A Dignified Birthday In South Dakota!

2020 has altered a LOT of plans, and that's what happened to my birthday plans this year, like everyone else. As it's been an extra difficult year for me and mine (like everyone else), I really wanted to get away and do something special ... but that was not to be. Or was it? A closer, actually do-able plan took shape, as I've been dying to see the statue Dinity: Of Earth and Sky, located in Chamberlain, South Dakota.

I booked a room and put Mom in the car, and we set out to drive hours across the dusty, hot plains to look at a statue at a rest stop on the 90 freeway overlooking the Missouri River ... and it was totally worth it. I actually got a little emotional when we pulled up, as even just the word DIGNITY is so loaded to me right now. I thought it was funny to say "I'm aging with Dignity!", because I really want to (A lady doesn't share her age, but just know that I could legally be President. And probably should be.). But also the Dignity of our Native people, who have been so mistreated in this country, but are still so beautiful and resilient, and yes, DIGNIFIED, that it's very emotional for me. The racial unrest in this country also came to mind, as well as my Mom who has handled losing her leg with such dignity, and she was with me, and had me on this day, and we were together doing fun things in spite of it all  ... so yeah, loaded. 

 The 50 foot tall Native woman created from stainless steel by sculptor, Dale Lamphere, is one of the most stunning works of sculpture I've ever seen. 

Three different Native women served as the models for the Plains woman receiving the traditional Star quilt of the area tribes. The blues in the quilt are representing the water and sky that surrounds it. It's something else. I met a lot of people there taking pictures and generally standing around in awe as the sun set into the river. Many of them did not know this work of art was here and were just going to the rest stop where she resides. A few, like myself, were there as their final destination, like the female biker couple who had ridden 500 miles from Iowa just to see her. I understood. 

When the sun sets, Dignity lights up and becomes even more beautiful.  We visited the Akta Lakota Sioux Museum the next morning, and they told us that they are going to be adding fringe to Dignity's quilt, so they will move in the wind. And now I have to go back. 

The museum was awesome, with a ton of information about the Dakota, Lakota, and Sioux tribes of the Plains - as well as an awesome gift shop. It's located on the campus of the St. Joseph Indian School, a free boarding school for Native kids to learn and keep their traditions alive. Super cool. 

There is a beautiful medicine wheel outside, where my Mom offered up a prayer to all of the directions. I can't believe I had never been to South Dakota before, and am so happy to be able to check off another state on my list. I will say that not a single person seemed to care about Covid in South Dakota, so that made me a little bit nervous with Mom, but we took every possible precaution and stayed far away from others. No masks, everything was open (even pool and hot tubs!), and I overheard an old dude say "I turn down my hearing aids when anyone brings up Covid." Yeah. So, use your best judgement. 

I was tempted to keep on going to the Black Hills and The Badlands, but we only brought enough meds for the one night, so back we had to head. I think I'll wait to hit those more touristy spots until all of this mess dies down, but now I know that I'm really into it. I didn't get a chance to respond to any birthday messages or anything with all of the driving, so please don't feel bad if I haven't called you yet - I will! 

We headed back to Minneapolis in 100 degree heat, but we had the air on in the car so it was fully pleasant as we watched all of the gorgeous scenery fly past (80 is the legal speed in SD!). I had heard about a new mural in Mankato, Minnesota that covered huge silos, so that's where we headed next on the way home. 

WOW. The work by Guido van Helten is about the same height as Dignity (maybe taller), and depicts Native kids in what looks like a black and white photo but is in fact a painting. I had to climb down across some railroad tracks (and wait for a massive cargo train to go by) to see all of its angles, and it really is something else, there for everyone to see as they fly down Highway 169. 

 Birthday 2020 definitely had a Native theme, and I'm so happy that at least this part of the world shows them the absolute reverence (and apologies!) they deserve. This is truly THEIR America, and it's high time we all start acting like it. Thanks. 

Yesterday was also the picture wrap of our documentary film, 90291: VENICE UNZIPPED!! The crew had some pick-up shots to get yesterday, and when they were done they FaceTimed me and I talked to and thanked everyone for all of their passion and hard work from the side of the road in the 100 degree South Dakota sun ... and was once again emotional. We could never have imagined how much things would change in the world during the production of this film ... and make our topics of income inequality, gentrification, homelessness, and art in our BELOVED Venice even MORE timely. 

