PACOIMA MURAL ART - LEVI PONCE - MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Murals in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley continue to make waves and news.

Another terrific article, this one in the Los Angeles Times by Frank Shyong.

                                                                        (photo by Michel Stevens)

Here's an excerpt:

It used to be that the walls of the businesses on Van Nuys Boulevard were battlegrounds. By night, graffiti crews defaced storefronts with swaggering letters in neon green, red and yellow. By day, building owners fought back with pressure washers and a mixture of white and brown.

Then Ponce brought his paintbrush and his powers of persuasion, winning over residents, shop owners and tagging crews alike — and in the process turning the boulevard into a roadside gallery known as Mural Mile.

Read the entire article at:

http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-c1-pacoima-mural-20130823-dto,0,5208379.htmlstory

THE MUSEUM'S INAUGURAL PACOIMA MURAL WALKING TOUR A BIG HIT!

The Museum of the San Fernando Valley's Public Art Initiative and its newest walking tour had a fantastic inaugural event on August 17th.

Lead docent  Manny Velazquez and guest speakers Levi Ponce, Kristy Sandoval and Javier Martinez were on hand to add colorful, passionate insight into the backgrounds, stories and people behind each mural. Raul Guerra, a local artist also did some live painting on a utility  box, organized by Pacoima Beautiful. Local filmmaker, Miguel Duran,  also came out to capture the first tour in action. 

They provided a true sense of community, collaboration and neighborhood spirit that could act as a model for all cities throughout Los Angeles.

When the tour began right outside of Myke's Cafe, California State Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra and Ralph Andrade, Myke's Cafe owner came out and said hello to the crowd.  At the end of the tour, Anthony Davis, famed USC running back and NFL star was eating at Myke's.

About a dozen people had lunch at Myke's Cafe - further supporting the community.

Attendees were treated to a special bonus as Hector Ponce was found working on a mural.

Stay tuned for additional photos and video from this tour on Museum digital channels.

Much thanks to Maryley Carrillo and Roger Dolin for taking the lead and initiative for this tour. Thank you to the City of Pacoima for being great hosts and to the Pacoima City Hall for allowing our guest to use their facilities during the tour. Also, thanks to the Public Art Initiative committee, Joann Hyslop, Michel Stevens and The Museum's board of directors for additional support.

Additional thanks to local corporate supporters including:
Pacoima Beautiful
Myke's Cafe
Tresierras Supermarkets
Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural & Bookstore

Please mark your calendar for the next Pacoima Mural Walking Tour on Saturday, October 19th from 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

For more tour information, please also visit: http://www.themuseumsfv.org/events/tours/pacoima-mural-tour

MURALS AT LAKE BALBOA GASOLINE STATION

If you have a digital camera, take it along with you and send your images in jpg format to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley. Give us permission, and we might use them on this blog and our approaching website.
(I can't find the names of the mural painters featured in this posting but will add them as "comments" soon.)
The San Fernando Valley, in the heart of the Creative Capital of the World, deserves a great Museum of history and culture.

Lady Bug (detail) Murals at Victory Boulevard Gasoline Station - Lake Balboa 2009 - photo by Gerald Fecht for the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley (click on image to enlarge)
Crested Crane - (detail) Murals at Victory Boulevard Gasoline Station - Lake Balboa 2009 - photo by Gerald Fecht for the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley (click on image to enlarge)
Caterpillar (detail) Murals at Victory Boulevard Gasoline Station - Lake Balboa 2009 - photo by Gerald Fecht for the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley (click on image to enlarge)
Butterfly (detail) Murals at Victory Boulevard Gasoline Station - Lake Balboa 2009 - photo by Gerald Fecht for the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley (click on image to enlarge)
Be a part of San Fernando Valley history and culture. Call 1 (818) 347-9665 today and ask how you can join the Museum Community in your neighborhood.

ELIZABETH MORIN SITS ON PANEL ABOUT LOS ANGELES MURALS

Elizabeth Morin, member of the Board of Directors of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley, will be on this exciting panel.

“Walls of Passion - The Murals of Los Angeles”
Photo-documentary exhibition of 32 murals from throughout the
Los Angeles Basin
Opening Reception Saturday, January 31, 2009 6 to 10 p.m.

Panel discussion with artists, experts, students and curator
Saturday, Jan. 31, 6:30 p.m.
Man One, Paul Botello, Kent Twitchell, Francisco Letelier, Dr. Holly Barnet-Sanchez, Dr. Roberto Cantú, Elizabeth Morín, Dr. Michelle Hawley, Isabel Rojas-Williams, and Justine Bae.

California State University, Los Angeles
Fine Arts Gallery 5151 State University Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90032
Gallery Hours: Monday-Thursday and Saturday, noon – 5 p.m. Admission free.

Exhibit background: http://tinyurl.com/Murals-of-LA
Map of mural locations: http://tinyurl.com/Murals-of-LA-map

The exhibition includes photos and analyses of murals by the following artists:
Paul Botello (assisted by Adalberto Ortiz, Gerardo Herrera, and Gustavo Sanchez)
David Botello
Dan Collins
El Congreso de Artistas Cosmicos de las Americas de San Diego (Mario Torero)
Rip Cronk
Boris Deutsch
Sandra Drinning
Dsyple One
Earth Crew (Erik “Duke” Montenegro , Benjamin James Frank, Jr., Rogelio “Angst” Cabral, and Joseph “Nuke” Montalvo. Coordinated by Helen Samuels)
The East Los Streetscapers
Charles Freeman
Roger Hayward
Francisco Letelier
Man One (Alex Poli)
Christina Miguel-Mullen & the East-West Community Partnership
Mister Cartoon and T Loko
George Samerjan
Terry Schoonhoven
Eliseo Silva
Thomas Suriya
Roderick Sykes and Jacqueline Alexander-Sykes
Nelyollotl Toltecatl
Eloy Torrez
Kent Twitchell
Richard Wyatt
John Zender-Estrada, Nuke, Chose, Siner, Zuco, Scud, Cahli, Shandu and Duce

Student photographers, project creators: Erick Altamirano, Justine Bae, Elif Castellanos, Fernando Cervantes, Lisbeth Espinosa, Leslie Jacobo, Laura Lesko, Jeanie Kim, Tiffany Kim, Nicole Marquez, Lesley Negrete, Isabel Rojas-Williams, Kasia Somerfeld, Tiffany Staines, Taneka Washington, and Manuel Aguilar-Moreno (professor).

Curated by the Art History Society at Cal State L.A.

Sponsored by Cal State L.A.’s Department of Art, American Communities Project, Art History Society, Reprographics, Cross-Cultural Centers and Associated Students, Inc.