what was Venice Beach before
what was Venice Beach before [Applause]
how many ugly walls do you drive by
how many ugly walls do you drive by every single day and how many billboards
every single day and how many billboards
every single day and how many billboards bombard and attack you on your way to
bombard and attack you on your way to
bombard and attack you on your way to work and what story are we telling
work and what story are we telling
work and what story are we telling ourselves with this landscape apparently
ourselves with this landscape apparently
ourselves with this landscape apparently on my way here today I found out that
on my way here today I found out that
on my way here today I found out that I’m an empty shell of a man who suffers
I’m an empty shell of a man who suffers
I’m an empty shell of a man who suffers from erectile dysfunction and how do i
from erectile dysfunction and how do i
from erectile dysfunction and how do i cure that I buy a new iPhone or big new
cure that I buy a new iPhone or big new
cure that I buy a new iPhone or big new truck and if I can’t afford those then I
truck and if I can’t afford those then I
truck and if I can’t afford those then I get numb myself with booze and escape to
get numb myself with booze and escape to
get numb myself with booze and escape to TV land so the question is how do we
TV land so the question is how do we
TV land so the question is how do we change this narrative and instead of
change this narrative and instead of
change this narrative and instead of believing that we must freeze the fat we
believing that we must freeze the fat we
believing that we must freeze the fat we tell ourselves that we’re already
tell ourselves that we’re already
tell ourselves that we’re already beautiful we can take back the landscape
beautiful we can take back the landscape
beautiful we can take back the landscape of our communities one wall out of time
of our communities one wall out of time
of our communities one wall out of time sitting in traffic on a commuter our
sitting in traffic on a commuter our
sitting in traffic on a commuter our minds race to our iPhones our to-do
minds race to our iPhones our to-do
minds race to our iPhones our to-do lists the past or the person that just
lists the past or the person that just
lists the past or the person that just cut you off now driving past this how
cut you off now driving past this how
cut you off now driving past this how does that make you feel or this makes me
does that make you feel or this makes me
does that make you feel or this makes me take a breath every time using our urban
take a breath every time using our urban
take a breath every time using our urban environment as a canvas I choose to
environment as a canvas I choose to
environment as a canvas I choose to beautify earth imagine a world where
beautify earth imagine a world where
beautify earth imagine a world where every blank wall is an opportunity for
every blank wall is an opportunity for
every blank wall is an opportunity for an artist to shine to spark a
an artist to shine to spark a
an artist to shine to spark a conversation and inspire change I seek
conversation and inspire change I seek
conversation and inspire change I seek to interrupt your commute with a
to interrupt your commute with a
to interrupt your commute with a pleasant moment a moment that I like to
pleasant moment a moment that I like to
pleasant moment a moment that I like to call a pleasant interruption I started
call a pleasant interruption I started
call a pleasant interruption I started out to make a positive impact in my
out to make a positive impact in my
out to make a positive impact in my community and I’ve been humbled by some
community and I’ve been humbled by some
community and I’ve been humbled by some of the responses of how people interact
of the responses of how people interact
of the responses of how people interact with my murals people stand in front of
with my murals people stand in front of
with my murals people stand in front of these murals when they take pictures and
these murals when they take pictures and
these murals when they take pictures and they really open up for example a young
they really open up for example a young
they really open up for example a young woman stood in front of this mural and
woman stood in front of this mural and
woman stood in front of this mural and she opened up about her rape and she
she opened up about her rape and she
she opened up about her rape and she said I am NOT a victim I am worthy and
said I am NOT a victim I am worthy and
said I am NOT a victim I am worthy and responsible for my life
responsible for my life
responsible for my life I woke up one morning and of course the
I woke up one morning and of course the
I woke up one morning and of course the first thing I do is grab my iphone check
first thing I do is grab my iphone check
first thing I do is grab my iphone check Instagram who’s messaged me and I woke
Instagram who’s messaged me and I woke
Instagram who’s messaged me and I woke up to this post by a mother who’s
up to this post by a mother who’s
up to this post by a mother who’s battling with cancer she’s on her third
battling with cancer she’s on her third
battling with cancer she’s on her third bout of chemo and she’s struggling with
bout of chemo and she’s struggling with
bout of chemo and she’s struggling with feeling beautiful she mentioned how she
feeling beautiful she mentioned how she
feeling beautiful she mentioned how she covers up she wears hats to hide her
covers up she wears hats to hide her
covers up she wears hats to hide her thinning hair and in that moment she
thinning hair and in that moment she
thinning hair and in that moment she stood strong and she stood tall for her
stood strong and she stood tall for her
stood strong and she stood tall for her daughter’s for those she’s in treatment