Everyone kept their heads down and continued to do the work, and now we will have a beautiful, important film to share with the world, and maybe help to make it a little better. I'm SO proud of the crew, and of this film, and of the wonderful hearts, minds, and souls that made it all happen. I'm bursting with love and just can't wait for it to be out in the world! 

 

So, Birthday 2020 is behind me and now I can kick off a new, cool year ... PHEW! Made it through another one! Gratefully, for sure. Please put beautiful Dignity on your list of must-sees, because it's just stunning (and I think a lot of people just fly by the hill if they don't need the rest stop, because the Missouri River lying ahead is so majestic you might now even notice the sculpture up above unless you know about it)!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CARED AND MADE ME FEEL SPECIAL AND LOVED! I love you. I thank you. I hope I can actually party with you soon! I can't wait. Love, your Ceej

The 40th Anniversary Venice Art Walk!

The forecast said rain for Sunday, and that would be a major drag for the 40th anniversary edition of the Venice Art Walk to benefit our Venice Family Clinic ... but the sun came out just in time, and the day was glorious in every way.

We were shooting artists and families for our documentary 90291: VENICE UNZIPPED, so it was extra great that the rain stopped, like PHEW. I didn't get around to as many artist studios as I usually do, because we were shooting, but I did get to race through the Google campus to see the silent auction part of the day. There didn't seem to be as much art in there as most years, but I didn't have as much time either, so all was well - and there was plenty of art to be seen.

The Gold's Gym parking lot was decked out as a family fun zone, complete with a rainbow balloon arch to welcome you, as we were looking for real rainbows in the sky.

So many local (and global) artists support the Venice Art Walk, and the Venice Family Clinic supports so many artists - and regular people too. Health care is such an issue in this country, and that we have a resource that looks out for everyone - regardless of income - is a special gift, and really the point of the entire event and day.

I had just been to the wonderful We Rise L.A. opening night a couple nights before, so my head was full of art that actually matters, and was happy to see that the artists representing Venice were also using their heads and talents to make their points.

There was a lot of great work, and I just quick snapped shots of the ones that I'd want to have in my own home, like the California Bear.

I met a woman named Kim Schoenstadt at a party the night before, and she told me her work would be in the Art Walk, so I looked for it and found it there. It's pretty cool, as it's kind of paint by number, and you buy the outline, then fill it in yourself for an interactive piece. Cool, right?

There was work by people you see on the streets of Venice every day, and there was work from people that aren't living anymore. There were things with low opening bids from up and comers, and there were real expensive pieces by dudes like Ed Ruscha.

The signature artist this year was Laura Owens, whose work was not only up for auction, but adorned all the official tote bags this year.

This year they had a bunch of Art Walk artists do their own version of a dog sculpture, and the individually decorated hounds were also up for auction.

There are always a lot of cool people roaming around the Venice Art Walk, but probably the coolest this year was Flea, who was not trying to blend in with his entirely purple outfit, yellow shoes, and pink hair.  Californication personified!

Andy Moses had a piece that reminded me of really good Spin Art, and it made me think of his dad, Ed, who we lost last year.

One of my favorite pieces inside was one that said "Good Night, Sleep Tight" with words made of a collage of hotel/motel ephemera from a Crosby, Stills, and Nash tour. How cool, and it also touched my heart because that is what our Mom has always said before we went to sleep.

The Beer Garden area was crowded and jumping, with people happy to be outside enjoying the sunshine and art.

I had to race off to meet back up with my film crew, but quickly stopped off to see the great work by M.B. Boissonnault in her studio. We had interviewed her for our documentary earlier in the day, as one of our favorite Venice artists and a woman with great things to say. There was a constant flow through her studio, so our visit was brief, but gratifying. Thanks, M.B.!

From there it was a short walk over to the studio of Tanja Skala and Greg Falk, who were our next subjects to film for an interview. I always love my visits to this husband/wife team and the incredible studio of theirs that they built themselves from scratch. Skala always does a riveting, profound performance piece for the Art Walk, which are always a highlight of the day for me each year. This year found Skala and her friend acting as doctors, giving prescriptions of "Empathy Pills" to the patients that came through.

