"The First Spring," a magnificent mural by the Danish painter Kay Nielsen, was commissioned by the Filipa Polia Foundation in the early 1940's. Nielsen was best known for his illustrations for East of the Sun and West of the Moon, and Hans Christian Andersen Fairytales.

Kay Nielsen was inspired by Handel's "Creation," and Genesis, the first book of the Old Testament, when he conceived the mural "The First Spring." The mural was dedicated to the children of Los Angeles in 1947 and was accepted by Vierling Kiersey the school superintendent at the time. The mural was painted in five sections and hung at Central High School which is now the Los Angeles Board of Education.

When Sutter Middle School, then Sutter Junior High School was in the planning stages and was built in 1949, the building which houses the school library was constructed specifically to house the mural.  In 1952, the mural was moved to Sutter, and in the process of moving it, parts of it suffered damage. Kay Nielsen was very upset about the damage and returned to Denmark. He was persuaded to return, and for approximately two years, he and his wife could be observed on a scaffold restoring the mural to its original glory. Nielsen also added a four leaf clover in the painting, and each year we challenge our students to find it.  During the time Nielsen was repainting the mural, Mrs. Lee Gibbons the librarian for whom the Library is named watched him in fascination.  

Sutter's library is truly a showcase thanks in great part to the mural. Numerous children and adults have had the pleasure of enjoying this art treasure.