AUTRY MUSEUM OF WESTERN ART: Gardena High School Collection, Permanent Works,

Rick Bartow, "Crow", gouache on paper

The Gardena High School Collection

California Impressionism: The Gardena High School Collection features a selection of nine paintings from the collection, including major works by notable artists such as Maynard Dixon, Jean Mannheim, and Edgar Payne. The paintings on view reflect the state’s scenic diversity as well as the vitality of Gardena High School’s program and the Impressionist movement that once flourished here.  

Franz Bischoff, "A Cool Drifting Fog", 1924

Edgar Payne Rockbound, circa 1918

Jack Wilkinson Smith, "Lingering Snows",  undated

John Frost, "Desert Twilight",  1924

Checking on line on the Gardena High school website, I learned that the collection has about 100 paintings in it, all in storage, none on display because they have no gallery.
Fundraising continues but I'm not optimistic this will amount to much.  I hope LAUSD is helping them with conservation and storage. 

This collection is too important to leave unviewed by district's children and by the public.  I'm thinking about doing something about it - what would that look like?
  

The Permanent Collection

Albert Bierstadt, "Landscape with Indians", 1859





Thomas Moran, "Mountain of the Holy Cross", 1875



Gene Autry Lunchbox, 1950's

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BIRDING & FLOWERS: Franklin Canyon Reservoir, Santa Placerita Canyon Park, Newhall

Plentiful at Franklin Canyon:

orange sticky monkeyflower - Franklin Canyon

oak titmouse

Seen at both places - a charming little energetic gray bird with its crest.  Hopped onto our picnic table to pick up a sunflower seed someone had left there.  

Calochortus clavatus var. gracilis; Slender Mariposa Lily

Seen trailside at Placenta Canyon. A local unusual variety of Mariposa Lily/Tulip. My most scientific field guide, by Niehaus, lists neither of these flowers.

turtles sunning - Franklin Canyon Reservoir

My brother who lives in Iowa came to stay for a week to recover from wrist surgery.  He tends to the acerbic when contemplating LA lifestyles - traffic, home values, big city indifference, all quite valid, yes?

I wanted to take him to see an "urban greenspot", so we started out for Franklin Canyon.  Of course, another LA water main had broken and a detour was necessary. And the popular park was that day a site for a movie shoot. The little pond was going to be filled with kayaks and inflatables. Loud conversations concerning setups, placement, floated over to us as we circled the small lake, as we sat and listened to the peculiar comforting sound of ducks as they strained water through their beaks for food (combination of a  gurgle and suck).  

This he found to be of interest, to my relief, and once away from the large pond, well known as the lake where Andy Griffith went fishing in the TV show's title sequence, we found a picnic spot under the oaks to relax and watch ducks, turtles, and a few birds.  Marvelous sunny weather with a slight breeze and moderate temperature. 

Next day up early to drive to Newhall for another bird walk.  It was Open House at the Nature Center, and after the walk we strolled about chatting with exhibitors, enjoying displays of natural history.

matalija poppy

woolly blue curls-rosemary like leaves

Best bird seen at Placerita - male Western bluebird.  Placenta Canyon has a lovely stream (winter/spring water only).  There's a  cabin actually used by the Walker family.  I want to live in it in summer.  Sorry, display only.  Visitors could try washing clothes on a hand-operated wringer washing machine, with a scrub board, and sawing logs with an ancient two-man saw.  Really comical.

interior, Walker cabin

The docents/volunteer group was impressive, and the community turnout so large shuttle buses ran the crowds.  Glad we got there early.

ART: Lucy Jones, Susanne Rubin, Frederick Gore

 Monstrous iceberg - an unusual photograph which reveals what's beneath the tip.

Frederick Gore, Country House - English watercolorist

Lucy Jones, English artist - what astonishing color and energy.

Colorado botanic illustrator.  I love placing drawings on maps, and referring to mapping in painting.  Suzanne Rubin illustrated the seed packet of sunflowers I bought for Alexa and me to plant.

Robert Clunie - Saginaw, or River Dwellers