From the Archives: ‘Lady of the Lake’ statue
The “Lady of the Lake” is 14 feet high and is made of poured concrete. It was funded through the Federal Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) in 1934. The sculpture currently is located at the edge of Echo Park Lake.
A similar photo to the above image appeared in the June 1, 1934, Los Angeles Times.
Artist Ada May Sharpless was born on Aug. 16, 1899, in Hilo, Hawaii. and grew up in Santa Ana. She studied at the Otis Art Institute and later in Paris. Sharpless died in 1988.
KCET examined the history of the sculpture in a 2013 report, ”The Lady of the Lake: The Depression Era Roots of Echo Park’s Unofficial Patron Saint.”
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