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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E280]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO JEFFREY HERR
______
HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF--
of california
in the house of representatives
Monday, March 9, 2020
Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Jeffrey Herr, who is
retiring from the City of Los Angeles as Curator of the Hollyhock House
in Barnsdall Park, Los Angeles and Curator of The Watts Towers in Los
Angeles.
For more than three decades, Mr. Herr has dedicated his career to the
preservation, appreciation, management and creation of the arts. From
his early years as an intern at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
(LACMA) to his present position as Curator of two notable institutions,
Jeffrey has had a significant impact on the historic, arts and cultural
community in Los Angeles.
In 1988, after his internship at LACMA ended, Mr. Herr became a
Research Assistant in the Decorative Arts Department at LACMA, and then
the Assistant Gallery Director at the Couturier Gallery, which
specialized in the American Arts and Crafts era, where he designed,
curated and installed art exhibitions. Following that, he joined the
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)'s Extension Program, where
he created and presented lectures on the American Arts and Crafts
movement.
Mr. Herr's long and illustrious career with the City of Los Angeles
began in 1990 when he was selected as Curator of the City's Department
of Cultural Affairs for three years, arranging exhibitions for
galleries such as the gallery in the Hollyhock House and at the Los
Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, before moving on to become Arts Manager
of the department, where he oversaw a cultural grants program that
awarded three million dollars annually to 250 arts organizations and
artists. In 1996, Jeffrey accepted the position of Director of the
Banning Residence Museum, implementing and overseeing professional
museum standards and restoration of the historic 1864 Victorian
structure.
In 2001, Mr. Herr became the Arts Manager of Los Angeles' Department
of Cultural Affairs for the second time, managing special projects such
as publishing and editing the Landmark L.A.: Historic-Cultural
Monuments of Los Angeles and acting as the liaison with local agencies.
In 2004, Jeffrey became the curator of the world-famous Hollyhock
House, where he capably oversaw its preservation and interpretation.
The 1921 residence, commissioned by Aline Barnsdall as a cultural arts
complex, was designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright with Ms.
Barnsdall's favorite flower, the hollyhock, incorporated into the
home's design. In 2019, under Mr. Herr's leadership, the Hollyhock
House became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as one of the eight Frank
Lloyd Wright sites in the world. In addition to his work at the
Hollyhock House, Jeffrey is also the Curator of The Watts Towers, a
National Historic Landmark, where he directs its preservation and
conservation.
Jeffrey Herr was born and raised in East Berlin, Pennsylvania and
moved to Los Angeles in 1987. He completed his BA in English Literature
in 1972 at Azusa Pacific University and MA with Honors in Art History
in 1988 at California State University, Northridge. Jeffrey and his
husband, Christopher Molinar have lived the Los Angeles neighborhood of
Silver Lake for the past 27 years.
I ask all Members of Congress to join me in congratulating Jeffrey
Herr for three decades of outstanding service with the City of Los
Angeles.
____________________
