DONALD TOTTEN
Biographical Information
Born in South Dakota, Totten [1903-1967] moved to Long Beach while in his teens. Totten studied at Otis Art Institute with Roscoe Schraeder and Edouard Vysekal from 1923-1926. From 1929-1933 he attended the Los Angeles Art Students League under the tutelage of Stanton Macdonald Wright and James Redmond. He later taught at the League for two years. From 1936-1940 he was active on the Federal Art Project, assisting James Redmond and Helen Lundeberg on murals. He was also on the artist team that executed the Long Beach mosaic now installed at Long Beach Plaza, and on his own he did a now-destroyed mural at Grant School in Pasadena. In 1955 he completed a mural in Oakland, California, for the First Methodist Church, but it was destroyed by fire in 1981. During the 1950s and 60s, Totten's work was exhibited in a number of group and solo shows throughout southern California. By then his paintings reflected a more abstract style.
Mural Credits
Early California (assisted James Redmond) (photos)
Valley Forge 1777 and Yorktown 1781 (assisted Helen Lundeberg)
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