For more information: Julie Bartolotto @ 562.424.2220 or julieb@hslb.org www.hslb.

org Historical Society of Long Beach

For Immediate Release

EXHIBITION OPENING: Rebuilding for the Future A New Deal for Long Beach, 1933-1942
When: Friday, June 17, 2011 from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Where: Historical Society of Long Beach Gallery 4260 Atlantic Avenue Long Beach, California 90807

The Historical Society of Long Beach is proud to announce the opening of its next original exhibition. Funded in part by a grant from the Long Beach Navy Memorial Heritage Association, it features photographs by J. Christopher Launi, along with archival prints and historic ephemera. The exciting new exhibition features 57 photographs of little known as well as iconic projects funded by the federal government between 1933 and 1942. Most of the pieces are striking photographs taken by Launi of murals, mosaics, and architectural details featured in Long Beach. The exhibition accentuates the importance of federally funded projectscreating an uptick in the local economy, employing people, building infrastructure, and enriching peoples lives through art and cultural programs. Rebuilding for the Future includes lesser known projects as well as works of art that people pass by everyday. Four public programs will be held to discuss aspects of the New Deal on Long Beach. For over twenty years local historians, preservationists and arts organizations have been conducting research, photographing, and attempting to compile an inventory of art in local schools funded by the New Deal. Upon further exploration, the federal New Deal projects were not just limited to art and architecture. There are iconic local projects such as the grand mosaic Recreation in Long Beach that was originally made for the municipal Auditorium but now graces the side of a parking structure on Third Street in downtown an the mosaic tiled floor at the Long Beach Airport. More obscure New Deal projects included funding for health menaces and rodent control, sewer and road projects, the Naples canal walls, public utility projects, writers projects, construction of runways and art at the airport, and music programs at the Municipal Auditorium. Most notably, the New Deal funded the replacement and repairs on local public schools that were massacred in the 1933 earthquake. Finally, much of this work is coming together in an exhibition at the HSLB. Local photographer J. Christopher Launi photographed many works of art and lent photographs he had already taken for the show. Additional exhibition support was provided by the Downtown Long Beach Associates and the Long Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Exhibition Sections Include: Long Beach Airport, Long Beach Polytechnic High School, Wilson High School, Long Beach Public Library, Jane Addams Elementary School, Lindbergh Middle School, Washington Middle School, Rogers Middle School, and Fire Station Number 7. A section on public buildings includes the Port of Long Beach, St. Mary Medical Center, a sample of easel art in the collection of the Long Beach Museum of Art, Veterans Memorial building (now gone), and sewer construction. Opening Reception: Friday, June 17th from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Remarks will be made at 7:00 p.m. This is a free event that is open to the public. Accompanying Public Programs:

August 5- Long Beach Museum of Arts New Deal Easel Art Collection September 2- LBUSD School New Deal Projects October 7- Locals & the New Deal November 4- Art & Architecture at Long Beach Airport

The show runs through December 31, 2011. Exhibition hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 1-5 p.m, Thursday 1-7 p.m, and Saturday 11-5 p.m. Public contact 562.424.2220.

###

Historical Society of Long Beach

For more information contact: 562-424-2220 / julieb@hslb.org http://hslb.org/calendar_of_events Facebook: Historical Society of Long Beach

For Immediate Release.

Excavating the New Deal in Southern California

Dr. Gray Brechin, UC Berkeley geographer, will discuss his Living New Deal Project on Saturday, July 23 at 3pm at the HSLBs facility located at 4260 Atlantic Avenue. His talk will be presented in conjunction with HSLBs current exhibit, Rebuilding for the Future: A New Deal for Long Beach, 1933-1942. The exhibit focuses on examples of the projects Dr. Brechins web site (http://livingnewdeal.berkeley.edu/) celebrates. On the site, he makes the point that across the state and throughout the country, these projects are poorly documented and usually under appreciated. In the HSLB exhibit, hell find examples of projects that have been demolished or otherwise lost. The HSLBs role, in these cases, has been to preserve images and other materials that document these lost projects. Most of HSLBs exhibit focuses on projects that remain to enhance our community. Dr. Brechin will talk about his work to collect images and other information about projects like this throughout California, and the web site he created to make this information available to the public through the internet. Dr. Brechins goal is to identify and document buildings, art works and other things created by federally sponsored construction and enhancement programs during the Great depression. At the same time, he makes the point that a similar approach could be taken to answer some of the countrys current issues such as high unemployment and aging infrastructure. Plan to attend to hear Dr. Brechins timely and interesting presentation and to view the outstanding exhibition of photographs documenting the artwork and infrastructure that the New Deal made possible in Long Beach. Entrance to the exhibit and the opening are free. The show runs through December 31, 2011. Exhibition hours are: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 1-5 p.m, Thursday 1-7 p.m, Saturday 11-5 p.m Special Programs presented on First Fridays through November, 2011 ###

Historical Society of Long Beach

For more information contact: 562-424-2220 / julieb@hslb.org http://hslb.org/calendar_of_events Facebook: Historical Society of Long Beach

For Immediate Release.

