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A major grant from the Art Bridges + Terra Foundation Initiative supports a dynamic exhibition partnership through 2024 (Los Angeles-January 15, 2021) The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is pleased to announce Local Access, a partnership with four Southern California institutions made possible by a grant of nearly $2 million from the nationwide Art Bridges+ Terra Foundation Initiative. Established in 2018, Art Bridges and the Terra Foundation for American art created the Art Bridges+ Terra Foundation Initiative (ABTFI) to expand access to American art across the United States. LACMA is the first institution in the Western United States to receive a grant from Art Bridges+ Terra Foundation Initiative. Local Access will bring special exhibitions drawn from LACMA's collection to four institutions in greater Southern California: California State University, Northridge, Art Galleries; Lancaster Museum of Art and History; Riverside Art Museum; and Vincent Price Art Museum at East Los Angeles College. Over the next several years, each partner will present up to three exhibitions that reframe and broaden traditional ideas about American art. This unprecedented partnership is centered on sharing collections and museum resources to establish a new model for accessible and inclusive community engagement. The exhibitions are the result of a years-long exchange and collaboration among the staffs of the institutions. "LACMA is working to redefine what 'outreach' and 'collaboration' mean for a 21st century art museum," said Michael Govan, LACMA CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director. "Over the next several years, we will share our collections and resources with partner institutions to spread exhibitions and programs beyond the museum's Wilshire campus. Local Access brings together a community of ambitious, forward-thinking institutions that are developing lasting relationships, experimenting and learning as a collective, and engaging new audiences. LACMA has always aimed to serve the widest possible audience. The generous support of Art Bridges and the Terra Foundation for American Art offers an unprecedented opportunity to make our programming accessible throughout the region." Local Access's inaugural exhibition, opening this winter, is. It will be presented at the Lancaster Museum of Art and History (February 7, 2021-May 9, 2021); Riverside Art Museum {June 5-September 26, 2021); Vincent Price Art Museum (October 16, 2021-February 5, 2022), and California State University, Northridge, Art Galleries (February 19, 2022-April 30, 2022). Golden Hour features works by more than 70 artists and three photography collectives, offering an aesthetic approach to understanding the complexities and histories of California. These images from LACMA's collection have come to define the myths, iconographies, and realities of this unique state. Pairing masters of photography with experimental practitioners in a range of lens-based media that includes photo sculpture, vernacular, and video work, the selection blurs the boundaries of the tropes that formed a California identity. With works ranging from the early 1900s to present day, Golden Hour is neither a didactic history of the state nor an inclusive tale of photographic history, but rather artists' impressions of the state of being in, and being influenced by, California. The second exhibition, slated for 2022-2023, will explore progressive design and political activism and examine the creative means that California designers and artists have used to advocate for civil rights, oppose wars and unjust policies, and press for change. A third exhibition will be announced at a later date. "Art Bridges partnership with LACMA is built on our shared belief in collaboration and the mission to expand access to treasured artworks," said Paul R. Provost, CEO, Art Bridges. "Countless visitors will be introduced to LACMA's collection via Local Access and it is our hope that this will deepen engagement with their respective communities among all five partner organizations. We are proud to support Local Access and are eager to see the inspiring exhibitions and programs come to life." Local Access joins other multi-year, multi-institutional partnerships supported by the initiative across the nation, including those organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Detroit Institute of Arts; Philadelphia Museum of Art; and Smithsonian American Art Museum. "Bringing together LACMA with partner museums in Southern California illustrates the rich collaboration that is a hallmark of this project," said Sharon Corwin, President and CEO of the Terra Foundation for American Art. "Central to this initiative is the belief that community engagement through experiencing works of art first-hand connects audiences in fresh and exciting ways." With Local Access, LACMA is building on its long history of working with communities to share programs and artworks, as it does through its ongoing partnership with Charles White Elementary School in MacArthur Park. Since 2007, LACMA has presented exhibitions drawing on its permanent collection and commissioned work by contemporary artists at its satellite gallery at the school. Recently, the museum has expanded its public programming there to include hands-on workshops and experiences for the local community on Saturdays. Additional partnerships have been developed in Compton, East Los Angeles, North Hollywood, South L.A., Van Nuys, Watts, and Willowbrook, including exhibitions from LACMA's collection and ongoing public programs and resources. This exhibition was organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in collaboration with the Lancaster Museum of Art and History; Riverside Art Museum; Vincent Price Art Museum at East Los Angeles College; and California State University, Northridge, Art Galleries. Local Access is a series of American art exhibitions created through a multi-year, multi-institutional partnership formed by LACMA as part of the Art Bridges + Terra Foundation Initiative.

