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Art Mortimer

Biography

  Art Mortimer was born in Long Beach, California and graduated from Occidental College in Eagle Rock, California. He has lived in Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, and Twentynine Palms throughout his life. In 1971, Mortimer painted his first mural on the house he was living in at the time, located close to the beach in Santa Monica. By 1988, he abandoned his commercial art business to put his focus into his drawings, paintings, and murals. Throughout his career, Mortimer has painted over 100 murals all over the country in very                     prestigious locations. 

Many consider Art Mortimer to be one of the first to originate the mural movement in Los Angeles. He is a highly respected artist, even honored Artist of the Year in 2004 by the city of Long Beach. Aside from this award, he has won over 6 others for his dedication to honoring and improving the beauty of communities.  His work has been featured in various exhibitions, collections, books, newspapers, magazines, television shows, and movies all over the country. 

While he enjoys drawing and painting in small scale, Art is known for his massive murals. Usually depicting historical events or representing the community in which he is working, he seems to really enjoy educating and telling stories through his work. Most of his murals are large, very colorful, and exceptionally crisp. Art typically depicts the important historical moments as snapshots, often in a frame of varying shapes. Most of the murals almost look like photo collages using pivotal moments in time as the subjects. Even as they become weathered by the elements, it is still apparent how much precision and care was put into every inch of the mural. 

Currently, Art is living in Twentynine Palms, California and teaching Mural Painting at Los Angeles Trade Technical College in downtown Los Angeles. In addition to this, he works as part time faculty at Loyola Marymount University, also in Los Angeles. Over his career, he has taught mural painting at several other schools and community organized events. 

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