Carlos Almaraz and Elsa Flores papers
name: label: Creator
content: Almaraz, Carlos
label: Creator
content: Flores, Elsa
label: Names
content: Los Four (Art group)
topic: label: Occupation
content: Painters -- California -- Los Angeles
label: Occupation
content: Muralists -- California -- Los Angeles
label: Topic
content: Latino and Latin American artists
label: Topic
content: Women artists
label: Topic
content: Chicano art movement
label: Topic
content: Women muralists
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Sketchbook and journal volumes 1-78 were lent for microfilming by Elsa Flores in 1991. Sketchbook and journal volumes 79-84 were donated, some by Carlos Almaraz in 1986 and the remainder in 1991 by Flores and microfilmed onto reel 4587, fr. 93-456. In 1997, additional papers were donated by Flores.
creator: label: Creator
content: Almaraz, Carlos
label: Creator
content: Flores, Elsa
setName: label: See more items in
content: Carlos Almaraz and Elsa Flores papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of painters and muralists Carlos Almaraz and Elsa Flores measure 7.9 linear feet and date from 1946 to 1996. The collection documents the careers of both artists through biographical material, correspondence, writings, professional files, personal business records, printed material and artwork.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Carlos Almaraz (1941-1989) was a painter and muralist in Los Angeles, California. His wife Elsa Flores (1955- ) is also a painter and muralist. Almaraz and Flores collaborated on the mural California Dreamscape as part of the Chicano street arts movement. 

Almaraz was born in Mexico City, moving to Chicago in 1942, and settling in Los Angeles in 1949. He studied at California State College, the Otis Art Institute, and the University of California in Los Angeles.  He moved to New York City in 1965, where he studied at the Art Students League and New School of Social Research. In 1970, Almaraz returned to Los Angeles. He became active with mural painting within the Mexican American community in Los Angeles. Along with Gilbert Lujan, Beto de la Rocha, and Frank Romero, Almaraz founded the artist collective Los Four. 

Elsa Flores was born in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her mother was born in Sinaloa, Mexico, and her father was  of Arab descent, born in Chile after his paretns fled the Middle East. Elsa studied at the Art Center College, California State University, and the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts. Almaraz and Flores married in 1981 and their daughter Maya was born in 1983. They collaborated on California Dreamscape, a mural commissioned by the California Arts Council and is located in the Reagan State Building in Los Angeles. In the late 1980s, Almaraz was diagnosed with AIDS and died in 1989.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 7.9 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1946-1996
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.almacarl
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Sketchbooks
label: Type
content: Drawings
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as seven series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1946-1994 (Boxes 1, 8-9; 0.5 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1974-1996 (Boxes 1-4, OV 10; 3.0 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings, 1972-1994 (Boxes 4, 8-9, OV 10; 0.8 linear feet)

Series 4: Professional Files, 1973-1994 (Boxes 4-5, 9, OV 11; 0.8 linear feet)

Series 5: Personal Business Records, 1974-1995 (Box 5; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 6: Printed Material, 1972-1995 (Boxes 6-7. 9, OV 10; 1.0 linear feet)

Series 7: Artwork, circa 1975-1996 (Boxes 7-9; 1.4 linear feet)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Sarah Mundy in 2018.
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: Sketchbooks and journals, including those lent for microfilming, are available on 35mm microfilm reels 4578-4587 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Sketchbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of painters and muralists Carlos Almaraz and Elsa Flores measure 7.9 linear feet and date from 1946 to 1996. The collection documents the careers of both artists through biographical material, correspondence, writings, professional files, personal business records, printed material and artwork.

Biographical material includes documents regarding Almaraz's death, identification documents, and a few photographs and slides. Correspondence is with family, friends, galleries, museums, and arts organizations. Writings include nine journals belonging to Almaraz and Flores containing travel notes, daily activities and personal thoughts, as well as writings on other topics and writings by others. Professional files document the Los Four group, projects, events, exhibitions, and memberships with arts organizations. Personal business records include legal and financial material along with records relating to Almaraz and Flores's house in Kauai, Almaraz's scholarship fund, and for Almaraz Studio. Printed materials include publications featuring artwork and articles by or about Almaraz and Flores. Original artwork includes sketchbooks, drawings, cutouts, and a watercolor.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Also found at the Archives of American Art is an oral history with Carlos Almaraz conducted by Margarita Nieto from February 6, 1986 to January 29, 1987 and an oral history with Elsa Flores conducted by Jeffrey Rangel from February 18, 1997 to April 30, 1997.
separatedmaterial: label: Separated Materials
content: The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of sketchbooks and notebooks (volumes 1-78) lent for microfilming (reels 4578-4587). Loaned materials were returned to the donor and are not described in the collection container inventory.