Artists of the Arroyo Seco (Los Angeles) facts for kids
The Arroyo Seco area in Los Angeles has been a special place for artists since the 1880s. This part of Northeast Los Angeles is near the Arroyo Seco and the Los Angeles River. It includes towns like Pasadena, Altadena, Highland Park, and El Sereno. Many artists and writers have lived and found inspiration here. Historian Kevin Starr calls the artistic movement in this area "Arroyo Culture." It was a group of creative people, many of whom lived along the Arroyo Seco, like Charles Fletcher Lummis.
Writer Ward Ritchie once described the early art scene along the Arroyo Seco as a "Southland Bohemia." This means it was a place where artists, writers, and other creative people lived in a relaxed, informal way.
Early painters like Elmer Wachtel and William Lees Judson also lived in the Arroyo Seco area. They formed what was known as an "Arroyo School" of art. This was not a formal school, but a group of artists who shared similar ideas and styles.
In 1909, a group of artists met at painter Franz Bischoff's home by the Arroyo Seco. They decided to create the California Art Club. This club helped professional painters and sculptors connect and support each other.
Creative Minds of the Arroyo Seco
Many talented artists and cultural figures lived and worked in the Arroyo Seco area. They helped shape the unique artistic spirit of the region.
- Clyde Browne – A skilled printer and book designer.
- Margaret Collier Graham – A notable writer.
- Alson S. Clark – A talented painter.
- Alice Millard – A bookseller who also promoted local culture.
- Elmer Wachtel – A well-known painter.
- Jean Mannheim – Another important painter from the area.
- William Lees Judson – A painter and creator of beautiful stained glass.
- Idah Meacham Strobridge – A writer, bookbinder, and publisher.
- Charles Fletcher Lummis – A famous writer, editor, and librarian.
- George Wharton James – A writer and editor.
- Franz Bischoff – A painter who helped start the California Art Club.
- Ernest A. Batchelder – An artist and educator.
- Marion Wachtel – A painter, often associated with Elmer Wachtel.
- Fritz Poock – A painter.