Yesterday was the official launch of the #countmein project. Our first engagement event took place in conjunction with the Café Open Mic Night at the Cedar Memorial Hall, a historical building in the heart of Downtown Lancaster. Team member Nathaniel Ancheta gave opening remarks, telling the audience how happily surprised he was about the transformation of Lancaster Blvd and the ways the community made it possible. He said, “Change is inevitable but participation is a choice.” He finished his speech by encouraging everyone to participate, both in the night’s #CountMeIn event and the census, and to “take hold of that change”. Our primary goal for this event was to engage with those participating in the open mic by asking them to write a couple lines about what means to be “counted in”. We brought a couple poetry samples using the words “Count me in”. Many people wrote compelling and powerful lines and read them aloud on stage. One of the most touching pieces was written by someone who wished to be anonymous. They wrote: COUNT Counting the seconds that have passed Counting the moments that passed by. ME A person who was lost and now has been found Somebody who finds comfort in silence. IN Inside a box where I’ve been chained Now is the time where I break free. Robin Rosenthal brought several Polaroid cameras to the event and gave them to anyone who wanted to take a picture. I saw many of the people smiling while taking the photos with their friends because they had the freedom to be themselves. Needless to say, the end result was outstanding. These Polaroids will be used by the MOAH in a future art show, planned for the end of the #CountMeIn project. Jane Szabo, our official photographer, captured photographs that will definitely be a highlight of the #CountMeIn project. She has the ability to connect with people of any age and make them feel at ease while taking their portraits. The film crew, consisting of Janice, Nathaniel, and Dave, also shined. They filmed and interviewed people about the census and the importance of being counted, demonstrating the essence of what means to be counted in.

While indoor and outdoor dining has been temporarily suspended due to COVID-19, most restaurants are still offering take-out and delivery. Please consider supporting local businesses while having a look back on some of the Antelope Valley’s most popular diners and drive-ins! In 1929, Guy and Wava May Moore opened a restaurant, next to the Rendezvous Bar, on Antelope Avenue (present-day Sierra Highway) called The Squeeze Inn. Patrons ate their ten-cent hamburgers on the only three stools that fit inside the tiny five-by-seven foot eating area. Once labeled “the world’s smallest cafe” by Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Guy would often sell and serve food to people waiting outside as even the door was too narrow to accommodate a large number of customers. The Inn prospered and eventually grew to a ten-stool establishment with five employees. In 2017, Michael’s Beauty Salon and Barbershop along with TVZ4Less stand in the approximate spot of the Inn. Charles and Ethel Wakefield, who arrived in Lancaster in 1919, opened their brick Jazz Cafe (and later a candy shop) adjacent to Leo Harris’ General Merchandise, on the west side of Sierra Highway. The shop sold an assortment of food along with candies, ice creams, and sodas. In a 1920's issue of the Antelope Valley Ledger Gazette, Charles was described as "the Onlyest Candy Maker in this neck of the woods." Charles and Ethel Wakefield, who arrived in Lancaster in 1919, opened their brick Jazz Cafe (and later a candy shop) adjacent to Leo Harris’ General Merchandise, on the west side of Sierra Highway. The shop sold an assortment of food along with candies, ice creams, and sodas. In a 1920's issue of the Antelope Valley Ledger Gazette, Charles was described as "the Onlyest Candy Maker in this neck of the woods." The Jazz Cafe and Candy Shop was the town’s main meeting spot for adults and teens, including frequent customer Francis Gumm (Judy Garland). Unfortunately, business came to an end in 1935, when a fire destroyed this section of the Lancaster business district. While young Judy Garland was frequenting the Jazz Candy Shop, Frank Zappa’s preferred spot was old Denny’s (now The Village Grill) where he would meet up with friend Van Vliet, better known as Captain Beefheart, where the two would have a late-night coffee. Listed on the State Historic Register, this restaurant was one of the earliest Denny’s in California. It was built on Sierra Highway as number thirty in a then-Southland-only chain in 1960. In the 1970s, when a new Denny’s was launched on Avenue I, the restaurant became known as Super Steak and what is presently the Village Grill. Lastly, one of the Valley’s most popular early hamburger joints was Ted’s Hamburger Drive-In. Ted’s opened in 1955 and charged nineteen cents per burger. Originally located on the southeast corner of Lancaster Boulevard and Tenth Street West, the drive-in went through many name changes including Kay’s, Jolly Jax, Walz Hr No. 1, Syd’s, and finally the White House when it moved to Division Street. Today, an Arco AM-PM stands in its original location. Photos courtesy of MOAH’s Permanent Collection and Google Maps