daughter’s for those she’s in treatment
daughter’s for those she’s in treatment with and she reclaimed her beauty
with and she reclaimed her beauty
with and she reclaimed her beauty painting late one evening in Santa
painting late one evening in Santa
painting late one evening in Santa Monica a man stopped and watched me
Monica a man stopped and watched me
Monica a man stopped and watched me paint I asked him how he was doing and
paint I asked him how he was doing and
paint I asked him how he was doing and he began to share about his addiction to
he began to share about his addiction to
he began to share about his addiction to alcohol and how it’s affected him and
alcohol and how it’s affected him and
alcohol and how it’s affected him and take him down a really dark path he told
take him down a really dark path he told
take him down a really dark path he told me thank you for painting this if I
me thank you for painting this if I
me thank you for painting this if I would have seen this 30 years ago
would have seen this 30 years ago
would have seen this 30 years ago my life may be drastically different
my life may be drastically different
my life may be drastically different keep painting because you don’t know who
keep painting because you don’t know who
keep painting because you don’t know who you may inspire and whose life you may
you may inspire and whose life you may
you may inspire and whose life you may change in 2015 my team and I went out to
change in 2015 my team and I went out to
change in 2015 my team and I went out to Clarksdale Mississippi the cities in
Clarksdale Mississippi the cities in
Clarksdale Mississippi the cities in decay violence is rampant and these kids
decay violence is rampant and these kids
decay violence is rampant and these kids don’t graduate school imagine if you
don’t graduate school imagine if you
don’t graduate school imagine if you looked at this every day now imagine if
looked at this every day now imagine if
looked at this every day now imagine if you can change just one of those
you can change just one of those
you can change just one of those buildings we painted a girl daydreaming
buildings we painted a girl daydreaming
buildings we painted a girl daydreaming about where her path may lead what’s
about where her path may lead what’s
about where her path may lead what’s after high school where’s she going we
after high school where’s she going we
after high school where’s she going we also painted a blank vision board with
also painted a blank vision board with
also painted a blank vision board with the words goals and dreams written above
the words goals and dreams written above
the words goals and dreams written above it it takes courage to ask a stranger to
it it takes courage to ask a stranger to
it it takes courage to ask a stranger to share their dreams and Here I am asking
share their dreams and Here I am asking
share their dreams and Here I am asking them to paint them on a public wall for
them to paint them on a public wall for
them to paint them on a public wall for everyone to see some were apprehensive
everyone to see some were apprehensive
everyone to see some were apprehensive at first while others charged away
at first while others charged away
at first while others charged away I remember one young man tapping me on
I remember one young man tapping me on
I remember one young man tapping me on my shoulder and he asked me to paint his
my shoulder and he asked me to paint his
my shoulder and he asked me to paint his dream for him I handed him a brush and I
dream for him I handed him a brush and I
dream for him I handed him a brush and I stood next to him and watched him paint
stood next to him and watched him paint
stood next to him and watched him paint his dream it’s the little house right
his dream it’s the little house right
his dream it’s the little house right there in the corner
there in the corner
there in the corner I put dream on top of it one by one they
I put dream on top of it one by one they
I put dream on top of it one by one they grab brushes a little bit of paint and
grab brushes a little bit of paint and
grab brushes a little bit of paint and began to paint their dreams on this bowl
began to paint their dreams on this bowl
began to paint their dreams on this bowl dreams of becoming dentists doctors
dreams of becoming dentists doctors
dreams of becoming dentists doctors soldiers moving to New York or becoming
soldiers moving to New York or becoming
soldiers moving to New York or becoming stars in Hollywood this was truly a
stars in Hollywood this was truly a
stars in Hollywood this was truly a life-changing moment not just for these
life-changing moment not just for these
life-changing moment not just for these kids but for me as well through my work
kids but for me as well through my work
kids but for me as well through my work I changed the visual landscape the
I changed the visual landscape the
I changed the visual landscape the negative messaging that surrounds us
negative messaging that surrounds us
negative messaging that surrounds us with a little bit of paint and a lot of
with a little bit of paint and a lot of
with a little bit of paint and a lot of love I choose to bring life to a
love I choose to bring life to a
love I choose to bring life to a neglected wall that may dare you to
neglected wall that may dare you to
neglected wall that may dare you to dream to feel beautiful to challenge you
dream to feel beautiful to challenge you
dream to feel beautiful to challenge you to live in a possibility and to love by
to live in a possibility and to love by
to live in a possibility and to love by having a conversation with one wall I’m
having a conversation with one wall I’m
having a conversation with one wall I’m able to have conversations with
able to have conversations with
