This patriotic little fellow plays on the corner of Victory and Buena Vista in front of Ralphs grocery store. I usually park my car near him and I enjoy his presence when I go grocery shopping. "Old Glory" was created by the marvelous artist De L'Esprie, If you like, you can watch a video about her process of creating a bronze sculpture here.
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Behind, within or right next to Lincoln Park is the Buena Vista Branch Library at 300 N. Buena Vista St. This lovely portrayal of a child with an uplifted book is found at the main entrance. The sculpture is entitled "Read, Reach and Realize." The artist of the piece is Wayne Healy, who is a painter, sculptor, muralist, retired aerospace engineer, and founder of East Los Streetscapers. The artwork is such a simple and beautiful piece and lends itself to many interpretations. The way the bronze is fashioned appears to me as a folded paper cut out. The book seems to be a gift or offering. Composed with colorful glass it seems a gift of enlightenment. The scalloped edges of the bronze where it covers the contrasting concrete intensifies the uplifting quality while simultaneously grounding it. There is a circular sense of giving and receiving in this artwork.
Diagonally across from the Thin Family, mentioned in the previous post, on the South East corner of Verdugo and Buena Vista at the entrance to Lincoln Park, resides a bust of our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. This bronze sculpture was created in 1962 by the renown sculptor, Henry Van Wolf. Van Wolf lived and had his studio in neighboring North Hollywood and was the founder of the Vally Artist Guild. The leaves that grace the curved and welcoming benches (last photo) were put there to discourage skateboard use I assume. I think they are a beautiful addition rather than a distraction. I would also assume that Van Wolf did not create them since his life span was from 1898-1982 and the park was dedicated in 2002.
This thin little family can be seen on the corner of Buena Vista and Verdugo in front of the Family Resource Center and beside the Mary Alice O'Conner Family Center. It is such an expressive sculpture, you can see the concern in the parent's faces, and the care in their body language. I'm still searching to find out the name of the artist and the title of the piece. Below is a bas relief plaque that is located near the doors of the family center, with a likeness of "Burbank's Own Fairy Godmother," Mary Alice O'Conner to whom the building is dedicated. The address of the building says 401 North Buena Vista although it faces Verdugo Ave.
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