The Artistic Legacy of Los Angeles Banks: The Millard Sheets Studio’s Impact on Home Savings Buildings

Los Angeles-area banks are known for their stunning murals, mosaics, and sculptures, thanks to the work of the Millard Sheets Studio. The studio, led by artist Millard Sheets, collaborated with Home Savings bank buildings in the fifties, designing over 100 locations with intricate artwork.

Howard Ahmanson Sr., who purchased Home Savings and Loan in 1947, played a key role in the collaboration. The bank thrived by providing home loans to Southern California residents during the mid-century housing boom. Ahmanson’s vision for the bank buildings was to create structures that would remain exciting and relevant for decades to come.

The first bank collaboration between Ahmanson and Sheets was the Wilshire Home Savings in Beverly Hills. The buildings were characterized by travertine cladding, gold trim, mosaic, murals, stained glass, and sculptures celebrating family life and California history.

Sheets designed a total of 120 banks before and after Ahmanson’s passing in 1968. In 1998, Home Savings was sold to Washington Mutual, which later collapsed in 2008. The banks were eventually acquired by Chase.

As part of the Pacific Standard Time art survey, historian Adam Arenson will lead a tour of some of the Home Savings banks, showcasing the incredible artwork that adorns these iconic buildings. The legacy of the Millard Sheets Studio lives on in the beautiful and timeless designs of these Los Angeles-area banks.