Rene Parola

Rene Parola was born on April 24, 1931, in New York City to Clara and Anibale Parola, marking the birth of an extraordinary artist. The family moved to California in 1939, and was blessed with a sister named Vivian. Rene graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Art from Cal State Los Angeles. After serving in the Korean War as a medic in Japan, Rene returned to Los Angeles and completed his Master of Arts degree. He began teaching Art in the Los Angeles Unified School District, where he met the love of his life, Zoie. They were married in 1959 and had two daughters, Julie and Gina. His innovative work in art and technology led to his exploration of optical illusions, and he wrote the first book ever published on Optical Art. He exhibited his work both nationally and internationally, and inspired many of his students to pursue careers in art. He passed away surrounded by his family at his home on February 27, 2017. He is survived by his sister, two daughters and their spouses, five grandchildren, and one great granddaughter.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Rene Parola to either The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens – 1151 Oxford Rd. San Marino, CA 91108 or The Huntington Memorial Hospital – 100 W. California Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91105.