LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE IS...

The mission of the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture is to advance arts, culture, and creativity throughout LA County. We fulfill our mission by providing services and support in areas including grants and technical assistance for nonprofit organizations; professional development opportunities; commissioning civic artworks and managing the County’s civic art collection; implementing countywide arts education initiatives; research and evaluation; career pathways in the creative economy; free community programs; and cross sector creative strategies that address civic issues. This work is framed by the County’s Cultural Equity and Inclusion Initiative and a longstanding commitment to fostering access to the arts.

Artwork Detail

Building Community

Artist: Strayhorn, Robin

Object Date: 2009

Medium: Ceramic

Imperial Dims: Overall: 86 x 68 x 68 in.

Department(s): Parks and Recreation

Supervisorial District: 2

About the Artwork:

Located in the heart of South Los Angeles, Ted Watkins Memorial Park was renamed in 1995 to honor Ted Watkins, the founder of the Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC). Robin Strayhorn’s mosaic tile mural on the park’s flagpole is a memorial to Ted Watkins and his commitment to the Watts community. The other panels on the flagpole depict colorful images of garden tools which are symbolic of the Watts community’s constant growth.

About the Artist:

Robin Strayhorn, who lives in downtown Los Angeles, graduated from UCLA and taught at Markham Middle School in Watts for several years. Strayhorn has completed public art commissions for the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, MTA Metro Art, and the Ontario International Airport. Her work is characterized by rich, colorful, sometimes abstracted human forms and designs rendered in ceramic tile. She is recognized for involving community members in her projects.

Artwork Detail

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