People are Talking About

LEO POLITI

 

Kick Off Celebration & Media Coverage

Article by Ed Fuentes entitled "Capturing the Heart of Los Angeles" gives a poignant look at both the Centennial Kick Off Celebration and the life of Leo Politi.

 

 

Article entitled "Street Artist Tapped into LA's Spirit" by Cecilia Rasmussen gives information on the upcoming centennial year. The article appeared in the Los Angles Times on January 13th, 2008. 
 

A Los Angeles Times Magazine story regarding Leo Politi's connection with the Angeleno Heights neighborhood.

 


 

 

January 7th, 2008 article written by Julie Riggott which promotes the Centennial Kick Off Celebration.

 


 

 

January 21st, 2008 article written by Julie Riggott which discusses the Centennial year and the extraordinary life of Leo Politi.

 

 

On June 10,2007, The Los Angeles Downtown News announced "Politi Celebration Coming."  They reported the January 26, 2008 kick off date at the Pico House and mentioned some of the scheduled Downtown events such as Los Angeles Central Library and Chinese American Museum.  Click here to enjoy the entire article.

 

Hal Durian Special to The Press-Enterprise. Life is full of mysteries. ... Will the hidden Politi mural be revealed? Will it be found where it is thought to be ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Pasadena and in Los Angeles city and county - and as far away as Princeton University - Leo Politi's life is being celebrated through various events and exhibits in honor of what would have been his 100th birthday.



 

 

Article which highlights the February 28th Centennial festivities in South Pasadena.

 

 

 

 



 

Article written by Marshall Smith which was published on February 21, 2008.

 



 

April 20th, 20008 article written by Penny Schwartz which discusses the Centennial celebration planned for the A.K. Smiley Public Library in April.  The article also highlights the career and impact of Leo Politi.

 

An article in the Los Angeles spanish newspaper La Opinion by Katia Ramirez-Blankley, "El legado de Leo Politi"



 

A Centennial Celebration for artist Leo Politi will be held Sat., Aug. 23 at The Grant Brimhall/Thousand Oaks Library located at 1401 E. Janss Road. For more information, call (805) 449-2660 or visit www.toaks.org/library. The event will include sidewalk chalk art for children from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and presentations about the artist.



 

Centennial of author scheduled at library. The Grant R. Brimhall Library in Thousand Oaks  will participate in the centennial of artist and children's author Leo Politi on Aug. 23.  From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., children can color the sidewalks around the library with chalk art. Outside the children's library entrance, a caricature artist will create portraits for $10 each. Proceeds will go to the Friends of the Thousand Oaks Library.


 

Article in their Winter 2008 Newsletter which highlights the life and legacy of Leo Politi.  It also discusses many of the events planned in honor of the Centennial year.



 

Article in their April newsletter which discusses the Angeleno Heights Open House Tour on May 17 and 18.

 


 

Copy of the review of Ann Stalcup's book, "Leo Politi, Artist of the Angels".






 

Article in Salute Magazine regarding Leo and family.






 

Article regarding events at the Leo Politi Branch Library, Fresno.




 

Article regarding October events at the Leo Politi Branch Library, Fresno.

 

 

 

        "When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you command the attention of the world."



 

An article regarding the Santa Monica Antiquarian Book Fair.




 

Then El Pueblo's own “Las Posadas at Olvera Street” begins Dec.16 and runs until Christmas Eve. The re-enactment of Joseph and Mary’s nine-night search for sanctuary is held for a symbolic nine evenings from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Merchants and their family member walk through El Pueblo inviting the public to join in and sing-along. This tradition is over seventy-years old, and considered one of the oldest events in the city.
 

Article about the Leo Politi Exhibit at the South Pasadena Art Festival fundraising event.




 

Article regarding "More About Leo Politi"




 

Article regarding the Bunker Hill area of Los Angeles and Leo Politi's concern
to try and save the old mansions slated for demolition.

 



 

Exploring the Landmarks of Los Angeles, One Monument at a Time




 

The Blessing of the Animals, at Olvera Street, officiated by Cardinal Roger Mahoney is highlighted in an article.