They sat in front of a periodic table of human emotions, and as you stood in front of it, you really got that of all of the emotions that we feel, empathy is the one most needed in this world right now.

That is true for our film also, and in interviewing Skala and Falk (with his amazing work upstairs that includes a speed wheelchair made from skateboard parts! Giving back!) we realized what a good summation it also is for our project. In examining income inequality, homelessness, gentrification, and art in our community, the number one thing most needed right now IS empathy.

That is also true of the Venice Art Walk itself. Artists of all levels contribute to the event to give back to the clinic that helps other members of their community in a beautiful example of yes, Empathy.

I didn't get to see as much art as I would have liked this year, but what I did see was beautiful and moving ... and all for a wonderful cause! It was also great to see so many locals out and about enjoying art in and about the heart of Venice.

Thank you to the Venice Art Walk crew for another excellent year of art and empathy! Love.

A Sunday Rally To Save Venice - A Celebration Of Venice History And Diversity

Yesterday was a beautiful day in Venice, and a special one too. A rally was held at the First Baptist Church of Venice at E.L. Holmes Square (7th and Westminster) to celebrate both our town's diversity, and a year and a half of resistance against the sale of the historic church.

There are rallies on the steps of the church every Sunday, and this one was extra great. We were going to film it for our Venice documentary, 90291: VENICE UNZIPPED as part of the history of this beloved place we call home, so organizer Mike Bravo helped us gather the troops to make it a great one.

Venetians of all races, religions, ages, and genders came together to offer our respect, and our solidarity. We stood together all afternoon to show everyone that Venice remains strong and together, not divided like VNC meetings would have you believe. The Sunday rallies are in opposition of the sale of First Baptist  Church to a single family (the Penskes, and seriously, what is wrong with them?! Why would you want to live there after all of this resistance?! Go away.), but it's really about much more than that. It's about the history, the diversity, and the community - and everyone gathered around on this Sunday was determined that those things that make Venice great aren't going anywhere.

Friends, neighbors, and supporters showed up with refreshments to share, chalk, sign making materials to share ... everything, including wisdom and solidarity, was to share. Several Reverends spoke with passion and enthusiasm, getting everyone to shout "Amen!" along with them as they told of the history of the Church. It was about more than religion, as all were welcome as a community center, every day of the week.

Elders like the wonderful Jataun Valentine, Laddie Williams, and Naomi Nightingale spoke to the history and to the struggle of both the Church, and the Oakwood community. Anyone that doesn't know the history of Venice would do well to sit at these ladies' feet and learn something. They spoke about how Venice never used to have tall fences that kept people out ... it was more about longer tables than bigger walls. People knew their neighbors. People stuck up for their neighbors. And that's what we were all doing yesterday.

Mike Bravo sang a song and banged his drum, and told about the Mexican and Indigenous people that have also been here for generations ... always. Sage was burning and you could actually feel the presence of ancestors on this sacred space - you really could.

Children made signs next to adults, passing the respect down to the next generations. People drew with chalk in the streets to let everyone know what was going on, and urged those biking or walking by to stop and join in the fun, and in the history. Caviar from Horny Toad played songs on the steps, as did Peter Demian, playing "Amazing Grace" and "Hallelujah" in his gravelly Tom Waits-y style (mentioning that he may have dropped a little acid prior. Classic.).

While we were interviewing Ms. Valentine for the doc, we had to contend with a zillion small airplanes flying over, and then another noise got our sound man's attention. It sounded like maracas shaking, and when we looked down the street, here came a man in full Aztec regalia, ankles and wrists covered in shells that were making the rattling sounds.

The Aztec dancers had come to show their solidarity, and their respect for the spiritual center we all stood on. It was so cool. The dancers blew shell horns and placed offerings on the steps of the church, and then treated us all to their native dances.

The drumbeats kept time, and the shells rattled along, as passersby in cars slowed and people came out of their houses to see what was going on.

It felt emotional to me all day, but this was chill inducing, as the area's history became tangible in our faces. It was something else.

There were a lot of people getting up to speak for the open mic part of the afternoon, and David Busch had "More Love" to give. That was a powerful aspect to the day, that you could look around and see people that have their own causes, and the people present on this day were the ones that participate in each others' issues - because that's how you create a strong community. The ones that stand up against chains. Against Snapchat. Against illegal sales of churches. That show up for the fun stuff too, but most importantly, the ones that show up for one another, and for VENICE. The ones that know that the People still have the Power.

