The downtown central branch of the Los Angeles Public Library has several important walls. They’re not ordinary walls, but were visually, artistically, and architecturally created, to express a wide-range of thought, wisdom, and philosophy. The famous poet, Robert Frost is well known for his oft repeated and well-proven quote that:

“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.”

At the Mark Taper Auditorium, written thoughts, when encapsulated into an emotion, are further brought to “life” via architecture and design on walls, window frames, and fences by various artist’s quotes and musings on life.

In this case, the walls do, indeed talk to us:

"A hole is to dig, a book is to look at."

“There is no friend more obliging than a book” by Alfonso Reyes

"The more that you read, the more things you’ll know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go." by Dr. Seuss

Life’s immortal and axiomatic truisms are as simple as that. On these various photos, the artist, Ries Niemi, used quotations about books and knowledge, which were selected by him and local librarians for these installations. They’re inscribed into 9 different languages that are frequently spoken here, in the great melting pot of Los Angeles.

Entitled “Literate Fence” and measuring approximately 100 feet long and 9 feet tall, this combination of thought, architecture, and books, connects the 1927 Bertram Goodhue era Los Angeles Central Library, with its 1993 addition by the architectural firm led by Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer.

Whenever one gate closes another opens. When and how, we’re frequently left to find out unexpectedly.

After a lot of time and work, Travelin’ Local has formed a California non-profit corporation– Mapping Los Angeles Public Art, aka “MLAPA.” In addition, we’ve submitted our application to the IRS for our 501c (3) tax exempt status designation.

Because the stated mission of MLAPA is to initiate, compile, and complete a fully digitized, documented, cataloged, indexed, and photographed virtual map of all of the Public Art located throughout Los Angeles County and its surrounding areas, I’ll be featuring all of the future public art posts in excerpt format here on Travelin’ Local, with a link to MLAPA. From that point, you’ll be able to click the link to finish the story.

Our envisioned cultural catalog, has never been attempted, nor has anybody or entity ever come close in our project’s depth, breadth, coverage, and use of technology, photography, and other planned knowledge management systems to create a visual and written compendium of all of our Public Art. To be sure, it’s an important educational, artistic, and historic reference of our city’s physical surroundings.

In today’s foundational MLAPA story, we’re featuring the Home Savings of America building.

Located at the corner of Figueroa and 7^th streets, is a one-building public art tour de force. I could have easily spent an hour there just looking at the myriad and meticulous details, colors, and shapes that adorn and define this structure. With that as the backdrop, let’s discover the Home Savings of America building together.

When the Home Savings of America building was originally built in 1988, $450,000 of the building’s costs were dedicated to public art. That equaled to 1% of its total construction and development budget.

As pictured above, the building’s façade hosts two mosaic tile murals by Joyce Kozloff. To balance and maintain its indigenous theme with its architecture, the two forty-foot-high by ten-foot wide Italian glass murals, on the building’s exterior, feature 16th Century decorative artifices, and are a derivative from the chateaux gardens at Villandry and Chenonceaux in the Loire Valley. Rounded lunettes at the top of each illustrate Ms. Kozloff’s vision of Los Angeles– one depicts two angels and the other, a festoon of oranges.

These large sculptured glass windows by the celebrated New York artist, Patsy Norvell, were installed on the ground floor. Ms. Norvell’s glass panels are spectacular architectural ensemble pieces in which their intricately carved leaf and vine motifs create richly luminescent effects. Its named "Glass Passage," as each window is covered with an arch detailed in gold leaf.

Above, the ceiling at the Metro Rail portal, at Seventh and Figueroa, was painted by Los Angeles artist Terry Schoonhoven. It features a large panel surrounded by five smaller panels, that generously provide viewers with a tipped perspective of the sky, and Los Angeles’ urban scene. Mr. Schoonhoven’s work is entitled "City Above."

For a detailed up close look at this extraordinary building, Travelin’ Local has prepared a slideshow presenting its aesthetic details. To be able to walk one city block, and see this much public art and architectural beauty–steeped in both modern and past history– gives true meaning and defines Los Angeles as being truly one of the great cities of the world.

Simply put, if you’re riding a bike to a specific location and intend to stay or stop there for any period of time, having a bike rack for your bicycle is a necessity. Most bike racks are plain steel, twisted metal, or perhaps consist of a parking meter, a light pole, or anything that’s fixed for you to be able to lock your bicycle onto.