Saturday’s workshop, a bookmaking session, happened at 3 PM at the Lil Book Bug, right in the heart of Lancaster Blvd. Among rows of bookshelves, our workshop tables were set up and covered in art supplies. The day’s goal was for our participants to design the pages for an accordion-style book about inclusion. They could draw, write, and put together anything they wanted on those pages, so long as it had something to do with being “counted in”. Our team members ready to start the workshop Despite the prime location and time slot of the workshop, participation in the bookmaking was very low. Some of us running the event stood outside the building, handing out pamphlets with information about the 2020 Census to people on the street. This did not work as well as planned. While the event was going on, dozens of people walked along the Blvd in both directions. Many of them were glued to their phones, tapping their screens with urgency, and didn’t give us the time of day. (My team member told me this was because of an event in Pokémon GO). Others took a pamphlet from us, but kept walking. No matter how many people saw or passed by us, nobody wanted to go in and see what the event was all about. People strolling the Blvd playing Pokémon GO This workshop taught us an important lesson that we, as ambassadors of the #CountMeIn movement, had to learn sooner or later. Getting everyone interested in the 2020 Census is a difficult task and, even if we think we’re doing enough to attract people’s attention, there will always be those who don’t engage. I can’t speak for my team members about their feelings with this experience but, while I was frustrated at the lack of interest, I am more determined than ever to inform people about the importance of the Census. Games and other things will continue to exist and draw people’s attention, but there is plenty of time to do those things and still participate in something as crucial as a Census. Those few people who did participate in Saturday’s workshop made a huge impact on the project, because the pages they created for the book are just the beginning of a larger story, one about Lancaster and a future where we can all be counted in.

On September 4th I had the pleasured to have a short conversation with Pastor Ronald Miller for our project #CountMeIn. We talked about his role in the community. I asked him a couple questions regarding the Census 2020 and how much will it mean to us, if he spreads the message of the importance of this project among the senior community and his friends. As we talked, he received several calls from friends and other people. I saw firsthand how much he cares about them, because he listened to their concerns and gave them comfort. His phone is always on and I understood how important he is for the community. I recorded part of the conversation for the blog. I didn’t edit it because it is important to listen to real people. He gracefully let me record him for this project.

On September 13th, a meeting took place at the Chimbole Center in Palmdale, California. The guests of honor were U.S. Congresswoman Katie Hill, and Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger who represents our district. They came ready to engage and to learn about the different projects happening in our community regarding the Census 2020. Among the participants were: Mr. Geoffrey Antonio Adlersberg, from the United States Census Bureau; Andi Campognone, Director of The Lancaster Museum of Art and History; Bryan Anguiano, Field Representative for Assembly member Tom Lackey; Robin Rosenthal, Project Leader for #CountMeIn; and Nathaniel Ancheta, from Art Residence and member of the #CountMeIn team. The best presentation was without a doubt given by Robert Benitez, Program Coordinator from the MOAH, and Robin Rosenthal. They explained how the engagements with the community worked and how, by providing different workshops, participants learn about the Census. They were invited to write short poems using any of the words from the theme #CountMeIn, and to take Polaroids with cameras provided to them. Mrs. Rosenthal emphasized the fact that many of the people attending these events were nine years old when the last census took place; educating them is essential to the success #CountMeIn program Representative Katie Hill and Supervisor Kathryn Berger were very impressed by the presentation; they want this program to be a template for California so larger museums could be involved in providing this type of information to their communities.