Chinese articles regarding the Leo Politi Centennial Exhibit festivities at the Chinatown Library in Los Angeles



 

Article regarding "More About Leo Politi"






 

Article by Ed Fuentes entitled "Meeting Moy Moy" at the dedication of Leo Politi Square in  the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.




 

An article in the Friends of the Princeton University Library Newsletter regarding the Leo Politi Exhibit at the Cotsen Library.


 

An article in the SJC Newspaper about the Mission School hosting Leo Politi's Family.


 

An article about the talk by Ann Stalcup, author of "Leo Politi: Artist of the Angels"

 


 

An article regarding the Carnegie Art Museum’s current exhibit of Leo Politi’s early 1930s and 1940s artwork, Larry Bischof, Politi’s son-in-law and co-author of the full-color monograph “Capturing the Heart of Los Angeles,” will give a presentation on the distinguished L.A. artist-illustrator.

 


 

Comments regarding the Bunker Hill exhibit at the Los Angeles Central Library.

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

Larry Bischof, co-author of "Capturing the Heart of Los Angeles" will give a presentation on the distinguished artist/illustrator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a picture that someone took of me pestering Leo in Chinatown. The photo is from the Politi. family. ...

 

 

 

Article regarding Bunker Hill exhibit and book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES....
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
1:00 p.m., April 15, 1996

 

 

 

Four works of Leo Politi (1908–1996), who wrote and illustrated dozens of children’s books are being made available again in October, 2009 from Getty Publications. Children were often featured in Politi’s gentle watercolor paintings. Song of the Swallows won the Caldecott Medal in 1950. Pedro: The Angel of Olvera Street (1946) and Juanita (1948) both received Caldecott Honors. The fourth title to be reissued is Emmet, a true story about one of Leo Politi's dogs, which was published in 1971.

 

 

 

 

A website Moy Moy that  features Leo Politi children's book "Moy Moy" about three brothers and their "Little Sister" Moy Moy...

 

 

 

 

 


 

 Leo Politi, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

(click here for story)

 

The 1978 Leo Politi mural that features the images of people associated with the history of Olvera Street. (The oldest street in Los Angeles) (click on link)

 

 

 

Arapahoe Library District features some of Leo Politi's books on Hispanic heritage.

 


 

BIG RED (Blog) The Patton family shares photos of some of their 15 autographed Leo Politi books along with some wonderful memories.

 

 

 

 

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY'S "Best books in 2009" features four Leo Politi Books. The article entitled
"Getty Brings Politi Classics Back to Life," originally appeared in Publishers Weekly's Children's Bookshelf.

 

 

 

  • ANGEL OF OLVERA STREET

  • The loving politics of Leo Politi by Matthew Duersten, published on September 01, 2005.

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"I was sure that Johnny Mercer and Leo Politi were smiling on the new habitat! "
 

 

 

 

 

 

Editorial Reviews-From School Library Journal

 

 

 

 

Leo Politi Papers Sadler Research Collection Special Collections

 

 

 

An exhibition at the Cotsen Children’s Library of works by beloved children’s author and illustrator Leo Politi (1908-1996).

 

 

 

 

 

I was thrilled to find Ann Stalcup's loving and scholarly tribute to Leo Politi.

 

 

 

 

The story of Emmet, one of the many stray dogs taken in by old Mr. Winkel.

 

 

 

 

The Getty publishes Leo Politi's award winners and more...

 

 

 

"Mr. Politi's Juanita played a big part in the history of Appleby Books."

 

 

 

"Politi's, who died in 1996, was also famous for painting scenes from Olvera Street, Angelino Heights and Watts, as he illustrated the towering work of his old pal, Simon Rodia."

