L.A.’S NEWEST MURALS |
| The following new murals were completed through July. If you want your public to know about your newest mural, please send the information, along with a picture if possible, to Robin Dunitz, PO Box 5483, Sherman Oaks, CA 91413. Or you can call (818) 487-0416 John Valadez, “We the People: Summer Festivals of Orange County” (1998), Ronald Reagan Federal Bldg. and U.S. Courthouse, interior lobby, Santa Ana. Valadez was assisted by Genaro "Jerry" Lopez, Francisco Siqueiros, Howard Spezia, Sadie Valadez and Carlo Valadez, and installer Giles Guggemons, Inc. of St. Paul, MN. Acrylic on canvas, 15' x 70'. Painted in seven panels over two years, the mural celebrates the diverse peoples of Orange County coming together in a parade that includes historical as well as contemporary figures. Before beginning the artist spent a year attending festivals throughout the county. Some of the mural's elements were inspired by historical photos, including one seated group that represents the founders of the local historical society. Eva Cockcroft and Alessandra Moctezuma, “Homage to Siqueiros”, (1998), Self-Help Graphics, exterior, Avenida Cesar Chavez at Gage, Boyle Heights, acrylic, the artists were assisted by Gabriel Galán, Jaime "Vyal" Reyes, Silvana Paredes, Chris Pizano, Daniel and Miriam del Solar, and title lettering by Chaz Bojorquez. The central image is a re-creation of the famous Olvera Street mural, "Tropical America," by Mexican master, David Alfaro Siqueiros, originally painted in 1932 and whitewashed by city officials in 1938 because of its militant anti-capitalist imagery. East Los Streetscapers, “Cosmic Flight Paths”, (1998), Ontario International Airport, Terminal 4, Ontario, terrazzo floor. Tim Fields, “Quetzalcoatl”, (1998), Gardner Street Elementary School, Hollywood, Fields assisted by 45 K-5th graders. |
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Tim Fields, “Shelf Life”, (1998),
Osborne Middle School, Pico Rivera, Fields assisted by volunteers. |
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| Tim Fields, “Swingin' Sky” (1998), Little Red School House, play area, Hollywood, Fields assisted by students. Tim Fields, “Playin' Around”, (1998), Chernow House, Boyle Heights, Fields assisted by volunteers. Tim Fields, Untitled, (1998), L.A. County Dept. of Children and Family Services, 12020 Chandler Blvd., North Hollywood, Fields assisted by children. Tim Fields, “Sky High”, (1999), Wilton Place Elementary School, Mid-City L.A., Fields and volunteers, including Governor Gray Davis. Dave Talbot, “Sunday”, (1999), Santa Monica Bistro, 2301 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, acrylic, 15' x 12'. Gifford Myers, “Einstein and Beyond”, (1998), Intervale Senior Services, Pasadena. The mural is based on a photo of Einstein riding a bicycle, and was taken while he was consulting at Cal Tech. Also incorporated into the mural are windows showing Pasadena past and present. Terry Schoonhoven, “Jewish Contributions to Medicine”, (1999), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Auditorium, 8700 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, 12' x 71'. The mural was sponsored by former Board Chairman Joseph Mitchell and his wife Beverly and donated to Cedars-Sinai. Depicts 42 major concepts and physicians from Biblical times to the present. Eliseo Art Silva, “Beyond the Water of Dreams” (1999), Normandie Village Apartments, Normandie and Melrose, East Hollywood. This mural was inspired by the legendary hero from the Armenian epic, David of Sasoun. On the largest panel, children have written their dreams on the sand. Outside a Freedom Ring, made up of tapestries from different countries, celebrates the struggle for freedom and independence around the world. It also commemorates the day in 1898 when Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo declared the independence of the Philippines from the balcony of his home. ManOne, Vyal, CTI, and others, Untitled spraycan pieces (2), Lankershim Boulevard just north of Victory, North Hollywood, aerosol, approximately 15' x 60' (each). One wall is mostly large characters. The other wall is lettering. |
MCLA WEBSITE MAKES IMPORTANT STRIDES
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The Mural Conservancy’s efforts to create a substantial online informational resource received an important boost last year when the L.A. County Arts Commission awarded MCLA with a two-year grant for that expressed purpose. With the first year completed, the first phase of significant upgrades are now revealed: complete interlinking between mural pages and muralist pages; a new home page look (above); and a storefront. The new storefront (prepared but not launched at press time, it may well be up as you read this) enables MCLA to sell memberships, mural gift items, and tickets to mural bus tours directly over the Web, allowing for secure credit card transactions. With a promotional boost, assisted by the second year of the grant, an increase in MCLA’s earned revenue base is hoped for. The new home page design gives visitors a great first impression as well as direct linking access to all of the important sections into which the site is organized. Credit goes to DNA Studios in West Hollywood for their design and programming work on both the storefront and the home page. Most important in terms of the site’s value as a mural informational resource, all public murals on record through 1997 and into 1998 have their own page online, and all artists responsible for them (almost 550 of them) receive their own page as well, complete with mural credits and links to the murals’ pages. If you haven’t visited the MCLA Web site before, or if it’s been awhile, get your modem fired up and check out this new content. And let us know what you think! Bill Lasarow |
