In Memoriam: Elaine Krown Klein (1924–2020)
We are sad to share the news that Elaine Adelle Krown Klein, longtime supporter of the arts and music at UCLA passed away on January 5, 2020.
Elaine was born in Los Angeles on February 29, 1924. An only child raised by a single mother who was unable to financially support her own early passion for making art, Elaine attributes her nascent love for practicing art to the wonderful teachers who encouraged her artistic expression as a child and provided her with necessary resources to explore her interest, despite her family’s limited financial means. With her late husband, Leo, Elaine established and successfully ran an accounting firm in West Los Angeles for more than 40 years. While she was not able to afford formal artistic training until much later in life, her formative years instilled in her a profound appreciation for the struggles that young artists encounter and an unyielding desire to encourage their pursuit of their passions, regardless of financial capability.
“It is a blessing to receive support
from someone who believes with such clarity of purpose
in the transformative power of the younger generations.
Hearing Elaine speak about the ways in which her own upbringing
did not always allow her to pursue her own passion for the arts,
and knowing that it was this experience that gave her the resolve
to establish this scholarship, is profoundly moving to me.”
JOHN HULSEY, ART, 2016-17 SCHOLAR
Elaine’s passion for philanthropy was ignited in the mid-1950s when she was invited to join The Affiliates of UCLA, a university service group composed of prominent women from the Los Angeles community. When the Affiliates established a student scholarship endowment fund, she quickly became an outspoken advocate for the arts – encouraging expanded support for students. Building on this commitment and enthusiasm, Elaine became a loyal supporter of the School of the Arts and Architecture and the musical programs that would form part of the foundation of The Herb Alpert School of Music.
In 1986, she and Leo established The Elaine Krown Klein Fine Arts Scholarship Fund to provide financial support to students across all of the arts. Over the past 34 years, Elaine’s scholarship has supported 225 aspiring artists, architects, designers, dancers and musicians, many of whom have gone on to build remarkable careers in their fields such as visual artists Meleko Mokgosi and Shana Lutker and dancer and choreographer Kevin Williamson. Elaine’s passion for and commitment to the young artists has cultivated an extraordinary living legacy: her scholars comprise a network of emerging and accomplished artists who span the globe and share a heartfelt connection to Elaine.
In 2015, Elaine established the Leo M. Klein and Elaine Krown Klein Chair in Performance Studies in the Herb Alpert School of Music.
“I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet Elaine and speak with her about her passionate support for artists. Her generosity molded the lives of hundreds of young artists at a time they needed both the financial support and emotional encouragement most,” said Eileen Strempel, inaugural dean of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. “A sculptor herself, her own artistry will live alongside that of hundreds of UCLA graduates who carry her memory forward.”
For Elaine, philanthropy was about more than writing a check. It was providing sustained encouragement to the individuals she supported while cultivating a legacy of generosity. Her hope was that as her scholars move through life they too will extend a helping hand to young artists in need.
“My heart is in the arts,” said Elaine in a 2015 interview. “I couldn’t live without music and art. I am very proud and happy that I can provide this kind of encouragement and support to young artists and scholars. I never dreamed I could do something like this – this little girl who couldn’t afford to buy a paintbrush when I was young. So, it makes me proud to leave a little image in the sand of time when I’m gone.”
"Elaine's encouragement and generous support enabled me
to have more time to focus on my passion for art and design.
The time she gifted me enabled me to explore how my design practice could serve others
rather than having to worry about my immediate and consuming concerns
of paying rent, tuition and other finances. Without Elaine's help,
I don't know how confidently I would have pursued a career in design.
While I am just one of many recipients of the Elaine Krown Klein Fine Arts Scholarship,
I feel so incredibly lucky to have been given the opportunity,
and I hope to pay forward the spirit of generosity that she has inspired in me."
DAVID HIROTSU, DESIGN MEDIA ARTS, 2014–15 SCHOLAR
“Elaine touched the lives of countless artists—including the 225 students that benefited from her scholarship” said Brett Steele, dean of the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture. “The UCLA community is forever changed by her generosity and her spirit will live on through the art and music these students create.”
Elaine is survived by her adopted daughter Lauren Segal and grandsons Jordan and Bradley, as well as her adopted son Raymond K. Dutton, who provided vital support to her and her husband Leo in their later years.
Elaine was remembered at a private service in early January. Anyone wishing to honor her enduring legacy at UCLA may do so by supporting The Elaine Krown Klein Fine Arts Scholarship Fund at the School of the Arts and Architecture at UCLA, Broad Art Center, 240 Charles E. Young Drive North, Broad Art Center Ste 8260, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1427.
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