Recently, I had a conversation with Mr. Jim Humphrey. He is the Co-owner of A.V. TROPHY & UNIFORM CO, along with his wife Mary. This business is located at 44805 Beech Avenue in Lancaster, California and has been operating since 1956. When I asked him about the history of Lancaster Blvd., he paused and thought for a while and then said: “back then, life was less complex”. Mr. Humphrey has been working there for fifty two years. He has mixed feelings about the changes happening at the Blvd. On one hand, he loves to see more families and people assisting to the events sponsored by the city. Those people support the local economy. At every event they park by his business, making it more visible since it is near the Blvd.On the other hand, he sees a lot of danger when driving there during the week; people just cross the street without looking at the road, they just focus on their cell phones, and that’s the concern of many businesses owners. Mr. Humphrey is a man with tremendous experience and he knows that his business doesn’t have a lot of foot traffic; his store is not for impulse-buyers, when people need his services they will find him, especially since he has served many of the same families for generations. I asked him about his experience when his photo was taken by our team member, Jane Szabo, for #CountMeIn. He really enjoyed it because photography is one of his hobbies. He watched very attentively how she prepared before taking the photos. She really knows what she is doing and it’s nice to have people in our store learning about what we do here for our community. When I asked him about the census, he paused, drank some water and then told me that it is imperative for our entire state to have a realistic view of what we are dealing with. This is not a blue or red issue, it is about how people’s lives are going to be affected. You see, he said, the government will try to provide for our needs but only if we participate and are counted. What do you think would be the best way to bring this message to our community, I asked him? His expression changed before giving his answer. “I think it is probably a bit tricky, particularly because being a big city, we do not have a local TV station, can you believe that? I used to go home and religiously watch what happen in our beloved Valley and the newspaper, not being what once was and how expensive it is now days, it is very difficult to be informed.” What you are doing is refreshing, you are informing us and by doing so, we can share that information with our customers; look at the window, I posted the flyer for #CountMeIn where people can see it. His message to the community is to keep investing in local businesses, shop in our city, make us grow strong, and, if you want a change, register to vote and be counted. With a big smile he said, did you know Lancaster is one of the friendliest cities to do business with? As our conversation was coming to an end, the phone rang, it was a customer asking for an especial order. Mr. Humphrey listened very carefully and. when she finished, he said “unfortunately we don’t do this type of engraving” and explained why. Then, what he said next, surprised me: please, call this number, it is from our friends in Palmdale, they have the equipment you need for your special order, they are very professional and I highly recommend them. Before I asked, he said “we are the only two businesses of this kind in the Antelope Valley that have survived, and sharing this information keeps us in business”. Our conversation was supposed to be about ten minutes, but it lasted about an hour and forty five minutes instead. I learned so much from him; in fact, I learned that he is probably one of the few people in our community using the MS-DOS operating system on one of his machines. He allowed me to take some photos of him with his favorite trophy. I thanked him for his precious time, for sharing with me that success comes with hard work, and for showing me first hand that community means “all of us.”

Blog #8 By: Edwin Vasquez Last Saturday, at the Sacred Heart Church in Lancaster, a mass and celebration in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe took place. The #CountMeIn team organized a “chalk on the walk” engagement and welcoming everybody that wanted to participate. It was overcast with the possibility of rain, so instead of painting on the floor, we used the picnic tables outside the church. Sheets of black paper were provided along with boxes of special chalk, of which the colors intensify when left on water for a few minutes, in addition to stencils, rags, gloves and reference photos of the Virgin. I was invited to go inside a large community room to announce our event happening outside the covered patio. The room was full of families having lunch. I witnessed such a diversity of races, all in one room having a great time and united by their faith, while a Mexican singer was entertaining the audience. When he finished his song, the audience gave him a warm round of applause. I made the announcement in Spanish. Our engagement was scheduled to start at 2:30 PM but, the response was so good, it started at 1:00 PM instead. The background music from inside the cafeteria gave us a sense of being part of a great celebration; people inside were shouting “Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe” (Long live the Virgin of Guadalupe) and everybody in a single voice repeated it several times, followed by applause and cheers. Mrs. Stela Rodriguez, one of the older participants, was creating an image of the Virgin using a stencil. She was really immersed in her painting; she had a soft smile and made me wonder if perhaps she was speaking to the Virgin every time she left a mark on the paper. A young girl was painting under the supervision of her father; he was very patient and supportive. Every time she got over excited, he calmly reminded her to breathe gently and then she relaxed and continued painting. “She is my adopted daughter”, he said softly and told me her short life story; I was moved because this man is truly a superhero in my eyes. Another participant in the workshop was this soft spoken man, wearing a clean white shirt. I explained to him in Spanish the best way to use the chalk. He started painting immediately as if he knew what he wanted to say. I brought him a couple reference photos, but he knew by heart the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe. I noticed the image he painted didn’t have a face, I asked him about it and his answer still resonates. He said: “The virgen is all of us, her face is our face, when we see her, we see ourselves, that’s why we have to love and respect each other.” I asked him if I could interview him, he declined. I didn’t see him leave, but he left the art piece on the table. So, what makes a community stronger? Is it the people, the food, the music, perhaps its faith? I don’t know the answer for sure, but I was able to be part of a community event with our #CountMeIn team; it was intended to inform people about the census and the importance of being counted. In return, I was reminded about unity, selfless love and respect. I was reminded that faith in humanity is doing the right thing, for the right reasons. A strong community is the one that opens its arms to everyone, no matter where they come from. The Sacred Heart Church is community strong.

