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The Millard Sheets Gallery is now known as The Millard Sheets Center for the Arts at Fairplex (MSCAF). The gallery’s new designation proclaims its evolution into a vital and relevant cultural community resource center that will offer diversified exhibitions and educational programs on a year-round basis.
The MSCAF began as the Fine Arts Program of the Los Angeles County Fair, housed in big-top tents at the Fair’s inaugural event in 1922. In 1937 the Works Progress Administration provided the means to build the Fine Arts Building, a 12,000-square-foot gallery designed by Los Angeles architect Claude Beelman.
In 1994, the Fine Arts Building was dedicated as the Millard Sheets Gallery in recognition of Sheets’ 25-year history as director of the Fair’s Fine Arts exhibition. Sheets was a Pomona native who, at his death at age 81 in 1989, was a world-renown watercolorist, architect, printmaker and mosaic artist.
“The newly named Millard Sheets Center for the Arts at Fairplex reflects Millard Sheets’ life work as an artist, mentor and inspiration to others to have art as part of their daily lives,” explains Linda Bosserman Piatt, chair of the MSCAF board of directors. “It also captures our mission to reach a broader audience with a greater variety of year-round exhibitions and educational programs in art, music, film and culture.”
“From school art programs to public film screenings, we will offer educational opportunities that promote an understanding of art in exciting and interactive ways,” added Lisa Girolami, Fairplex director of creative development. “The Millard Sheets Center for the Arts at Fairplex will be the place to experience fine art exhibits and attend thought-provoking seminars as well as get your own creativity flowing in dynamic hands-on workshops.”
Only fitting to accompany the name change is this year’s L.A. County Fair art exhibition themed A Tapestry of Life: The World of Millard Sheets.
Visit MSCAF Timeline for a historical perspective on the Millard
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