent their time in the kitchen, I had dreams of creating my own business, going out in the world and ‘making it.’ Remy is fiercely independent and secure in her judgment in much the same way as I.”

Weinger’s artistic path began at a young age, while growing up in Rancho Santa Fe.

“Ever since I could hold a paintbrush, creating art, my parents (Duayne and Michelle Weinger of Rancho Santa Fe) always encouraged me,” she said.

But it was during her first photography class at Francis Parker School, when she was a seventh-grader, that it “clicked,” she said.

“In painting, you use a lot of water with acrylics,” Weinger explained. “There’s something satisfying about the liquid process … watching (images) appear.”

Weinger graduated from Parker in 2010, and attended various schools that allowed her to work in different mediums and gain experience, which included The Art Institute of Chicago, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and San Francisco Art Institute. She received a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of San Diego in February 2015.

After college graduation, Weinger worked for interior designer Brittney Pearson of Rancho Santa Fe. One of her jobs was to create a commissioned 5-foot painting for a client’s living room.

“I enjoyed it so much, that was my ‘a-ha’ moment, that I could do it for a living,” Weinger said.

She started focusing on creating art on a large scale, which she said “made a huge difference.” But because Weinger was working out of her garage, she quickly began running out of space, and the paintings started piling up. Weinger also realized that artwork doesn’t translate through social media in the same way as it does when being viewed in person, so she began looking for empty spaces to establish a gallery.

Eventually, Weinger settled on a space at 7863 Girard Ave., Suite 109, in La Jolla. She noted that the Village has a significant number of art galleries, there’s a sense of community among the artists, and it’s a destination location for people from all over the world.

“It’s been great — I’m getting so much feedback,” Weinger said.

Currently, she sells paintings and photographs, but said that eventually she would like to expand to include mediums such as installations and sculptures.

Most of Weinger’s photography is captured on film, although she occasionally works in the digital format, and the pictures are a range of subjects — everything from street and portrait to animals, landscape and food. Weinger said she loves “accidents” such as light leaks and dust spots, and often incorporates them into her work.

Weinger also embraces “mistakes” in her paintings, creating around drips and splatters. She is best known for her colorful works, but also uses pastels and black-and-white.

Much of Weinger’s painting is done in her gallery space, and passers-by will often see her working next to the window, as she pulls nine-hour days on a daily basis. Her most recent works have been inspired by her photographs and memories of her experiences, and it’s not unusual to see her working on six or seven paintings at one time.

Craig praised her granddaughter for her work ethic.

“I’ve learned over the years that talent alone won’t necessarily result in material success,” Craig said. “I’m sure most of us know people who are very talented in their skills, but could not turn that into a successful career. It takes hard work, determination and passion to succeed, and the willingness to do whatever is required — things like working long hours and sometimes being willing to pass up invitations for fun events with friends, or not spending hours texting or on phone calls. Remy keeps her mission in view, and as I heard my dad say many times, ‘She keeps her nose to the grindstone.’ I am very proud of what Remy has accomplished, and perhaps the thing I am most proud of is the woman she has grown to be: a woman of character. That’s the way she conducts her business, with hard work, honesty, passion and dependability. All that coupled with natural talent is the best recipe I know for success.

“Because of the times in which I grew, opportunities were few. I am so happy that young people like Remy who are willing to work hard, focus and not quit until their end goal is achieved, have the opportunity for inordinate success in their endeavors. She is the granddaughter most grandmothers wish for. I am so proud that she’s mine.”

Weinger hopes that her hard work pays off, as her goal is to sell her works worldwide.

The Rmington Weinger Art Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, go to remingtonweiner.com.