Art is a magnet for creative minds, especially when there is a project as positive as the #CountMeIn book collaboration. The idea of inviting the local artist community for a workshop was a way to the reach out to those artists working in different media, to come participate and create unique art pieces for the accordion book that will be displayed at the Lancaster Museum. The workshop took place at the Andrew Frieder Creative Space in the MOAH-CEDAR; this was the ideal place to get together since the center’s main focus is serving the local community. All the materials are there readily available for anybody who wants to make art. We arrived half hour early to set the tables and chairs, magazines, scissors, candy and other materials needed to create collages. Robert Benitez brought water and was there to assist in any way possible. Once most of the participants had arrived, Robin Roshental, the project leader, explained in detail who we are, what we are doing to represent the artist community in the Census2020, and how the Lancaster Museum is supporting all the programs for a successful participation. The census happens every ten years and is essential to get the resources and political representation we as a community deserve. As it was expected, each individual artist created unique art pieces. The challenge was completed on time, which is very difficult to accomplish since most artists are used to working in their studios, with complete freedom and plenty of time to analyze, think and focus on a main idea. Creating an art piece in four hours was really outstanding. Andi Campognone took time from her busy schedule to stop by and see what was been created; she was very pleased to see the artists’ commitment to make this workshop a success and treated us to a healthy lunch from one of the local restaurants, The Lemon Leaf. This break gave us an opportunity to talk about what future projects and art in general. Yes, art is indeed a magnet for collaboration, ideas, and everything that makes our Lancaster community one of the best not only in California, but in the nation. As Mother Teresa once said: “I can do things you cannot, You can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.”

There are people whose aura shines brighter than a star, who look at you in the eyes and immediately you know they are kind souls; those who, when you meet them for the very first time, you know they are real and you can trust them and relax. That’s how I can described Ms. Jackson. Before I did anything else, I was asked to meet the Director of the Antelope Valley Senior Center, Mrs. Cindy Robles. Unfortunately, she had a meeting and was only able to talk for a few minutes. I recorded the interview and it will be posted as a video. I met Ms. Jackson at the entrance of the Senior Center, she was very happy and energized. I told her I was there to interview her for the #CountMeIn project and I wanted to learn about the work she does there. I walked with her to the salon where all the crochet ladies meet every Thursday. The room is long with tables and chairs all around. I sat there for a couple minutes observing the other ladies while Ms. Jackson was getting ready. Each of them was working on several items, talking to each other and laughing; I noticed each had a different technique and was using different materials. One lady was ready to make coffee, another brought snacks and left them on the table for everyone to share. One of the ladies asked me what I was doing there, so I told her I was there to interview Ms. Jackson for the #CountMeIn project; after our short conversation, she went back to work. By the time Ms. Jackson was ready, the room was very busy; I asked her to go with me to the library next door. That room was smaller with better lighting. I asked her if I could record the conversation, so I could refresh my memory at the time of writing the blog. As it happens, the recording was excellent, we talked about her personal life, family, and how blessed she was to live in the Antelope Valley, in her own house. She gave me the approval to post the recording as a separate blog; this way people could listen and discover how nice this lady really is. When we talked about her involvement in the #CountMeIn project, she said: “My dear friend Robin” (Robin Roshental, project leader), asked me if I was interested in being part of the project by making squares for the Polaroid Community Photos, of course I said yes. At the beginning I didn’t know how this was going to work, but now I can’t wait to see this unique tapestry hanging at the museum at the end of the project. Needless to say, she is fast making the squares, which she demonstrated to me while we were talking about life in the AV.

Lancaster Boulevard is very busy on Thursdays, due to its now famous farmers market. The community comes for the organic produce and the dried fruit. There are so many good and tasty foods being prepared, the smell lingers all along the boulevard. For many, the smell of the funnel cake is irresistible. No wonder it’s the favorite food among young kids shopping with their parents. A while ago the #CountMeIn team had the brilliant idea to give free tote bags to the community during the farmers market. A couple locations were discussed for the workshop, but the classroom at the Lancaster Museum was the best place; not only because the light is great, but also it has a sink with running water and it’s very visible from the street where the market takes place. Robin Rosenthal, Lead Artist-in-Residence, was helping all around and greeting participants at the event. She has the ability to connect with everyone she comes in contact with, which is a great icebreaker. At the first stop, they listened to the information she presented to them before they picked up their free tote bags. At the next table, two manual silk-screen printers were being operated by partner artist Nuri Amanatullah from HCA and special guest artist Clovis Blackwell, whose studio is located in Pasadena. Clovis designed the underlying artwork printed on the bag. Participants had the opportunity to print the words #CountMeIn on their bags, with either red or blue colors. Each bag was a piece of art and people really appreciated the opportunity to be part of the process. They proudly walked away with a gift that not only was unique, but will remind them of the importance of being counted during the Census2020.