Proposed Monument Sign Set To Begin Construction

The iconic structure will reside at the foot of the Hill fronting Hollywood Boulevard to create greater visibility and integration with the surrounding neighborhood. Currently undergoing permit approvals, the project is 95% funded and set to break ground during the fourth quarter of 2009.  This project has been a priority  of the Barnsdall Art Park Foundation.

Foundation Project to Restore Kilns

Our new kilns have been certified! It was not that long ago that the kilns outside the Barnsdall Art Center (Residence A) supported both budding and highly accomplished ceramicists from around the City. Unfortunately along with the closure of the Park for the Master Plan capital work, Barnsdall’s famous kilns were also shuttered.

But bringing back the kilns has required purchase of new kilns and the construction of a new shed in the Park to house those kilns. That required money that the City did not have, so the Barnsdall Art Park Foundation raised $42,500 in donations to enable the project to proceed.

The construction of the kilns by the City was thanks to the personal efforts of Doc Ngiem.

Jolie-Pitt Foundation gift to BAPF

Through their foundation Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, who share our passion for public education and art have chosen Barnsdall Art Park for a generous donation. Their gift will help us repair and augment buildings and support art programs in our historic Barnsdall Park.

BAPF honors Brenda Levin September 6, 2008

Please see more information on our Events page.

Free Admission to Municipal Art Gallery announced

Removing a financial barrier to art for families in Los Angles, Mayor Villaraigosa signed an ordinance on September 24, 2007 making admission to the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery free to the public. “For more than 50 years, the Municipal Gallery has been a first point of entry into the world of art for tens of thousands of Angelenos. Today - in making the premier City arts space free to all visitors - we take a long-overdue step toward ensuring that the arts are within the reach of all…” Mayor Villaraigosa said.

BAPF teaming with local Los Feliz Elementary School to bring art to the school’s classrooms as well as its halls.

Gifts of Tiffany vase and Persian Rug to Hollyhock House

Randell Makinson and former FOHH president, Robert Leary, have purchased a Louis Comfort Tiffany Favrille vase and given it to Hollyhock House. Last year FOHH funded the purchase of the first vase of a pair identical to those Aline Barnsdall used in the living room. “The gift of the second vase completes the pair and is important to the overall interpretation of the living room” said curator, Virginia Kazor.

Edward Fields, a subsidiary of Tai Ping Carpets America, donated a custom made Persian-style rug for the dining room. The rug is a skilled approximation of Aline Barnsdall’s original “golden” Persian rug. We know about it from a letter she wrote to Frank Lloyd Wright to verify that the wood paneling would compliment the color of the rug and from two photographs of the dining room taken in the early 1920s. Edward Fields had also replicated the original living room carpet. Diane Belden was the company’s project manager for that job and has since become more involved with Hollyhock House, joining the Board of FOHH in 2007. It was due to her influence that the company offered to donate the dining room rug. Edward Fields is also replicating a Chinese rug that was in the porch and a companion runner for the hall leading to the library.

Griffith Park Art Workshop

Since April 26, 2008 Barnsdall Arts/FOJAC has been conducting Saturday art workshops at Griffith Park

Patty Sue Jones created an exciting, innovative curriculum specifically for this program. She surveyed the resources of the park thoroughly and produced 20 unique workshops highlighting the park’s ecology and attractions. Many of the workshops are geared to acquaint families with the many opportunities available in Griffith Park: Autry, Zoo, Observatory, Carousel, Greek Theater as well as the native flora, fauna and Native American culture. We have also hired a bilingual assistant Lisa Duardo who is a great asset.

The sessions were held every Saturday afternoon from 2- 4:00 pm. Patty has taken the mission to provide outreach seriously. She has distributed flyers about the program at several schools, the Autry, Zoo and Ranger Station.

The second session on May 3: Pony Paintings was wonderful. The concessionaire brought a pony over for the kids to pet and paint. Patty also put plastic model horses on the tables for the children to view.

The workshops in the curriculum range from Earth Day Animal Totem Poles (Zoo), Leaf Prints (Griffith Park flora), Bark Painting collages (G. P. flora), Train Trip mapping, Zoo Animal Portraits, Planet Constructions (Observatory), Nature Shakers-music ( Greek Theater), Carousel Horses, Native American Sandpainting (Autry).

Classes were held through September, 2008.  For more classes, click here