 


 

"It largely pointed out immigration by Italian region, the familiar Mediterranean climate of Southern California as a draw for Italians, settlements such as our old Little Italy north of Downtown and San Pedro, among others, famous Italian Angelenos (or, in the Italian context, Angelinos) such as Watts Towers creator Simon Rodia and painter Leo Politi, and even overlooked historical facts, such as how Italians found much in common culturally with the Latino community, and also how Italian Americans were ostracized nearly as much as Japanese Americans were during World War II and that Los Angeles is the fourth-largest Italian city in the United States."

 

"Local Historian Gerry Gallagher takes his fellow Our Lady of Loretto Elementary School alumni, Echo Park  residents and fellow Angeleno's on a chronological trip down Memory Lane that is priceless"......

 

 

 

University of Minnesota Children's Literature Research Collections features "The Leo Politi Collection." 

 

 

 

 

 

"This mural is called "The Blessing of the Animals". It's by Los Angeles artist, Leo Politi, who is known for painting, among other things, "Angels Flight"

 

 

 

"Just such a garden was installed before Christmas at an elementary school near downtown Los Angeles named for the late painter, urban naturalist and children’s author Leo Politi." (click here)
 
Los Angeles Times...Rival L.A. schools find common ground in nature (click here)

 

Felinofelice"another one of my favorite places La Placita Olvera Street"….
(Wednesday, October 1, 2008)

 


 

"Sumie painting of a young Japanese girl wearing a kimono and hair ornaments for the cover of Leo Politi's book, MIEKO, California, September 1966."

 

 

Leo Politi's Blessing of the Animals"  sponsored by the Filippa Pollia Foundation. 

 

 

 

Italian Architectural Evocations in Los Angeles .

 

 

 

    GARDEN DEDICATION TO LEO POLITI, artist, pioneer, visionary at Cal State Fresno

The Leo Politi Garden at California State University, Fresno’s Henry Madden Library was dedicated Wednesday, June 2, with family members and university officials joining for the official opening of the recently completed space. The garden honors the long friendship between children’s author and illustrator – and Fresno native – Politi and center namesake, the late professor Arne Nixon. Fresno native Politi lived most of his adult life in Los Angeles, returning often to speak, draw and paint at workshops put on by Nixon. Politi died in 1996, one year before Nixon. (click for video).   To see pictures of the garden (click here)

 

 THE NEW GARDEN AT FRESNO STATE WAS REPORTED BY THE LOCAL TV STATION KSEE-TV 

The Leo Politi Garden at California State University, Fresno’s Henry Madden Library was dedicated Wednesday, June 2nd, with family members and university officials joining for the official opening of the recently completed space. The garden honors the long friendship between children’s author and illustrator and Fresno native, Leo Politi and center namesake, the late professor Arne Nixon. Fresno native Politi lived most of his adult life in Los Angeles, returning often to speak, draw and paint at workshops put on by Nixon. Politi died in 1996, one year before Nixon. To see their coverage of the inaugural event (click here).

 

 LEO POLITI CENTENNIAL ART EXHIBIT (1908 – 2008)

The exhibit includes artwork dating back to the 1930’s when Leo Politi had a small studio on Olvera Street.  On display will be never before seen paintings, carvings and Olvera Street inspired and related illustrations for books and magazines including sketches from Politi’s children books “Pedro the Angel of Olvera Street” and “Juanita,” which were set in and around Olvera Street. Both books were named Honor Books by the American Library Association. Throughout Leo Politi’s life he continued to visit Olvera Street every week with sketchbook in hand for artistic inspiration.  The exhibit will include a video interview of Leo Politi reminiscing about his early days on the street he referred to as “Heaven.”  Politi’s love affair with Olvera Street spanned over sixty years and remains alive today in his mural, “The Blessing of the Animals” at the Biscailuz Building, Olvera Street, El Pueblo de Los Angeles.     ©Copyright 2006 City of Los Angeles. All rights reserved. 200 N. Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

 

UNITED STATES SENATOR BARBARA BOXER VISITS LEO POLITI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Senator Boxer made an unexpected visit at Leo Politi Elementary in conjunction with LA’s BEST Afterschool Program in Los Angeles and met with students, administrators, and staff to discuss the importance of federal funding for afterschool programs. (click for details and photos)