The afternoon grew chilly, and Bravo had everyone join hands in a circle for the closing ceremony of the day. I got choked up looking around the circle, with all colors, ages, religions (or no religion), income levels ... all holding hands and there for the same thing - to stand up for our Venice. Each person said a little something, and all included thanks and love for everyone there in their message.

It was a powerful day, and a powerful group. That isn't going anywhere. I again offer my thanks and love, to everyone there and to everyone who cares ... because that's where it all starts. With loving and empathetic hearts that care about everyone who shares our community, not just themselves and their ever-higher walls. It was an honor and a relief to be surrounded by love-minded people that continue to make Venice a magical place of inclusion, diversity, color, and spirit.

Thank you all, and see you again soon!

Giving Tuesday! Be A Part Of 90291: VENICE UNZIPPED

Today is "Giving Tuesday", when you get hit up for your end of the year charitable donations. As all of the holiday frenzy begins and the year 2018 is coming to a close, it's a good thing to stop and reflect and think about ways we can all give. It's almost become a trite saying now, that it's better to give than to receive, but that feeling of helping someone else in some - ANY - way, really is what it's all about. I've never been that comfortable asking for help, but then I think about the homeless problem and all the ways that they all NEED help, and I can suck it up myself to try to help them/us. Because as we all know in Venice, it really does affect us all.

90291: VENICE UNZIPPED has been shooting all over Venice the past month, which means we've used up most of our fundraising so far, and need more to continue telling our Venice stories by shooting more, editing, and marketing it to get it out there. And it's gonna be GOOD. I've laughed. I've cried. I've been outraged. I've been inspired. I've been encouraged. I've been moved ... and all of that is just from watching as we film. It's going to be something else once it's up  on the screen.  Everyone will be able to see and feel themselves and their communities worldwide, as this income inequality problem is everywhere - and doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon.

Affordable housing and the homeless crisis are hot button issues these days in Venice, and there's a lot of complaining about it, without many solutions being offered up by the complainers. I wrote about the VNC meeting with the Rose project being discussed last week, taking no real side on it, because I'm not sure housing just a few families makes much of a dent in the problem, but I do know that something simply MUST be done.

One charming gentleman (I'm dripping in sarcasm here) called me a "Silicon Beach girl" on the Venice Community Facebook page for my efforts, which tells me that people often really have no idea what they're talking about, and should maybe just zip it until they do have some understanding on any given topic. I'm still fuming about that one a little bit, as I can't stand that lame (mainly real estate developer) term, and everyone who knows me knows it. But you still have to speak your truth to power, and do that the best that you can.

So, I'm here, asking if readers might like to contribute toward our making the film that I truly believe will share with the world what is happening with the art and artists of Venice ... and how we can make sure that this place remains something special.

You'll meet our artist families ... one homeless, one in transition, and one doing great, as well as hearing from members of our community that make the place still one of the most interesting and eclectic places on the globe (indeed, in walking around on the Boardwalk and Abbot Kinney you mainly hear foreign tongues, so everyone from everywhere seems to know and love our Venice). You'll be a fly on the wall at contentious Town Hall meetings, where you can really see where priorities tend to line up according to one's fiscal standing, rather then their humanity. You'll learn about Venice history, and how we got here. You'll see the absolute squalor that some of our community lives in, and also see the events that make the very same town radiate with joy and fun. You'll see it all, the awful AND the wonderful.

We need funds to continue telling these crucial stories. We need funds to live on also, as none of the principal members of the production team have taken any salary on this project this entire year, doing other odd freelance things to keep ourselves going the best we can while doing this absolute passion project. We all feel that income inequality is THE issue of our time, and we want to try to do something about it. Once people are talking about an issue, traction builds, and that tends to become action. That is our goal for this film.

If you are able, please go to our IDA (International Documentary Association) page and make an end of year tax deductible donation to this, we feel, very worthy cause. This is the story of this time and place in Venice, and ALL of the people who make up this last beach community of color, this place where art meets crime/eviction, and this place that lives in our hearts, now and always.

We can't wait for you to take part in, and to ultimately see our vision for 90291: VENICE UNZIPPED come to fruition with your help. Thank you for your consideration!


DONATE HERE!