Private Project

Curly

In June of 2006, the City of L.A. Department of Recreation and Parks granted the Chouinard Foundation, in the spirit of its namesake, an unprecedented partnership to bring free weekend art classes to the inner city of Los Angeles. As funding waned and the program closed, a documentary was created to depict the impact it had on its students.

“CURLY” follows Gustavo “CURLY” Fernandez as he flourishes within this free art program and delves into the roots of the Chouinard Foundation, their inspiration and history.

This multi-layered work Produced and Directed by Gianina Ferreyra and Edited and Co-Written by William Devin Walsh illuminates the rich legacy of Nelbert Chouinard and her school- the Chouinard School of Art, which is survived through rare, in-studio interviews with artists Larry Bell,
Chaz Bojorquez, Sam Clayberger, Guy Dill, Laddie John Dill, Llyn Foulkes, Joe Goode, Lou Paleno, Ed Ruscha, Peter Shire, Chuck Swenson, John Van Hamersveld, Theodora Van Runkle, Norton Wisdom and Gary Wong, who share their insight into what made their school LA’s cradle for creation.

Dave Tourjé, an artist who Co-Founded the Chouinard Foundation with Chouinard Artist & Alumni Robert Perine, recalls his arduous efforts to revive and establish the memory of this school with the humble beginning of having unwittingly purchased Nelbert Chouinard’s home in 1998.

  • Gianina Ferreyra
    Director
  • William Devin Walsh
    Writer
  • Gianina Ferreyra
    Writer
  • Dave Tourje
    Producer
  • Gianina Ferreyra
    Producer
  • Gustavo “CURLY” Fernandez
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Drama, biography, Nonfiction
  • Runtime:
    49 minutes 37 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 1, 2014
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director - Gianina Ferreyra