Jason Hill's Venice Stories

I've enjoyed the comic book style interviews of local characters in Venice Stories featured in both The Free Venice Beachhead and The Argonaut in the past few years, so sat down with its author, Jason Hill, to hear more about him and them, since we both clearly love our Venice tales.

We met up at Abbot's Habit (now rumored to be closing in not December, but June) to be in one of the spots that has been a second home to so many Venice characters over the years. Hill told me that he's a native Californian, where he lived until he was 10, and then it was up to Oregon, where he attended college and started his career in graphic design. He worked with companies like Nike, and got into computer graphics up there too. He met his girlfriend, Cary Lopiccolo, up there as well, and the two of them decided to head to Phoenix for a scene. They were there for ten years, and there Hill got more into the fine art arena, having shows of his works of painted photographs.

Phoenix got old and Hill and Lopiccolo were looking to get back to California, but somewhere with more of a small town feel. They thought Santa Monica, until they realized all the cool people (my editorial slant) were in Venice, as were the skaters and artists - and The Doors were here! - and the correct choice was made. They found a spot on Lincoln in 2012, and within a month of living here, considered it HOME, which they didn't expect, but were happy to feel. "People here tend to follow their dreams and reinvent themselves, and I was struck by how friendly and positive everyone is ... it's almost disarming. There's just a general optimism here." That is true, even though they got here kind of right in the midst of the big changes going on here and missed what we maybe consider the halcyon days of Venice, but still. The good vibes do persist.

While getting his design business (Jason Hill Design) up and running in Venice, Hill had the idea to interview some of the locals he'd met and been impressed by, and do them up in a comic book look and submit it to the local paper, The Beachhead. His first one was about the paddle out for Venice skate legend Shogo Kubo, and Venice Stories was born. Then it was one about Touch Of Evil being shot here, then one about the Gas House beat meeting spot, then he started doing interviews of local legends with one on Earl Newman. Hill has now completed 25 stories, which are collected in his new anthology, Venice Stories, Volume One.

Hill self-published the collection, with the idea that there will be 4 volumes, for 100 stories. There are just a few copies left of this first edition printing, and they can be found at In Heroes We Trust, or on Hill's website. There was an opening party at Danny's Deli that I had to miss, but most of the copies were snatched up there, though there will be more printings, and more volumes to come! Plus there is a new edition of Venice Stories in each first Argonaut of the month. Venice is also showing up in Hill's recent fine art, all of which can also be seen at his website, as well as work with branding companies like Sweetfin Poké. Nice.

"I get so much from the people of Venice, and living here, that I wanted to give back and do something FOR Venice," explains Hill (echoing pretty much exactly how I feel). Hill and Lopiccolo (who also documents Venice with her photography that you can see on her Facebook page, Venice California Photos Then and Now) love all the things about Venice that we all do ... the beach, the Boardwalk, the skaters, the Beat history, the global focal point, the fashion (you do tend to see things here first), and how there's a little bit of everything in the world right here. They love getting coffee at Deus, getting burgers at Hinano's, listening to Brad Kay's speakeasy era music at a real speakeasy era bar at The Townhouse, and kicking it outside at the Venice Ale House, where you've probably all seen them.

Hill has learned about Venice fast ... "You can't judge a book by its cover here. Someone could be a millionaire or homeless, but I think everyone is here for the beach town friendliness." Magical connections are made here every day, and you never know what may come from just starting up a conversation with a neighbor or passerby, and that's a hugely wonderful part of living here. Next time you see Jason Hill out and about, have a chat, and maybe you'll find yourself starring in one of his future Venice stories.

Hill's art will next be featured at the Venice Art Crawl mixer at The Lincoln on October 20th.

The Free Venice Beachhead Turns 45!

The Free Venice Beachhead turned 45 years old, and Venice celebrated last night. One of the last remaining free presses in the country, we try to tell the best stories, news and events of our beloved town every month. The entire thing is run on donations, and all the Collective staff are volunteers. It's a lot of hard work, and very behind the scenes, so it was fun to meet readers and neighbors at the party last night at Beyond Baroque, and make our world a little smaller.

People mingled in the lobby, drinking wine, eating snacks (all donated - thank you!) and catching up on the current events around town.

It was a packed house, and many in attendance had contributed to the Beachhead in some way during its existence. Juan was there with probably his best hat ever.

We had a merch table stocked with t-shirts, posters, magnets, and even phone covers! People were encouraged to donate or become sustainers of the paper, as every month it's a wondrous thing to come up with enough to print 10,000 copies for our readers.

After much fellowship and chatting (which continued in the lobby even during the program - that's where the wine was ...), it was time for music and poetry. 

The Venice Street Legends played a few Johhny Cash tunes with Kathy Leonardo and got toes tapping. Then Roger Houston, Hillary Kaye, Tina Catalina Corcoran, Krista Schwimmer and Pegarty Long all read poems about The Beachhead and special times they've had in Venice. It was surprisingly emotional, as I realized how very many people feel the same way I do about this wonderful place we live, and how much we all want to keep it special.

After a brief intermission, we had more fantastic poets share their talent and thoughts on their muse, Venice.  Ronald McKinley spoke of how his daughter contacted him after 15 years after reading a poem of his in our online edition. Karl Abrams and Mary Getlein read their always excellent works. Mary always just kills me with her heartfelt thoughts and gigantic heart. She even spoke-sang one of her poems, which I'd never seen her do. She dedicated one to Suzy Williams, who was about to play. It was beautiful. ALL the poems were beautiful.

Jim Smith brought along the very first copy of the Beachhead from 1968 - only four pages, but full of spirit. He read a poem he wrote in honor of the 45th year and we have to get it published as soon as we can. It was epic.

After all that depth and emotion (and humor!), it was time to cut loose and celebrate. Suzy Williams (backed up by Eric Ahlberg, Sam Clay and Steve Weisberg) tore it up (in her "I'm a Venice Beachhead shirt - get yours!), and even dedicated a song to ME, which gave me a lump in my throat. You write your stories but you never really know if people like them, or even read them, once they're out there, so it's always so gratifying to have someone say they mean something to them. Bless her.

By the last of Suzy's songs, the whole place was up and dancing.

 
We were celebrating freedom, celebrating the paper, but most of all, celebrating our Venice. 

Pegarty Long read a poem by her late twin sister, Philomene Long, the former Poet Laureate of Venice. I think it pretty much says it all ...

Venice, city conceived in imagination for imagination
With body intact -the canals, the welcoming houses
The people came. It happened - the magic -- unexplainable
Venice becoming the city imagined
A city like no other city on earth
Its community of Venetians giving her a soul
Bright. Transcendent. The soul of Venice
A gift, which cannot be bought nor stolen
This is the gift out right, freely given
To those open to receive it; for those who listen

But Venice transcendent still needs a body
It can be, has been, wounded
It can die; live on only in history

So we here today, as with previous Venetians
Welcome all as neighbor, loving freely
At the same time preserve and protect our radiant city
With magic and practicality
And with the hope of a pale green egg-almost iridescent
In a Venice afternoon light
That resolve passed on from those that have gone before us
For them as for ourselves, and for those that will follow
Will walk upon our footsteps into the next century
That the light of Venice not be extinguished
Nor diminished, nor simply be maintained.
But that light burn, burn, burn into a boundless luminosity!

-- Philomene Long

It's like Mary Getlein wrote in our current issue: "That is what's really great about Venice - people read your poems." Please support YOUR local paper in any way you can. Volunteer, donate, support financially, submit articles and poems. It is there for everyone. Happy 45th to our Free Venice Beachhead! Here's to many, many more.