Los Angeles River Series 61 (2021)

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During the summer of 2008, the Los Angeles River entered a brief but very critical period in its life as an urban waterway. Unbeknownst to most Angelinos, the Los Angeles River was about to lose vital legal protections over much of its 51-mile course due to a critical ruling by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Fearful of the consequences of such a decision, a group of pioneering clean-water advocates including Heather Wylie and George Wolfe devised a strategy to counter these events by organizing and filming a group canoe trip all the way from the river’s source in the San Fernando Valley to its mouth in the Long Beach Harbor to prove that the river was indeed navigable and deserving of protection. 

Threatened by helicopters and police demanding they abandon their canoes and vacate the river, their efforts changed the history of the Los Angeles River when it received permanent designation and protection as a navigable waterway under the Clean Water Act. The real life bravery of this daring group may be seen in two documentaries Rock the Boat (http://www.rocktheboatfilm.com/) and Heather and Goliath. (https://cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/7108/Heather-and-Goliath).

In Los Angeles River Painting 61 “Canoes that Changed History”, golden afternoon sunlight, in bold strokes of dusty orange and silvery yellow, silhouette two individuals navigating the Los Angeles River near its mouth in Long Beach. The Vincent Thomas Bridge and Port of Los Angeles container cranes rise above the horizon in the distance, typical of infrastructure along the shores of endangered urban waterways throughout the world.

If you are interested in this painting, you may like others that are available in the Store. If you would like to learn more about the City of Los Angeles' River Project, explore the links below.

More on the Los Angeles Revitalization Project

City of Los Angeles River Revitalization Project