Emily Winters Venice Collection
Scope and Contents
The Emily Winters Venice Collection (circa 1930s; 1961-2024; undated, bulk: 1975-2005) contains 9 boxes and 9.25 linear feet of photographs, slides, sketches, illustrations, paintings, agreements, newspaper articles, and other material belonging to artist, Emily Winters. A majority of the collection relates to Winters' work as a muralist for Venice, California and features material related to JAYA MURAL, Endangered Species, and Liberty Through Learning. Also included in this collection are her illustrations for "The Coloring History of Venice, California Coloring Book", and Free Venice Beachhead; slides and photographs related to Winters billboard paintings; cartoons; contributions for the Venice Japanese American Memorial Monument; reference material related to mural work and painting; and other art. Series I: Personal Files contains certificates of recognition and appreciation; Art Institute of Chicago diploma; correspondence; payment stubs; invoices; articles; notes; and photographs belonging to Emily Winters. Also included in this series is a portfolio that features Winters' artwork, resume, and a brief biography. Series II: Artwork contains articles; photographs; slides; illustrations; sketches; agreements; and other material related to Emily Winters art. A majority of this series relates to projects located in Venice including two murals- JAYA MURAL, and Endangered Species and includes documents regarding mural refurbishment and repainting; dedication programs; memorandums; correspondence; press releases; and others. This series also includes other artwork including illustrations for "The Coloring History of Venice, California Coloring Book"; cartoons; graphics; material related to Venice Japanese American Memorial Monument as a member of their committee; a Canoga Park Youth Art Center project; "Liberty Through Learning"; and other projects. Series III: Venice contains photographs; articles; issues of Free Venice Beachhead; obituaries; notes; posters; and other material related to Venice, California. Topics include: housing; artists; community members and residents; Lincoln Place; and others. Series IV: Art and Poetry (general) contains an issue of Grist: A Journal of Native Consciousness; Sherman Pearl poetry books; posters; and unlabeled sketches/illustrations.
Dates
- circa 1930s; 1961-2024; undated
- Majority of material found within 1975-2005
Creator
- Winters, Emily (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
There are no access restrictions on this collection.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Biographical / Historical
Emily Winters (1936-2024) was born and raised in Quincy, Illinois. She attended Chicago Art Institute majoring in figure drawing and painting, studying with painter John Rodgers Cox and Isabel McKinnon- a Bauhaus School advocate. In 1961 she married artist Ramon J. Cordova, and moved to Venice, California in 1963. It was in Venice that she raised two daughters- Genevieve and Camille; and worked as a commercial artist as a billboard painter for record companies, outdoor advertising, television graphic artists, animator; as well as a drawing and watercolor teacher at Rustic Canyon, and teacher of color theory at Santa Monica College Academy of Entertainment and Technology. Winters was also a social activist, a member of JAYA Women's Art Collective, founding member of the Venice Beachhead Collective which publishes the Free Venice Beachhead newspaper, founder and previous chair of the Venice Arts Council, served on the Grass Roots Venice Neighborhood Council 5th District, founding member of VJAMM (Venice Japanese American Memorial Monument committee), and supporter of Venice Community Housing Corporation. Winters also worked with the Neighborhood Pride program through SPARC (Social and Public Art Resource Center) to create two murals in Venice- JAYA MURAL (located on the corner of Dell Ave. and S. Venice Blvd.), which received a Spirit of Venice award; and Endangered Species (located on the corner of Ocean Front Walk and Park Ave.), which received a commendation from the City of Los Angeles. Throughout Winters' career, she also was featured in many exhibitions in Venice and Los Angeles, and published a book with S.E. Mendelson entitled "The History of The Venice Canals Coloring Book" in 1978.
Extent
9 boxes (three document boxes; one record storage box; two photograph boxes; three oversized boxes)
9.25 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This collection contains photographs, slides, sketches, illustrations, paintings, agreements, newspaper articles, and other material belonging to artist, Emily Winters. A majority of the collection relates to Winters' work as a muralist for Venice, California and features material related to JAYA MURAL, Endangered Species, and Liberty Through Learning; as well as her illustrations for "The Coloring History of Venice, California Coloring Book", and Free Venice Beachhead. Also included in this collection are slides and photographs related to Winters billboard paintings; cartoons; contributions for the Venice Japanese American Memorial Monument as a member of their committee; reference material related to mural work and painting; and other art.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into four series:
- Series I: Personal Files, 1961-2018; undated
- Series II: Artwork, 1975-2024; undated
- Series III: Venice, circa 1930s, 1971-2023; undated
- Series IV: Art and Poetry (general) circa 1930s, 1981-2005
Physical Location
Oversized material is located in map case 2, drawer 14.
Creator
- Winters, Emily (Person)
- Title
- Inventory of the Emily Winters Venice Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Karen Clemons
- Date
- 2026-07
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections Repository
University Library South -5039 (Fifth Floor)
1000 E. Victoria St.
Carson CA 90747
310-243-3895
archives@csudh.edu