The Tribute by Martin Mondrus (born 1925), 26 x 36 inches oil on canvas. Class of Winter 1954.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Bruce Dalrymple President (Class of S’1961)
Bruce Dalrymple was born and raised in Southern California and he graduated from Gardena High School in 1961. He received double Bachelor of Science degrees in Recreation Administration and in History, both from California State University at Long Beach. He has accumulated over 100 units in graduate level study through various colleges including Pepperdine University, La Verne College (now University of La Verne), and UCLA. Bruce worked for 36 years as a 5th and 6th grade elementary school teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District, and retired in 2004. He has had a side career in music, having performed in groups and as a soloist, and was a substitute music teacher with the Palos Verdes Unified School District. He serves on the Music Board for the Neighborhood Church in Palos Verdes Estates, organizes and hires entertainers for summer concerts at the church, for the Palos Verdes Breakfast Club, and for the Wednesday Summer Concert Series at the Palos Verdes Estates Library.
"I first became aware of the art at Gardena High School as a student when many paintings were on display in the halls and in the school library. I developed a love for art while traveling in Europe and the United States visiting numerous well-known museums. I joined the Board of Directors of the GHS Art Collection in 2012 with the hope of restoring the paintings, making them available for public viewing, and developing educational opportunities for the students of Gardena High School as well as all schools in the Gardena community and the Los Angeles Unified School District." - Bruce Dalrymple
Simon K. Chiu Vice President
Simon K. Chiu serves on the Board of Directors at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California, and is the Chair of it’s Collections and Acquisitions Committee. He served on the Board of Councilors at University of Southern California (USC) School of Architecture. He is an honorary trustee at the Palm Springs Art Museum, and a founding member of its Architecture and Design Center in Palm Springs, California. From 2005 to 2015, Simon served on the Board of Directors at the Pasadena Museum of California Art, at which he lent his support in fundraising activities, exhibition programming, and research publications among other responsibilities. He initiated and involved in organizing major early California artist’s retrospective exhibitions and publications, including Edgar Payne: The Scenic Journey (2012), Armin Hansen: The Artful Voyage (2015), E. Charlton Fortune: The Colorful Spirit (2017), Granville Redmond: The Eloquent Palette (2020). Simon earned a Master of Engineering in Membrane Lightweight Structures, at the TU Wien, and a Master of Real Estate Development and Bachelor of Architecture at USC. In addition, he earned a professional certificate in Fundraising Management for Non-profit Organization at University of California, Irvine.
“I learned a great deal about the Gardena High School art program and the GHS collection at the beginning of my art collecting journey. In fact, one of my first acquisitions, "The Artist’s Studio" by Alson Clark, was exhibited side-by-side with GHS's “After the Shower, Cuernavaca” by the same artist (gift of the Winter Class of 1938) at the traveling Alson Clark retrospective exhibition at the Gibbes Museum in Charleston, and then the Pasadena Museum of California Art in Pasadena. In 2013, I was invited to join the GHS Art Collection Board. I am very pleased to serve on this Board, which was established by a group of alumni focused on providing much needed attention and long-term care to this unique art collection. I hope the GHS Art Collection will continue to preserve the cultural context and significance of this historic art program and connect the past, current, and future GHS students through funding of extracurricular art education programs.” – Simon K. Chiu
Craig K. Ihara Secretary (Class of S’1961)
Craig K. Ihara’s family settled in Gardena in 1949, after being deported to the Rohwer Arkansas Relocation Camp in 1942 and wandering about the Midwest since 1945. Craig graduated from Gardena High School in 1961, and received B.A. in Philosophy in 1965 from Stanford University, and a Ph.D. in 1972 from UCLA. In 1972, Craig joined the Philosophy Faculty at the California State University, Fullerton and enjoyed 37 years there until retirement in 2009. Craig continues to support CSUF through the Philosophy Department, the Asian American Studies Program, which he founded in 1996, and the Asian Faculty Staff Association, which he helped to establish in 1993.
