A celebration of South Pasadena’s legendary arts educator, Nelbert Chouinard and her renowned Chouinard Institute for the Arts, will be presented in the South Pasadena Library Community Room on Thursday, April 17 at 7 p.m. The free event, entitled “Chouinard Footprint:  A Lasting Impression on the Art World” will focus on the renowned teaching methods and accomplishments of Nelbertina (Nelbert) Chouinard (1879-1969), who in 1921 began the Chouinard Art School in Los Angeles which eventually moved to a larger location, changed its name to the Chouinard Art Institute, and became the most important art school on the West Coast. Its reputation continued to grow and by the 50s and 60s the school was known as one of the top art schools in the world. Its open, progressive education principles inspired and empowered more than 50,000 students, many of whom went on to become leaders in a wide variety of artistic fields. A list of Chouinard graduates reads like a chapter of ‘Who’s Who of Contemporary American Artists of the 20^th Century.’

The South Pasadena Library program will showcase an exhibit of works by esteemed ‘Chouinardian Artists’ and feature a film screening of ‘Curly,’a 2012 documentary film produced and directed by Gianina Ferreyra, about Gustavo Fernandez, an inner city youth who found inspiration through accessible art classes provided by the Chouinard Foundation.

The program will also present a panel discussion moderated by Michelle Deziel, who for 10 years served as manager of the Norton Simon Museum’s collection of 20^th Century art. Michelle will be joined by an extremely distinguished panel of  ‘Chouinard All Stars,’ many of whom will also display artworks at the event:

Larry Bell is an internationally acclaimed artist and sculptor whose works are found in some of the most prestigious art museums in the world. Larry is also one of the cutouts on the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s album cover, along with so many other cultural icons such as Einstein, Poe, Astaire, and so many more.

Chaz Boroquez experienced the graffiti tradition of East LA at an early age in the 1950s. By 1979 he had embarked on a 3 year, around-the-world journey, visiting and writing in 35 countries. His artwork is now part of 24 permanent museum collections, and he’s shown at 64 museum exhibitions, while he’s been working with some of the world’s largest motion picture art and advertising agencies.

Guy Dill is known chiefly as a contemporary sculptor who’s won a multitude of prestigious awards. His most recent public exhibitions were at the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.

Tom Dixon is a contemporary painter, living in Taos New Mexico, whose work is influenced by abstract expressionists. His captivating paintings sometimes take two years or more to complete.

Llyn Foulkes’ first solo exhibition was presented at the Pasadena Art Museum in 1962. During the 60s and 70s, he created paintings using the iconography of postcards, vintage photos, and Route 66 inspired signs, and by ’79 he also became dedicated to playing as a one-man band. The documentary film ‘Llyn Foulkes One Man Band’ premiered at the L.A. Film Fest in 2013 and will open theatrically in the U.S. in May 2014.

Judy Stabile creates original paintings, watercolors, and drawings on paper. She was first exposed to the ‘light and space’ movement at Chouinard and is now known for her robust shapes and colors that invoke ‘the state of equilibrium in nature.’

John Van Hamersveld is an artist and graphic illustrator who has created album covers for the Beatles, Cream, the Grateful Dead, the Jefferson Airplane, and the Rolling Stones. He’s also known for his iconic “Endless Summer” film poster and an official poster and a 360 ft. long mural for the 1984 L.A. Olympics.

Karen Wight was a designer for Walt Disney Productions and served as an art instructor and consultant at UCLA. Later she opened her own gallery in Santa Fe, NM. She has also exhibited at museums and galleries in the U.S., France, Germany, Italy, Canada, and Mexico.

The free event is presented by the South Pasadena Public Library, the Chouinard Foundation, and the Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library. The Community Room is located at 1115 El Centro Street. No tickets or reservations are necessary and refreshments will be served. Special thanks to Comm Cinema/David Lyons and South Pasadena Mercantile/Scott Gandell.