YLPL Art

Art Rescued from Closing Yorba Linda Public Library

All of us are enjoying the new Yorba Linda Public Library with its expansive spaces and new Cultural and Arts Center. To make changes, some pieces of original artwork purchased by the Library in 1993 were going to be left for demolition with the old building. The Yorba Linda Save The Mural Coalition has expanded its scope to preserve the Donor Tree, some paintings, and large wall installments.

Yorba Linda Public Library Donor Tree
This beautiful piece of art was designed by Natalie Roach and created by John Hyma in 1991-2 as a means for expressing thanks to the community members who supported the newly renovated Yorba Linda Public Library. The contributions from the people named on this Donor Tree were used to purchase art works for the library.

John Hyma was a member of the Yorba Linda Library’s Board of Trustees when it was a District Library and then appointed to the Library Commission after it became a city library. He was very active with the Friends of the Library. John was a high school principal before retiring and woodworking was his hobby. Natalie Roach was the head Children’s Librarian and an artist.

Part of the project was the choice of special woods used for each donor level. It took several months to gather these rare and valuable kinds of wood from all over the world. The African purple heart (aka Amaranth) comes from Central and South America, and is known for its amazing grain pattern and unique color. The Brazilian cherry (aka Jatoba), which is popular with wood workers, is an exotic hardwood with breathtaking dark streaks that give it an amazing contrast and depth. African teak is a tropical hardwood of superior quality, texture, and strength. American black walnut (aka Eastern black walnut), one of the most unique species of wood, is prized for strength, grain, and color, and will develop a lustrous patina over time.

The library donor tree will soon be placed on display in the Yorba Linda Art Gallery at Caduceus in the Yorba Linda Packing House.

"Marketplace"
One painting by Libbi DeMartino, entitled “Marketplace”, was returned to her family through the combined efforts of the Coalition and the Genealogical Society of North Orange County, California (GSNOCC).

The story is told that a few years after Libbi Demartino's death, the family requested that the painting be returned to them. The librarian who could release the piece was not in the library when the family came to the library, and they were denied the request that day. Nothing happened from the 1990’s until now, when the Coalition took on the mission of returning the painting.

The coalition reached out for help in finding the family to return the painting. Norma Keating from YLPF & GSNOCC used traditional genealogy techniques to determine that the artist had died. However, help was needed to locate Libbi's living family. Investigative genealogy lady, Pat Williams of GSNOCC, was able to help. Within a few minutes, she located the son and other family members still living in Yorba Linda using people searching Internet sites. Some searches of social media located many more family members. The Demartino family is pleased to have the painting back in the family and will be proudly displaying Libbi’s beautiful work in their home. Special thanks to Norma Keating, Pat Williams and Lynne Yauger for enabling the return of this painting to the family.
Story adapted from GSNOCC newsletter, Oct 2020.

Vincent Demartino and his wife Victoria Jo with "Marketplace"

Other Art Pieces Recovered from the Yorba Linda Public Library

Plaster casts from the Children's section of the library.

Large paintings from the stairwell to the Children's section

"Anvil" by John Maxon Library Gift from 1992.

The Save the Mural Coalition has plans to sell/auction.