Honoring Artist Charles White's Contribution to Altadena

Later this month, the Charles White Park will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its dedication, but there are some in the community who fear that an entire generation of residents has grown up not knowing anything about the famed local artist for whom the park is named.

From 1980 to the early 1990s, the park hosted the annual Charles White Memorial Art Festival, which not only honored the life's work of world-renowned African-American artist Charles White, but also celebrated local artists and brought the community together.

Now, the local Altadena Arts Council--as well as White's son, C. Ian White--would like to revive it.

"I would love to have the park honored and nourished and to be a cultural destination which gives Altadena residents an opportunity to enjoy the arts without having to go to Pasadena," White said.

Charles White, who lived in Altadena, has been heralded as one of the great American artists of the 20th century.  He was a socially conscious artist who through his figurative drawings and paintings was able to convey the emotions and struggles of his race and generation.

 In the book Charles White, Foremost an Artist, White's close friend, Edmund W. Gordon, writes, "At its core, his art was about human dignity, the spirit of hopeful human determination, and the collective strength to carry on in the effort to make the world a better place."

White died in 1979 in Altadena.

Ian White believes strongly in the talent and relevance of his father's work and hopes to assist the Los Angeles Parks and Recreation Department and the Arts Council to re-establish the excitement that used to surround the park. 

At a minimum, there should be some historical information posted so people can learn about his father, White says.

"I would like there to be more of an understanding of who my father was, with perhaps a permanent plaque or display of his art," White said.

The larger goal is to bring back the Charles White Memorial Arts Festival by next summer and to expand the parks after school programs and weekend events. 

There are few county or state funds readily available for cultural improvement projects, TAAC's executive director, Mary Ann Stevenson, said.  TAAC has researched various grants with such organizations as the L.A. Art Commission, and Stevenson believes the money is out there. 

TAAC was founded in 2003 by Stevenson and her husband, Gene, who serves as program planner. Stevenson explained that although her husband is an experienced grant writer, it takes a lot of time and effort to write, submit and manage a grant.  Time is something their small but growing organization does not have enough of. 

"Because TAAC has many different pursuits that we devote our time to, we have considered adding a part time grant writer to our staff to assist us in garnering the funds to develop not only events at the Charles White Park but through out Altadena," she said.

Much of the organization of the festival in the old days was handled by Ian White's mother, and White says so far nobody has been willing to step up and replace her expertise.

"My mother's passion was really the driving force behind the annual arts festival and the Friends of The Charles White Park Organization," White said. "It would be great if we had a group of community members to assist with bringing back the enthusiasm and momentum my mother began."

If you are interested in volunteering or assisting to introducing a new generation to the rich artistic history and cultural of Altadena, please contact the Altadena Arts Council at (626) 797-5798 or via e-mail at info@altadenaartscouncil.org.