However, it doesn’t have to be like that at all; indeed the emerging trends are creative, flexible, and work to secure your bike while being artistically, and neighborhood friendly.

Sponsored in 1994-1995, by the Los Angeles City Department of Transportation, “The Bike Stops Here” project was funded with an $18,000 Cultural Trust Fund grant from the Community Redevelopment Agency. With the direct involvement of the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), ten uniquely designed bike racks were installed in downtown Los Angeles.

So the next time you’re riding your bike downtown, try looking for an artistic bike rack, instead of the everyday ho-hum norm:

I’ve included a map so you can easily find them:

View Artistic Bike Racks in Los Angeles in a larger map

Although there are new bike racks planned for East Hollywood, they’re not installed yet.

If you know about or have seen any unique bike racks in and around LA, please feel free to share them with us so we can feature them in one of our stories.

Join Travelin’ Local’s new Facebook group and upload your photos. Be sure to include your blog and/or web address so I can provide you with proper attribution.

Cause after all is said and done, Los Angeles is the second largest city in the nation; and we comprise and represent various neighborhoods and people from all walks of life, ethnic groups, and our cultural landscape literally changes block by block.

So join our project by submitting all the bike racks you can find in your neighborhood while Travelin’ Local, because living here is about having fun and then sharing it with your friends at the same time.

Figueroa Courtyard in Downtown Los Angeles, at the corner of 3^rd and Figueroa, is a unique 5 acre walkway and courtyard. If you want to relax, immerse yourself in the sounds of a running fountain, and enjoy its unique and fascinating public art sculptures and installations, this is where it’s at.

Sometimes, when Travelin’ Local, I’m amazed at the treasures that can be found just by happening to be at the right time at the right time, or just looking around, which is how I landed smack-dab in the middle of Figueroa Courtyard.

Upon entering the courtyard, and barely visible in this shot, are the waterfalls that stand guard above each side of the sidewalk flowing down from its two sided concrete entrance mount. The molded spheres of different sizes and textures add a three-dimension to the landscape. Here’s a closer shot:

What I found most amazing about this location, was that each time I turned a corner, a new discovery crossed my path:

These whimsical and colorful outdoor installations and sculptures were completed by the artist, Ronald Hines. The well-placed and thought-provoking pieces added a degree and kind of aesthetic that’s rare when you just sit on a park bench, or traverse from or to the office structures. Blending with the landscape, they were aptly appropriate and seemed quite natural, despite their unusual design and structure; perhaps that was the objective of the artist and it certainly accomplishes his goal. I would return in a heartbeat to just sit on one of its park bench’s to enjoy the courtyard and public art. Even though it was very hot the day I was there–the temperature was at least 10 degree cooler inside the courtyard’s landscaped setting.

As I continued my unexpected journey and walk through the courtyard, I found this unique water arrangement:

With its crisscrossing paths of colored tiles, rock formation, round rock spheres, and its rotating fountain streaks of water, its especially appealing for both the eye and mind, as its relaxing sounds of water falling removes you—albeit temporarily—from feeling like you’re still in the big city.

Looking beyond the fountain, the next entry point to enter is the portion of the shaded walkway, with its festivity of plants, trees, and grass:

Continuing along the winding sidewalk, you’ll walk by the perpendicular peppered colored tile designs that gently invite you to move closer toward the area, to the three additional outdoor sculptures by Ronald Hines. His aesthetic is soothing yet allows you to feel itss physical experience, while the various metals, materials, color combination’s, content, and ideas appeal to the psyche. For what is art, but to see what the artist intends for you to see and to ponder?

When you’re ready to leave, the city welcomes you with open arms, ready for our next public art adventure.

With a different location initially in mind, I discovered something totally unque while Travelin’ Local. Now, I have a great excuse to go back to my original destination, so another Figueroa Street story is not far off.

Located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, the Cathedral of our Lady of Angels is a quiet, art-filled oasis in the middle of a bustling city. When I first saw this immense building, I didn’t realize it was a church. From the outside, it’s a modern structure, with a dramatic design.

