Viva Venice! Viva Mexico!

The Venice Art Walls are at it again ... reflecting what's going on around us and making the social commentary that goes along with it. This weekend's graffiti news brought a piece that celebrates Venice, celebrates Mexico, and condemns Trump. Perfecto.

I'm on a Mexico trip at the moment (and will be literally this weekend) and it's really been on my mind a lot since the KRS-One show I went to a couple of weeks ago. That prophet said that we were standing on Mexico ... as this art piece (by I'm not sure because I can't make out that tag?) also states. Then we went outside and the hot dog cart ladies took off running from the cops because they were scared of ICE. Then there was this anti-Trump Wall banner hanging on Venice Boulevard. Then there was another checkpoint on Lincoln over the weekend that gets everyone scared about ICE more than DUI's. Then I went to see Rodrigo y Gabriela and absolutely swooned over the beautiful music being made by these Mexican treasures.

You can go anywhere in Los Angeles - or California as a whole, really - and see all the contributions made daily to our lives and economy by our Mexican friends. Did you ever see A Day Without A Mexican? Well, you should. L.A. would literally grind to a halt without them. They should be appreciated and thanked, not persecuted. It's ridiculous, and sad. So, I'm going to go celebrate a new year with all the color and flavor of a Mexican fiesta, and let them all know that we've got their backs - and that we're not all bad. Thank you to the Venice Art Walls artists, for always keeping it on the real real.

Viva Mexico! Viva Venice!

Help Every Youth Succeed

I like to regularly check out what's happening down at the Venice Art Walls, because very often what you see there is a reflection of current events, done in a fresh way. The news via art.

A lot of the time it's a big "Venice" or someone's personal tag style stuff, but often there is very conscious thought, as I saw this morning. HELP EVERY YOUTH SUCCEED. That really is the answer to our collective future. ALL our kids are precious. I saw Spike Lee's excellent MUST SEE Blackkklansman last night (HOLY. MOLY.), and the students have a chant ... "All Power to ALL the People!" which I feel is the mantra for all time - but especially these times.

When you have an idiot multi-millionaire like Betsy Devos as the Secretary of Education doing nothing for our youth, and a self-made man like LeBron James giving everything to our youth, you know that things simply MUST change ... from the top down to the bottom up. And soon, or this nice experiment in Democracy called The United States Of America will ultimately fail. Hate. Greed. Love. Generosity. It all starts when you're a kid. It's all taught. And it takes a village.

Teach your children well. Help every youth succeed.

A Rohitash Rao Show At Wabi Sabi - Eat Art!

There was a really fun art opening last night at Wabi Sabi, featuring the wonderful work of Rohitash Rao. There were so many friends, neighbors, and fellow artists crushed in for the reception that I almost felt kind of bad for the diners who perhaps weren't aware that they were going to be eating in the midst of a full on art show. But, hey - good for them. I was told that there was special "Shoe-shi Surrealist sushi" (?), but I never saw that. I like the creativity though. A lot. 

Rao is one of my favorite local artists, with his witty pieces that poke at current events and our society today with clever humor and proper digs when necessary. He was in such demand to talk to that the photo I took of him is just a blur ... and good for him!

I love the old thrift store paintings that Rao inserts Darth Vaders into ... particularly the beach scene being accosted by the Dark Lord. Why not?

It was great to see so many familiar faces out to support their friend, and even more encouraging to see that so many of them are artists still working in Venice. We need you! More than ever!

And this night was a celebration of exactly that, as also on view were photographs of Venice artists in their studios by Debbie Zeitman for her "Before They Go" project - which we all hope they never do.

The ceiling in Wabi Sabi is so beautiful, it really deserves its own artistic shout-out. It's essentially a big terrarium, full of living plants, that need to be lowered to water. It's so gorgeous, I find myself spacing out into it often. Good job, Wabi!

Good job all around, actually, as this was Venice doing what Venice does best - celebrating art and each other, every chance we get. Congratulations to all the artists, there in person and in spirit. We love you and appreciate you! Thank you to Wabi Sabi for recognizing this, and throwing a darn good art soirée! Congratulations Ro and Debbie! Love.

Check it out! See you at happy hour.