I just received this email from Carol Wells, of the Center for the Study of Political Graphics. It was a comment to a post, but felt it warranted a separate post:
“I am producing an exhibition for the West Hollywood Library that will include the 1971 silkscreen poster produced to “Save Our Santa Monica Mountains.”
I am seeking information about the poster and the people who made it. The exhibition, “Decade of Dissent–Democracy in Action 1965-1975″ opens Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012. It features California (but primarily Los Angeles) posters from diverse grass roots efforts for social change. I hope to hear from Julie O’Connor, Margot Feuer, or anyone else who might have information about this.”
Thank you, Carol Wells Founder and Executive Director, Center for the Study of Political Graphics, link to website: http://politicalgraphics.org
Editor: I took this photo of the Oak Park trailhead into the Palo Comado unit of the Santa Monica National Recreation Area in 2005 or 2006.
Mary Wiesbrock // Jan 30, 2012 at 7:26 AM
Since this is before the time of Save Open Space, it could have been one or a combination of 3 major happenings. Public outcry and campaigns occurred to defeat the Malibu Freeway proposal which would have cut the Santa Monica Mountains in two. The other possibility was the 5000 strong march organized by Jill Swift to stop the proposal for a 4-lane Mulholland Highway. Then in the late 1970s, our national park, the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area was formed to save the beauty and unique resources of Santa Monica Mountains. The major organizational founders of our national park were Margot Feuer and Sue Nelson along with Jill. Can you post this poster for all to see to help solve the mystery?
Editor: Mary Wiesbrock is the Chair of Save Open Space, Santa Monica Mountains. Their website is: http://www.saveopenspace.com
Julie O'Connor // Jan 30, 2012 at 5:40 PM
Could you post a picture of the poster? I was a child of about 12 or 13 when the poster was. Maybe I can identify it.
Mary Wiesbrock // Feb 1, 2012 at 7:04 AM
From the wording on this poster, it appears to be part of the effort to pass a bill in Congress to make our national park. (now the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area) That happened in the 1970s. It is interesting because the intent was to name the area, Santa Monica Mountains and Seashore National Park. The “seashore” matches the poster. One of Save Open Space’s 2012 goals is to work on this name change because our park deserves national park status. This is because it is the busiest national park in the nation with 35 million annual visitors, the majority coming to visit our spectaculor ocean. I will be showing the poster to Margot Feuer, who, with Sue Nelson, and Jill Swift, were insturmental in the founding of our national park.