A Day In Venice Beach

I tend to be the one to avoid crowds most of the time.  I enjoy the peace and quiet of nature and the solitude that comes along with it.  Sometimes, I do enjoy the chaos and energy a big city brings.  Even though Venice is not a big city...spend an hour there walking along the strip on a weekend and you will know what I mean.

What I love about it is that everyone is welcome.  People from all walks of life come to gather.  There are kids living on the street, sharply dressed visitors, street performers, students, infants, grandparents, the affluent beach front home owners, the struggling artists, volunteers, addicts, religious groups, musicians, entrepreneurs, soul searchers, homeless people, athletes, and just about everyone else in between.

I spent the day strolling along and absorbing the energy around me.  I stopped to talk to some artists, visitors and the homeless.  Everyone has a story to tell and this would be the place to listen to them.  As chaotic as I might make it sound, somehow it works.  Everyone does their thing and for the most part, people let others do their thing as well.   I enjoyed talking to these two gentlemen (top left) and having them pose for me.  As usual, I gave them little direction and told them to look at each other.  They did that for about ten seconds, cracked up at each other and said, "that's so gay!"  It turns out that the out take is one of my favorite shots.  It usually works with couples but you never know... it worked for them.  Instead of getting an "adoring" shot, I got a great candid of their personalities shining through.

Venice is not the sanctuary for healthy living, by any means.  There are lost people, people who obviously are in need of help and you will find that others are there offering to do what they can to help.  However, there are stores that will be more than happy to keep you on the path that you choose to take.

What I love about it is that you are free to be yourself.  No matter who you want to be that day, you will be welcome on Venice Beach.  There are a few places in this world that give you the freedom to express yourself and be just who you are.  Thank you, Venice beach.

For more photographs of my day, click HERE.

Art:21, Walks And Lists

Each day I try and get out to take a walk on the beach. Usually, it's when the air is cooler, the sun is setting and I can feel the salty ocean breeze on my face. That is my favorite time. I like to walk where dogs are allowed too. I can't help but smile seeing how happy they are being on the sand,running around and splashing in the water...unlike their owners who are standing up on the bluff, waiting for them to come back.

I don't know if the owners mind that I take pictures of their dogs. I ask sometimes but usually they don't seem to mind.

The birds don't mind. I tend to take a lot pictures of them too, as you may have noticed. I wonder if they think, "oh great, here comes that crazy lady with the camera again."

For me, it's the best way I know how to relax. At least I try to relax. My mind sometimes wanders and I think about lists. You know, the constant "to do" lists that you try to remember to write down so you don't forget and then you check them off and more things come to mind that you have to write on the list that's stuck in your brain because you don't have a pencil? No? Ok, well...maybe it's just me.

One other thing I enjoy doing before I go to bed is watch at least one artist story on the PBS series Art:21. You can watch for free on your computer by clicking HERE

As they describe it, ""Art:21–Art in the Twenty-First Century” is the only series on television to focus exclusively on contemporary visual art and artists in the United States. Fascinating and intimate footage allows the viewer to observe the artists at work, watch their process as they transform inspiration into art, and hear their thoughts as they grapple with the physical and visual challenges of achieving their artistic vision."


Or it can be described..."You think you're crazy? Take a look at these artists! You'll feel completely sane after watching their process." Maybe it's that I feel at home with some of their stories. This one woman focused solely on water. She loved taking pictures of water.

That's it.

Someone who likes what I like! There must be others out there in the world that love to look at and take pictures of some obscure things as much as I do! It's a great place to go to if you are in a rut and want a new way of looking at things. Just like looking at art, these short stories take me through the process with them and I start to believe that whatever they are talking about is genius! Perhaps I watch it late at night in the hopes that the creativity will seep into my brain as I sleep. In any case, it's a great show. I would recommend a look.

Here are some things I saw on my walk of list making.