Art Goes Postal: In an era when...

Art Goes Postal: In an era when government officials are better known for dissing rather than subsidizing art, there are numerous reminders in the Valley of a time when federal agencies actively put thousands of artists to work. You can see prime examples of Depression-era art, often called WPA Art after one of the agencies, at three local post offices.

Dixon’s West: Maynard Dixon (1875-1946) was one of the best known painters of Western landscapes. Born in Fresno, he studied briefly in San Francisco, but his monumental vistas and portraits were more born of years wandering desert areas. A work made near the end of his career, “Palomino Ponies-1840”, above, can be found in the lobby of a small Canoga Park postal branch at 21801 Sherman Way.

Wood Mural: Gordon Newell (1905-) is best known for sculptures, but early in his career he studied wood panel carving in China. He and Sherry Pericolas created the large multipanel carving, “Transportation of the Mail,” that hangs in the San Fernando Post Office at 308 S. Maclay Ave. Newell lives near Death Valley and still accepts commissions.

Burbank in Art: Barse Miller (1904-1973) was New York born, but his work was greatly influenced by Mexican painter Jose Clemente Orozco. His “People of Burbank” murals in the Burbank Post Office, 135 E. Olive Ave., depict the two industries that built the town: airplanes and the movies.