Billy's Mural Conservation

The ceramic mural outside of Billy's Delicatessen in Glendale, California is threatened with imminent destruction.  The mural was created in 1970 by the ceramic artist Lee Whitten, whose parents were the founders of Billy's. Although the business and building were sold many years ago, the mural continued to represent the delicatessen to the community.  Now that Billy's has closed, the new business coming in does not want to keep the mural.  Your contributions to this fund will enable the Whitten family to retain SilverLake Conservation, experts in tile preservation, to save it. The scope of the work involves the professional removal and preservation of each of the 323 one-foot-square tiles, many in dramatic bas-relief. The tiles will then be preserved and stored until the family finds a permanent home for this unique work of art.  At that point the damaged ones will be properly repaired.  For more history and a complete photo see this article: Glendale News Press article on Billy's Deli