Extraordinary private art collection on loan at renovated $6.5M DA Blodgett

By: Deborah Johnson Wood

Last week, the renovated former DA Blodgett Home for Children opened its doors to the public with a formal ribbon cutting ceremony. While much of the renovation involved the restoration of the circa 1908 exterior—four 36-foot terra cotta columns, nearly 1,300 smaller ornamental pieces, and the restoration of thousands of historic bricks—the interior finishes are adorned with significant art pieces from a private collection.

The artwork is from the personal collection of Howard and Roberta Ahmanson, residents of Southern California. The Ahmansons are longtime friends of Jonathan Bradford, executive director of the Inner City Christian Federation, the organization who spearheaded the building renovation and whose offices occupy the building.

"The Ahmansons have an extraordinary collection of fine art," Bradford says, "and they have made a commitment to rotate portions of the collection on a regular basis."

The first of the art to arrive in time for the grand opening were pieces by William Kurelek, a Christian artist and one of Canada's most prolific painters and illustrators.

"We're extremely honored by the Ahmansons' loan of their art," Bradford says. "They share our belief that beauty is a fundamental component of justice."

Source: Jonathan Bradford, Inner City Christian Federation

Photograph by Brian Kelly

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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth. She can be contacted at [email protected].

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