Murals in the Southland

Ernesto de la Loza stands in front of his mural. At its center is a curandera, or healer, who presses her hands to a young woman’s head. The artist was inspired by an atmosphere of change, as new technology was eagerly embraced yet the past held comfort and reassurance. He sees his mural as a bridge between the old world and the new.  (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)

Richard Wyatt Jr. stands in front of the “Hollywood Jazz” mural on the south wall outside of Capitol Records in Hollywood.   (Bethany Mollenkof / Los Angeles Times)

Paul Gordon, left, and Jake Janz paint fine details as they help restore a Kent Twitchell mural entitled “The Runners,” painted in honor of the 1984 Olympics under the Santa Monica Blvd. overpass at the 101 freeway.  (Robert Gauthier / LAT)

Artist Dave Gordon updates a Kent Twitchell mural painted in honor of the 1984 Olympics. “The Olympic murals are something special,” Gordon said. “It’s nice to see they’re being taken care of 20 years later.”  (Robert Gauthier / LAT)

Kent Twitchell works on his “Harbor Freeway Overture” mural of members of the L.A. Chamber Orchestra.  (Iris Schneider / LAT)

A pedestrian passes a series of murals near Mateo and 7th streets.  (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

A mural covers the side of a building near 3rd Street and Traction Avenue. Many murals have been painted over in recent years, angering artists who say the law is unfair.  (Allen J. Schaben /Los Angeles Times)

Patrick Johnson works on a mural titled “Elixir” at the Liquor Bank. at Crenshaw Boulevard and Stocker Street.  (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)

Shepard Fairey’s “Peace Goddess” covers a wall near 3rd and Hewitt streets.


See full story  (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

A mural on a building near Fairfax and Rosewood Avenues.  (Allen J. Schaben /Los Angeles Times)

Muralist Kent Twitchell’s ‘7th Street Altarpiece,’ defaced with graffiti, may be damaged beyond repair, a Los Angeles study finds.  (Richard Hartog / LAT)

The murals on the Wilshire Boulevard Temple’s walls tell the history of the Jews. They were donated by the Warner brothers and painted by Hugo Ballin, head of their movie studio’s art department.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

A restored Olvera Street mural by Mexican artist David Alfaro Siqueiros, top, is seen from a viewing deck at the America Tropical Interpretive Center that offers a description of the mural, bottom.  (Christina House / For The Times)

Noni Olabisi’s mural commemorates the Los Angeles riots of 1992. The mural is on the side of a building at 1815 W. 54th Street  (BOB CHAMBERLIN / LAT)

Volunteers do maintenance work on a mural in Florence-Firestone.   (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Retired graphics designer Walt Shelly, 78, inside the Monrovia library with Helen Katherine Forbes’ painting of four bear cubs. The painting, done with egg tempera, was restored after being found in storage.  (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)

A Markham Middle School student walks past a nearly completed mural with silhouettes of active children on the back of the gym. Volunteers converged on the South L.A. campus to paint murals and provide other improvements. City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo‘s office adopted the school after parents complained they didn’t feel safe sending their children there.   (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Director Mortimer Jones, right, asked artist Eduardo “Lalo” Marquez, left, to paint a mural showing the services offered by the Salvation Army Siemon Youth & Community Center.  (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

Ivan Salinas paints over his artwork in Valley Village after Barbara Black, who commissioned the work, was fined and threatened with further punishment.


See full story  (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)

A mural on a parking lot wall near Imperial Highway and Main Street sets the tone for the area.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

A pedestrian strolls past a mural on the wall of the Maya Mexican Restaurant in Wilmington.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)