“I joined the GHS Art Collection in 2009, at the behest of Eiko Moriyama. I had learned about the collection from a Huell Howser episode of “California Gold” that aired around 1999. I remembered being stunned to learn that my old school not only had a collection of art, but a valuable one at that. I vaguely remember seeing a few old paintings in the library, auditorium and hallways of the old Gardena campus back in 1956, the last year before Gardena High moved to its current location. I think there were also a few paintings in the hallway of the new campus, but very few. I don’t ever remember seeing any displayed in the small gallery built for that purpose. I have been serving on the Board since 2010, and have learned a great deal about California Impressionist art, the complexities of preserving and displaying valuable paintings and the wonderful history of our collection. I hope that our efforts will help to ensure that the collection and its story will be preserved.” - Craig K. Ihara
BEA WALKER Treasurer
Bea Walker is a native Southern Californian, growing up in the South Bay. She attended San Jose State University, Chapman College, UCLA and Oregon State University, earning a degree in Literature, teaching credentials, and a Master's Degree in Counseling. Bea taught for Los Angeles Unified School District for over twenty years. Teaching at Harbor Magnet School in San Pedro, she created, edited, and published the school student literary anthology. During her teaching career she authored and was awarded a number of grants in computer science, literacy, writing, and the arts. Bea was recognized as an Outstanding Teacher of the Year by the district in 2004. She has served on a number of boards for nonprofit organizations in a number of capacities: trustee, chair, treasurer, secretary and publicity chair.
"I have a great love of art and an attachment to the area in which I grew up. When I first became aware of the Gardena student collection, I was particularly amazed by the paintings that captured so magnificently the beauty of the region. The era in which the pieces were collected is particularly noteworthy for artists in Southern California, and I recognized the special quality of this unique collection. I volunteered to assist at exhibitions of the collection and helped support its preservation and promotion. Now, as a member of the board, I look forward to helping make the collection regularly available for the enjoyment of the public and for the advancement of art education." - Bea Walker
KEITH COLESTOCK
Keith Colestock is a second generation native Californian. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (minor in History) at California State University, Fullerton. A Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), he worked in the investment field before retiring from a large San Diego based investment firm where he served in various investment roles as a limited partner of that organization’s parent company. Keith previously served on the boards of the Helix Community Conservancy (now San Diego Community Conservancy) and the San Diego New Children’s Museum. In addition, he was on the board of the Financial Analysts Society of San Diego (now CFA Society) where he was president from 1997-1998. He is currently on the board of the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy. Keith has lent research and curatorial assistance to exhibitions featuring works by early California artists Charles Reiffel and Anna Hills and in support of the centennial celebration of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition for the San Diego Museum of Art, Laguna Art Museum and San Diego History Center, respectively. Keith has also curated or co-curated two shows at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido that featured early California art.
“I became aware of the Gardena High School Art Collection when searching for paintings to be included in an exhibition of early California art that I helped organize. I became increasingly intrigued as I learned more about the collection and the story behind it. As a member of the GHSAC board I hope to help ensure the preservation of the collection and promote it emphasizing, to as large an audience as possible, its artistic importance and usefulness as an educational tool-and for the sheer pleasure it provides.” – Keith Colestock
FRANK DAVIES Principal, Gardena High School (2020 - present)
Frank Davies is the proud principal of Gardena High School in the Los Angeles Unified School District. He grew up in Southern California and attended California State University, Fullerton while working Resort Transportation and Parking Operations at Disneyland. He earned a bachelor's degree and master's degree in Education Administration. Frank previously taught sixth grade, beginning his career in education at Henry Clay Middle School in LAUSD. He enjoys time with his wife and two girls and during the past few summers, Frank disconnects for a few days backpacking a section of the John Muir Trail.
