John C. Fremont School Murals – Anaheim CA

Description

As part of the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP), Arthur Ames completed two oil on gesso murals for the John C. Fremont School in Anaheim, California. They were painted for the entrance hall for the school auditorium.

The original mural was 14 feet by 87 feet. The mural depicts a man, presumably a school teacher, surrounded by school children.

The original murals are presumed to have been lost when the school building was redeveloped in the 1970s. The school closed because of high upkeep costs and low attendance. A housing tract was built. 

A black and white image of one of the murals can be found at the SDSU Digital Library Collections – originally from a Los Angeles Times article.

Arthur and Jean Ames both participated in various Works Administration Projects (WPA) in Southern California. In addition to being muralists, they also produced mosaics and tapestries. In Orange County, they also painted a mural at the post office in Anaheim and created a mosaic at Newport High School. 

The Ames’ were part of over 200 artists that produced murals throughout California through New Deal funding. 

To see an image of the school, navigate to the Online Archives of California source below.