Chai Style Home: Mother, Son — Barristers, Collectors

When L’ dor V’ dor comes to mind, imagine a Steve Wolverine painting. Mom, Judy Alembik’s, fireplace show-stopping, “Wolverine”; and Gary’s horizontal landscape, “Moose,” gets full sway in his breakfast nook.

On a grander scale, Gary’s citified chic contrasts Judy’s lush suburban setting. Both homes fit a lifestyle, inside and out, in compelling vignette compositions, channeled from Gary’s previous iteration as founder of Aliya Gallery.

Gary stated, “Most of my art collection is made up of regional artists whose work I first discovered through my ownership of Aliya. I’ve always been drawn to art that tells a story and sparks an emotional connection. I don’t collect art as an investment or worry about whether an artist will become well known. Instead, I choose artwork I want to live with — pieces that feel personal, lasting, thought-provoking and full of imagination.”

Judy swims in her elongated pool behind a house of memories proclaiming Gary to be “the self-taught taste maker.”

Judy was a practicing family law attorney (while raising a family) in the mid-1970s, when few women entered the legal profession in family law. Along with late husband, law partner, Aaron, they traveled to all seven continents. Recently, she made headlines for significant philanthropic gifts to local Jewish organizations towards education and mental health. Gary practiced law for 38 years and served as both a magistrate and judicial officer in the Fulton County Family Division. He now devotes his practice to mediation and arbitration and serves as a guardian ad litem. Gary’s community service includes serving on the Board of Jewish Family & Career Services, Advisory Board of Open Hand, and as past president of Ahavath Achim Synagogue.

Compelling, influenced, even a little “trippy” … take a tour of these estates of grace.

Marcia: Do you have favorite pieces?
Gary: I can’t say I have just one favorite because different works speak to me in different ways. Steve Wolverine’s landscape, “Moose,” is a wonderful example. It is simple, serene and calming. Every time I look at it, I imagine moose quietly grazing in the background.
The Lamar Smith painting in my main living area continually draws me in because it’s filled with Jewish symbolism and discoveries that reveal themselves over time, evoking a seven-branched menorah, the Akedah, Adam and Eve, a rabbi-like figure guiding a sacred tent, and Jacob’s Ladder rising into the sky with angelic figures ascending.
I’m also captivated by Duy Huynh’s landscape of a graceful, introspective woman carrying a book through a lush meadow surrounded by peacocks. It has a serene, dreamlike quality.
Judy: One of my favorite works, the Steve Wolverine landscape, beckons to settling in, wrapping in a blanket and lingering beneath the shady trees. Much of our artwork was purchased through Gary’s gallery.

Marcia: Tell us about Aliya Gallery. 
Gary: When I opened it, I was fresh out of law school and had no formal background in art. My business partner, Steve, came from an accounting background. Neither of us had art degrees, but we shared a deep appreciation for art and believed in its power to move people. At the time, I lived in the Virginia-Highland/Morningside neighborhood and opened the gallery across the street from two popular restaurants, Partners and Indigo. There was often a wait for tables, so we stayed open late into the evening, welcoming people who wandered in while waiting for dinner. Many weren’t expecting to encounter art, yet found themselves captivated by a painting, a sculpture, or a conversation.
Ironically, our very first customer was an out-of-state rabbi, which felt meaningful considering the name. “Aliya,” Hebrew word for “ascent” or “going up,” referring to being called to the Torah and to spiritual elevation. For us, the name expressed what art can do, lifting spirits, elevating spaces, deepening understanding and inviting joy and reflection. Opening a gallery didn’t require enormous capital because much of the artwork was on consignment. What it did require was passion, curiosity and relationships. Before opening, I spent months traveling to art shows and visiting artists’ studios, searching for work that spoke to us.
Judy: We loved Aliya Gallery with Gary’s growing from the belief that art has the power to transform both people and places. A meaningful piece can change a room, provoke thought, inspire conversation and bring lasting beauty into everyday life. It can bring warmth to a living space, energy to a hallway, peace to a bedroom or soul to an entire home. Surrounding yourself with art is deeply therapeutic. It reminds us of who we are, what we value, and what moves us.

Marcia: What mood did you hope to create?
Gary: I wanted my tri-level townhouse to feel like a series of intimate vignettes, personal spaces that invite people to pause, look closely and dream. The landscapes are meant to capture the imagination, while the figurative and whimsical works tell stories and create moments of surprise.
One particularly meaningful work is a collage photograph of the great Russian dancer, Vaslav Nijinsky, capturing a striking sense of androgynous beauty and tender vulnerability.
I designed the home to showcase artwork collected over the years. Function has always been secondary. Creating a space that feels personal, sparks curiosity and is alive with stories is my priority.

Marcia: Describe your home’s color palette.
Gary: Warm, organic. The walls are white with a subtle pink undertone that gives soft luminosity. I’m especially drawn to mossy greens and earthy tones, grounded, natural and calming.
In the guest bedroom, the palette becomes richer, with autumn-inspired colors that bring warmth and seasonal beauty. Overall, I wanted the colors to create an inviting, comfortable atmosphere while allowing the artwork to remain the focal point.

Marcia: Who has the last word?
Judy: The dogs! They rule the households. My Angel and Gary’s goldendoodle, Bennie. Just don’t put them in the same room at the same time.