“As the Principal of Gardena High School, I was invited by Bruce Dalrymple, GHS Art Collection (GHSAC) President, to join the board in 2020. I had learned about the collection from the previous principal, Rosie Martinez, who contributed to the book “Gifted: Collecting the Art of California at Gardena High School, 1919-1956”. I was inspired by the GHSAC, and I invited Simon Chiu, GHSAC Vice President, to present the story to our student leadership. Included in the presentation was a photograph of the 1933 Gardena High School Library with Purchase Prize Exhibit on display. This photograph intrigued me and led the GHSAC to approve funding of selected GHS Art Collection prints. The prints will be displayed in the current GHS Library to add to the hope "that every student who passes through Gardena High School learns about the art collection and its history." - Frank Davies
Carol Ginder Kofahl (Class of S’1970)
Carol Ginder Kofahl graduated from Gardena High School in the Summer of 1970. She completed B.A. and B.S. degrees in English and Kinesiology at UCLA, then headed south to California State University Long Beach to earn an M.A. and teaching credentials in Adapted Physical Education and English. Carol has loved teaching for 39 years in the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District, where she currently serves on the Superintendent’s Cabinet and the District’s Common Core Committee for Physical Education. As an adjunct professor at Biola University since 1996, Carol teaches adapted physical education methods to Kinesiology majors. Carol also volunteers her time as a Chair of the Board of Directors for “The Yacht Clubs of Long Beach Charity Regatta for The (Long Beach) Children’s Clinic” and Shakespeare by the Sea. She also works as a community service liaison for her school’s Student Council.
"During my senior year on Gardena High School’s Student Council, we learned that A.S.B. properties included over 60 gifts from graduating seniors and Sister Cities. At Gardena High’s 100th Birthday celebration in 2006, some paintings from The Art Collection were on display. I was impressed. There were artists from the early 20th Century whose names I recognized from a class in California Art history. Extraordinary! A few years later, Janet Perdew Sinclair, the Historian for G.H.S. Art Committee, invited me to be on its Board because of my voluntary job as Editor-in-Chief of Mohicans, the G.H.S. Alumni Association newsletter. I enthusiastically continue to share the progress and vision of the Board to conserve and exhibit this beautiful Art Collection in perpetuity." - Carol Kofahl
Rosemary Martinez EX-OFFICIO, GHS Principal
Principal Martinez's profile will be uploaded soon.
Kathy Zimmerer-McKelvie
Kathy Zimmerer-McKelvie is Director Emeritus of the University Art Gallery, CSU Dominguez Hills where she retired in 2018 after 36 years. She has a BA in Art History with honors from UC Berkeley, and an MA in Art History from Williams College, where she was a Kress fellow. She was Director of the University Art Gallery at SUNY New Paltz, and a Rockefeller/NEA Museum Fellow at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. A curator and essayist, she has organized numerous exhibitions of California art and design, and she was project director for the conservation, exhibition and K-12 education project, “Painted Light: California Impressionist Paintings from the Gardena High School/Los Angeles Unified School District Collection” funded by the W.M. Keck Foundation. Since 1976, her essays and reviews have appeared in Art and Cake, ArtScene, Arts, Artweek, Images and Issues and exhibition catalogues.
“As director of the University Art Gallery, CSU Dominguez Hills, I began my association with this superb collection in 1997 when our former President of CSU Dominguez Hills, Dr. Robert Detweiler, appointed me as project director of the $300,000 W.M. Keck Foundation grant for the “Painted Light” conservation, exhibition and education programs. It has turned into a twenty-four year odyssey of history and art-in rediscovering and restoring this absolutely outstanding collection of California masterpieces that were collected by the Gardena High School students. I have been privileged to work with many wonderful people on this collection, from the supportive principals of GHS, to the passionate GHS alumni who have worked so hard to preserve these paintings and their educational context. The paintings themselves, which show an untouched land of rugged mountains, rolling hills and expansive coastlines, reveal a California filled with light and color. Their beauty is always an inspiration to me, as is the story of the students who collected them.” - Kathy Zimmerer-McKelvie
Susan Negrete (Class of 1965)
Susan McDuffee Negrete is a first-generation Southern Californian and graduated from Gardena High School in the Summer Class of 1965. She is proud to be a product of the California Public School System from Kindergarten through Graduate School. Susan matriculated at UCLA and attended California State University – Fullerton to attain her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Cultural Anthropology. She served on the American Association of University Women’s California Board of Directors from 2014-2016 and has held several southern California-based non-profit positions.
