October 2019, I visited Venice Beach for the first time. I transferred these images to black and white, allowing the viewer to draw their own interpretation of colors. I walked the strip briefly and without hardly any hesitation, I headed towards the water. I recall the sand appearing as if there were small golden flakes in almost every grain. Each one illuminated by the rays of the sun. The ocean water was extremely cold, vastly different from the inescapable heat. Though it was hot, it was still a lovely day. I later jumped back into exploring. There was an extensive selection of shops. So many of those shops appeared to be filled to the brim with merchandise, with a plethora of hidden gems inside.
Venice Beach was vibrant and highly active. Immersed with artisans and craftsman. I was impressed by the range in diversity and the apparent representation of different cultural influences. Which is probably what I admired the most. I will be honest, it was not glamorous. But, that wasn’t a concern of mine. I appreciated it for what it was, unapologetically authentic.