Friday, August 5 at 7 p.m. HSLB Gallery 4260 Atlantic Avenue Long Beach Hear the Story of Lost Art Found Sue Ann Robinson on Easel Art of the New Deal in Long Beach You are invited to a FREE program being held in conjunction with the Historical Society of Long Beach and their exhibit entitled, Rebuilding for the Future: A New Deal for Long Beach 1933 1942. Join the Long Beach Museum of Art Director of Collections, Sue Ann Robinson, for a discussion about easel paintings created by artists employed by Roosevelts New Deal and its WPA (Works Progress Administration), program. Robinson discovered some of these paintings while conducting a city-wide inventory of art works in Long Beach. Easel paintings, unlike murals painted during the New Deal, had a tendency to wander. Thanks to Robinsons discoveries, they are being catalogued for preservation by the Fine Arts Program of the General Services Administration. The Museum holds these WPA paintings on long term loan as a public trust. Their history sheds light on the great diversity of artists who were able to survive and continue their careers after the Great Depression, thanks in some measure to their employment in a federal art program. Plan to attend to hear Ms Robinson's timely and interesting presentation, and to view the outstanding exhibition of photographs documenting the artwork and infrastructure that the New Deal made possible in Long Beach. The illustrated talk takes place at the Historical Society of Long Beach, 4260 Atlantic Avenue, 90807, August 5 at 7 PM. It is free.

Historical Society of Long Beach

For more information contact: 562-424-2220 / julieb@hslb.org http://hslb.org/calendar_of_events Facebook: Historical Society of Long Beach

For Immediate Release.

A New Deal for Long Beach Architecture, Art Deco and Streamline Moderne The Influence of the modern design movement 1925-1940
November 19, 2011 at 3 PM HSLB Gallery ~4260 Atlantic Avenue ~Long Beach, 90807 The Historical Society of Long Beach invites you to join John Thomas, co-author of Long Beach Art Deco and president of the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles, on November 19, 2011 at 3 pm as he discusses, A New Deal for Long Beach Architecture, Art Deco and Streamline Moderne-The Influence of the modern design movement 1925-1940. John will talk about the design influences of Art Deco and Streamline Moderne architecture which shaped Long Beach during the rapid growth of the inter-war years 1925 through 1940. Additionally, the use of modern architecture in Public Works Administration and related New Deal Projects will be discussed using vintage photography and current images. There will also be a brief discussion as to the noted local architects who embraced and studied the new modern style and designed buildings in Long Beach during the Deco era. Johns special guest, Robert Schilling, son of noted architect Cecil Schilling, will also be on hand to discuss his fathers legendary architectural design work known today as Art Deco. The lecture will be given at the Historical Society of Long Beach, located at 4260 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, CA, 90807. Come for the lecture, and visit the current exhibition, Rebuilding for the Future: A New Deal for Long Beach 1933-1942, which is funded in part by a grant from the Long Beach Navy Memorial Heritage Association and features photographs by J. Christopher Launi, along with archival prints and historic ephemera. The exhibit features 57 photographs of iconic as well as little known local projects funded by federal New Deal programs such as the Works Progress Administration. Striking photographs of murals, mosaics, and architectural details are printed on large canvases hung through out the gallery. Exhibition sections include Long Beach Airport, Long Beach Polytechnic High School, Wilson High School, Long Beach Public Library, Jane Addams Elementary School, Lindbergh Middle School, Washington Middle School, Rogers Middle School, and Fire Station Number 7. A section on public buildings includes the Port of Long Beach, St. Mary Medical Center, a sample of easel paintings in the collection of the Long Beach Museum of Art, Veteran's Memorial building (now gone), drawings from the collection of Long Beach Public Library, and photographs of street improvements. ###

Historical Society of Long Beach

For more information contact: 562-424-2220 / julieb@hslb.org http://hslb.org/calendar_of_events Facebook: Historical Society of Long Beach

For Immediate Release.

The Art and Architecture of the Long Beach Airport Administration Building
The Long Beach airport is viewed by many as an important historical and cultural icon of the City of Long Beach. As its capacity was stretched by demand for flights, the airport needed to be expanded. Happily for all, the design has been embraced by citizens relieved to see a solution to this overburdened travel hub and by local preservationists pleased with the incorporation of the original Airport Administration Building into the new plans. The original building, which combined administrative offices with the functions of an airline terminal, has a footprint not unlike other airport terminals built in the later years of the Great Depression, drawn along the section of an arc. This was to allow for easy expansion at either end, an optimistic consideration, which proved correct for the growing airline industry in 1940. Also, in a manner similar to some of its contemporaries, the Long Beach building was the recipient of artwork performed by WPA artists. The vast interior artistic design was created to enhance the streamline moderne architecture of the building, as well as to visually express the wonder and power of modern technology and aviation. Sadly, most of the artwork is no longer visible, either covered by carpet, painted over, or destroyed. Fortunately, photographs, some by world renowned photographer, Julius Shulman, have preserved for posterity the exquisite artwork on the floors and walls of the terminal building. In her presentation, Laurel Howat will discuss the circumstances surrounding the inception of the Long Beach Airport Administration Building and briefly discuss the architects and artists who so perfectly captured the spirit of the era in their contribution to the airport. ###

Biography: Laurel D. Howat, a native Los Angelino, resides in Long Beach, California with her husband, Jim and their son, Andrew (now away, but nearby, at college). Laurel holds a Bachelors degree in French and a Masters degree in Humanities, specializing in art and architectural history. Prior to ceasing full time work to raise their son, Laurel worked for Air France, the Getty Museum, the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York City, and USC Medical Center. Laurel enjoys developing new programs for Exploritas (formerly Elderhostel), which is a not for profit educational group. These programs include adventures in learning about criminal forensics, opera, Orange County, and space exploration. Mrs. Howat has served on the Long Beach Cultural Heritage Commission, and on the boards of the Opera League of Los Angeles, the Southern California branch of the Steamship Historical Society of America, and the Historical Society of Long Beach.

4557 Linden Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90807-1411 Tel: 562.984.4393 (h). 562.810.5724 (cell)

Ldhowat@aol.com