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(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA— To commemorate Smokey Bear’s 75th year of delivering wildfire prevention messaging, replicas of iconic Smokey Bear scenes by artist Rudolph Wendelin will be on display through April 16 at the Gateway to Nature in El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument. This is the only stop in Southern California where the exhibit will take place during regular business hours, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. This is a free family friendly event. This exhibit is hosted locally by the Los Angeles Center for Urban Natural Resources Sustainability (LA Urban Center) as a stop on a larger national traveling exhibit.
Since 1944, Wendelin created hundreds of Smokey representations that highlighted national resource conservation and wildfire prevention. It is Wendelin’s more humanized representation of Smokey Bear that is commonly known today. Under his direction Smokey assumed his ranger hat, jeans and shovel. The touring exhibit consists of 16 replica pieces of artwork from the National Agricultural Library. For additional information please call the LA Urban Center at 213-628-3718.