Susan has served on the GHS Class of 1965’s reunion committee since 1990 and the group organized and conducted an on-campus GHS Career Day in 1995 to honor their 25threunion. In addition to informal local “Meet & Greets” to stay connected, the Committee uses Facebook and email communications to ensure the class meets every 5 years. The closely-knit C’1965 has a unique interest in going out of town to celebrate their reunions. They’ve traveled to Hawaii, several times to Las Vegas, and cruised to Mexico. Their upcoming 2020 reunion will bring them back to California for the first time since 1990.
“I learned about the GHS Art Collection from reading the local Daily Breeze newspaper! I’d never heard about the Collection or made note of any of the art pieces displayed on campus when I was a GHS student; as a mid-sixties student on the ‘modern’ campus, we didn’t have that piece of GHS history impressed upon us. It’s been a wonderful discovery and I am very excited to support this important Gardena High School legacy.” – Susan Negrete
Pamela Nokes Rockwell (Class of S’1961)
Pamela Nokes Rockwell graduated from Gardena High School in 1961. She subsequently earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology and Recreational Therapy from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1965. She went on to earn a teaching credential from the California State University, Long Beach in 1969 and a Master’s of Education from National University in 1997. Pamela taught elementary school for twenty-four years and retired from teaching in 2007. While teaching and since retiring, Pamela has been an active member of her community. She has been a resident of Anaheim Hills for forty-two years. She was runner up for Citizen of the Year in 1995 and sponsored a “Day in the Country” event, benefiting the Crittenton Services charitable organization from 1991 to 2007. Currently, Pamela dedicates her time to the Ebell Women’s Club, the Crescendo Chapter of the Guilds of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, and the Gardena High School Art Collection Inc.
“I did not particularly appreciate art until I went to Peary Junior High School and was exposed to the beautiful paintings that now reside in the GHS collection. I remember studying in the library at Peary and enjoying the art hanging on the walls. My favorite painting was “Passing Ships”. Though I appreciated the art that we had at Peary and at GHS, I did not realize its importance until my first class in art appreciation at UCLA Since then, art has been an important part of my life. After my retirement, Eiko Moriyama asked me to donate some of my time to the GHS collection. I was very excited to have this opportunity. Through my work with GHS Art Collection Inc., I hope to be able to influence students to look toward the future and be of service to their communities.“ – Pamela Rockwell
Janet Halstead-Sinclair (Class of S’1950)
Janet Halstead-Sinclair's profile will be uploaded soon.
Eiko Moriyama Emeritus President (Class of S’1961)
Eiko Moriyama graduated from Gardena High School in the Summer of 1961. She earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Education at the University of Southern California. She worked for the Los Angeles Unified School District for 36 years as a classroom teacher, instructional advisor and Director of the Partnership Office. She also served as a Development Officer at the University of Southern California and educational consultant for BP. Currently, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Andy Vargas Scholarship Foundation and City Scholars Foundation.
"As an alumnus of Gardena High, and with three siblings who also graduated from Gardena (Class of Summer 1953, 1954 and 1959), I became aware of the paintings displayed on campus since my junior high school years at Peary Middle School, the old Gardena High campus. I became more aware of their history and value when I was approached by the President of the California State University, Dominguez Hills in 1998, who wanted to host an on-campus exhibit. That was the beginning of the most recently resurrected interest in the GHS art collection, with public display for others to share. It was from that experience that I decided to commit my passion and energy to help keep this Gardena High School Art Collection alive for years to come. Soon after my retirement in 2009, I helped established an art committee and Board of Directors to help guide, restore and exhibit this collection. This legacy that each class contributed through their donated artworks to the school will remain alive for the enrichment of future students at Gardena High." - Eiko Moriyama