The Church’s Beginning

In 1996 the Spanish architect, the world renowned, Pritzker Architecture Prize winning Professor José Rafael Moneo, was commissioned to design the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. He was not deterred by the 5.6 acre site that overlooked the Hollywood Freeway. Just as many European Cathedrals are built near rivers, Professor Moneo considered the freeway as Los Angeles’ river of transportation, the connection of people to each other. Two central theological truths guided Moneo’s design. The first is that the Light of God is revealed in salvation history, especially in and through Jesus Christ.

The second truth is the sense of journey that people make, alone and together, on the pilgrimage towards redemption in our lives and, ultimately, the fullness of the Kingdom of God in Heaven.

Inspired by these themes of Light and Journey, the architect chose natural light to flood the Cathedral through windows filtered through Spanish alabaster. Capturing the sense of spiritual journey, the entrance to the Cathedral opens to a slightly inclined ambulatory which circles the entire interior of the Cathedral and leads to the light of the nave.  Source: Cathedral of our Lady of the Angels

The church takes on the feel of an open- air art mecca–full of pathways, etched windows, fountains, and statues. As I approached the front entrance, every fifteen minutes I was greeted by the chiming of the Carillon Bells.

With the music of the bells still ringing in the background, I crossed the threshold into the church courtyard.

The Gateway Pool and Waterfall is truly magnificent. The Cathedral of our Lady of Angels features art both large and small. If you look closely at the photo above you’ll see the celestial mapping on the sidewalk entrance. And as I climbed the stairs leading to the main courtyard, the grandeur of Robert Graham’s “Lady of the Angels” sculpture is soulful and stirring; and is a sight to behold.

The golden center of the tympanun above Mary’s head is an evocation of heaven.

The circular hole in the tympanum represents God who clothes the figure in light.

The figure of Mary is represented as that of a lowly woman raised to the highest, a woman self possessed, the valiant woman of the Book of Proverbs. Source: Public Art in LA

Also designed by Robert Graham, the bronze and inlaid doors gracing the church’s entrance create a gateway to quiet worship and meditation.

The Jerusalem Fountain in the courtyard beacons you with her mystery, textures, colors, and water.

Located behind the Fountain are the rows of stunning etched windows along the Church’s modern vertical hall.

Lalo Garcia, born in Mexico, is an esteemed local artist who created the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

A unique place where a small family member can play in the sun, there’s a please play on the sculpture garden, complete with a camel, monkey, beehive, and donkey, just to name a few animals; you can sit and relax while the kids have fun climbing and exploring. It’s a win/win situation.

Travelin’ Local’s mission is to find the places that you want to go to but may have not known about–in Los Angeles, the Cathedral of our Lady of Angels is well worth the time to appreciate and visit.

This gorgeous sculpture entitled Colpo d’ala, which looks like it is immersed in the clear water moat surrounding the John Ferraro Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (“LADWP”) building, resembles a large bird ready to take flight. The sculpture, which is tilted upward, is a highly polished triangular block ripped in half by a powerful invisible force, creating its wing affect and shape.

It’s literally part of the backdrop of the Disney Hall, and downtown Los Angeles skyscrapers. The water’s shadows create a shimmering counter-balance and become the foundation of not just the sculpture, but an allusion for a bird at home ready for a flight–but only to return home later on.

"Colpo d’ala" (wing-beat) by Arnaldo Pomodoro is distinguished from other public monuments in Downtown by remembering and paying homage for our international endeavors. It was given as a gift from the Italian government in gratitude for the $1.5 billion Italy received from the United States between 1948 and 1952. Italian Prime Minister Ciriaco De Mita presented the six ton bronze sculpture to the United States on December 12, 1988 at dedication ceremonies commemorating the 40th anniversary of the The Marshall Plan. Source: Public Art in LA

Two recurring themes in Pomodoro’s work–the perfect form torn asunder, and the striking contrast between a smooth surface and a complex interior–are apparent in "Colpo d’ala". The exposed mechanistic interior identifies the work as created by man while the allusion to a bird suggests nature.

As evidenced from the picture above, these two polar opposite motifs quite literally forged in this beautiful and elegant installation.

Along with the clean lines of the DWP building, its surrounding pools of water are another form of Public Art as their clean lines, small ripples, determined texture, and use of the elements to frame the building make it alluring, tranquil, and ephemeral.

Next time you’re downtown, be sure to check out the John Ferraro LADWP building with its "Colpo d’ala," sculpture, the surrounding water ponds and beautiful gardens, and the DWP structure itself.