MCLA NEWSLETTER

IN THIS ISSUE:

Dunitz' Newest Mural Book: "Painting the Towns"

Twitchell's "Freeway Lady" featured on New Telephone Card to Benefit MCLA

Regular Column: The Newest Murals

Interview: Ernesto de la Loza

Davis' "Eye on '84" Latest Restoration

Erie Canal Museum on Search for Muralist

"PAINTING THE TOWNS" LATEST DUNITZ BOOK OFFERING     MCLA Board member and Tour Director Robin Dunitz' latest mural book will be shipped in September. Painting the Towns: Murals of California gets out of Los Angeles to present a selection of about 300 murals from 50 cities and towns from around the state. Dunitz wrote and photographed the new book in collaboration with fellow mural historian James Prigoff. Unlike her classic Street Gallery, Painting the Towns does not purport to be a comprehensive guide but a visually rich tour. Full color photographs of each selected mural and artists' statements form the heart of the new book, which can be advance-ordered from RJD Enterprises or the Mural Conservancy for $29.95 plus tax and shipping--see the MCLA Gift Order form!

The cover of "Painting the Towns: Murals of California," by Robin Dunitz and James Prigoff. You can order your copy now.

Painting the Towns' authors take the numerous community murals created up and down the state beginning with the late 1960s as the book's starting point. They trace the role the mural movement has played in racial and ethnic communities' efforts to combat discrimination, it's impact on today's youth culture, and the emergence of murals as a tourist attraction in small towns such as Susanville, Lompoc and Twentynine Palms. While Ms. Dunitz is familiar to most MCLA followers, Prigoff's earlier book, Spraycan Art (1987) may also be on many of your shelves. He has documented murals throughout the U.S. for over 20 years, and resides in Sacramento. Bill Lasarow

NEW TWITCHELL TELEPHONE CALLING CARD TO BENEFIT MCLA A limited edition collectible telephone calling card featuring Kent Twitchell's "Old Lady of the Freeway" has been released by Star Telecom Network, Inc. In a special arrangement with the card publisher, the Mural Conservancy will receive a substantial percentage of each card's purchase price of $20. MCLA President Bill Lasarow was approached by Star Telecom in his capacity as publisher of ArtScene to help develop a series of fine art-based telephone cards. When he proposed a special arrangement to benefit the Mural Conservancy the response was enthusiastic, and the deal was struck. Artist Kent Twitchell signed on to the project, which then received final approval from the MCLA Board. The resulting card, one of three released under Star Telecom and ArtScene's sponsorship, features the famous three-quarter portrait of Lillian Bronson, complete with the moon and the undulating afghan, and a reproduc- reproduction of the artist's signature.

The credit card-sized plastic card comes complete with telephone calling time, which is activated by calling a toll-free phone number and entering a PIN number. The rapidly growing telephone calling card industry, which has only emerged in the last two-three years, enables convenient telephone use when you are away from home and don't want to use a pay phone or run up a toll on a friend's line. The card may be purchased at the Web site of Star Telecom, http://startele.com, or give them a direct phone call at 1 (800) 933-0277. Or order direct from the Mural Conservancy.