Lynne LaFleur Mixes Art With The History of Palos Verdes By Writer and Contributor Emily McGinn
Lynne LaFleur has found a way to merge the history of the Peninsula with her art. LaFleur became interested in the history of Palos Verdes Estates as she learned more about the vision of city planner Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr.
“Palos Verdes Estates is the jewel in Olmstead Jr.’s crown, and I didn't realize that,” LaFleur says. “I began to realize that the city was incredibly important — the way it was designed, the philosophy behind it. So that's how I got involved.”
LaFleur designed a large poster project in honor of the area over the last century (1923-2023). The poster, titled “Palos Verdes Project 1923 - 2023,” showcases the history of Palos Verdes through a map of the Peninsula and historic illustrations, including La Venta Inn, Malaga Cove Library and the now disassembled Wayfarers Chapel.
The poster was presented as a gift to the City of Palos Verdes Estates and is now displayed in City Chambers, and it was exhibited at the Malaga Cove Library Gallery during the 100th Anniversary "Doors Open Peninsula" celebration with the Palos Verdes Library District in 2023.
LaFleur views her art as a way for the community to connect further with its roots and to preserve the history of the area.
“Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. is the reason we have the city we have,” LaFleur says. “He designed it street by street. His whole point is green corridors, park land, intelligent urban planning, where people can live and breathe. We've always felt it's really important for people to understand that, and that was really the inspiration for me putting together the big piece.”
LaFleur is a longtime resident of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. She grew up in Lunada Bay, attending Chadwick School before moving to New York City to pursue art at the Pratt Institute. She spent years working in graphic design and marketing. Eventually, she moved back to the Peninsula and rediscovered her love for painting.
Part of her passion for painting is connected to the roots of the Peninsula, as well. Palos Verdes Estates was originally designed to be a place for artists to gather, a fact that inspires LaFleur.
“When [Frank] Vanderlip was first designing this, he expected it to be a place where artists and people would gather. I believe that there were going to be artist studios where Golden Cove is,” LaFleur says. “It's just an incredible heritage. That's what got me going on this and I'm really grateful for my painting skills.”
LaFleur continued to build her skills through Zoom classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, painting some of the work — like “Blue Plate Special” — featured on her website. For LaFleur, art is a continual learning process. She looks to those around her for feedback and ways to improve.
“The challenge has been to challenge myself, to not take [anything] for granted. There's always something to learn,” LaFleur says.
LaFleur says that art is always an intimidating process, even after decades of work in the field. She recalls an interview with animator Chuck Jones as a piece of advice that stuck with her.
“They said, ‘Are you ever afraid when you start something?’ And he said, ‘Every day.’ That's what I think a lot of artists feel, and I do too,” LaFleur says. “Every day that you set something up and do it, you're like, ‘Oh no. Will I be able to do this? Is it going to come out the way I want it?’ And oil painting is still like that for me. You just have to put the brush in the paint and put it on the canvas. It's scary every time. Sometimes you just want to sling these things off the cliff. But that's part of the learning.”
As she moves forward, LaFleur is hoping to do more outdoor painting and potentially travel to Europe to create more art pieces in different environments. In the meantime, she invites residents to enjoy her Palos Verdes-based work as a way to remember and learn about the history of the Peninsula.
You can check out her work at her website and look at her Palos Verdes series here.
Bio:
Emily McGinn is a journalist based in the Los Angeles area. She enjoys reporting on and writing about a variety of topics from lifestyle to news, especially in her areas of specialty, environmental science and political science.