able to have conversations with countless of people that I may never
countless of people that I may never
countless of people that I may never personally meet over 40,000 people drive
personally meet over 40,000 people drive
personally meet over 40,000 people drive by these walls on any given day walls
by these walls on any given day walls
by these walls on any given day walls will be built and walls will be torn
will be built and walls will be torn
will be built and walls will be torn down and I’m not the only one using
down and I’m not the only one using
down and I’m not the only one using walls to create community to be
walls to create community to be
walls to create community to be inclusive with our neighbors my dream is
inclusive with our neighbors my dream is
inclusive with our neighbors my dream is that together we can beautify this earth
that together we can beautify this earth
that together we can beautify this earth through our individual gifts and talents
through our individual gifts and talents
through our individual gifts and talents this is how I do it and I’d love to see
this is how I do it and I’d love to see
this is how I do it and I’d love to see your way
as you can see I don’t do this alone
as you can see I don’t do this alone with my team at beautify earth other
with my team at beautify earth other
with my team at beautify earth other artists I collaborate with and the
artists I collaborate with and the
artists I collaborate with and the community that volunteers with us we
community that volunteers with us we
community that volunteers with us we paint the world in color
what was Venice Beach before [Applause]
how many ugly walls do you drive by
how many ugly walls do you drive by every single day and how many billboards
every single day and how many billboards
every single day and how many billboards bombard and attack you on your way to
bombard and attack you on your way to
bombard and attack you on your way to work and what story are we telling
work and what story are we telling
work and what story are we telling ourselves with this landscape apparently
ourselves with this landscape apparently
ourselves with this landscape apparently on my way here today I found out that
on my way here today I found out that
on my way here today I found out that I’m an empty shell of a man who suffers
I’m an empty shell of a man who suffers
I’m an empty shell of a man who suffers from erectile dysfunction and how do i
from erectile dysfunction and how do i
from erectile dysfunction and how do i cure that I buy a new iPhone or big new
cure that I buy a new iPhone or big new
cure that I buy a new iPhone or big new truck and if I can’t afford those then I
truck and if I can’t afford those then I
truck and if I can’t afford those then I get numb myself with booze and escape to
get numb myself with booze and escape to
get numb myself with booze and escape to TV land so the question is how do we
TV land so the question is how do we
TV land so the question is how do we change this narrative and instead of
change this narrative and instead of
change this narrative and instead of believing that we must freeze the fat we
believing that we must freeze the fat we
believing that we must freeze the fat we tell ourselves that we’re already
tell ourselves that we’re already
tell ourselves that we’re already beautiful we can take back the landscape
beautiful we can take back the landscape
beautiful we can take back the landscape of our communities one wall out of time
of our communities one wall out of time
of our communities one wall out of time sitting in traffic on a commuter our
sitting in traffic on a commuter our
sitting in traffic on a commuter our minds race to our iPhones our to-do
minds race to our iPhones our to-do
minds race to our iPhones our to-do lists the past or the person that just
lists the past or the person that just
lists the past or the person that just cut you off now driving past this how
cut you off now driving past this how
cut you off now driving past this how does that make you feel or this makes me
does that make you feel or this makes me
does that make you feel or this makes me take a breath every time using our urban
take a breath every time using our urban
take a breath every time using our urban environment as a canvas I choose to
environment as a canvas I choose to
environment as a canvas I choose to beautify earth imagine a world where
beautify earth imagine a world where
beautify earth imagine a world where every blank wall is an opportunity for
every blank wall is an opportunity for
every blank wall is an opportunity for an artist to shine to spark a
an artist to shine to spark a
an artist to shine to spark a conversation and inspire change I seek
conversation and inspire change I seek
conversation and inspire change I seek to interrupt your commute with a
to interrupt your commute with a
to interrupt your commute with a pleasant moment a moment that I like to
pleasant moment a moment that I like to
pleasant moment a moment that I like to call a pleasant interruption I started
call a pleasant interruption I started
call a pleasant interruption I started out to make a positive impact in my
out to make a positive impact in my
out to make a positive impact in my community and I’ve been humbled by some
community and I’ve been humbled by some
community and I’ve been humbled by some of the responses of how people interact
of the responses of how people interact
of the responses of how people interact with my murals people stand in front of
with my murals people stand in front of
with my murals people stand in front of these murals when they take pictures and
these murals when they take pictures and
these murals when they take pictures and they really open up for example a young
they really open up for example a young
they really open up for example a young woman stood in front of this mural and
woman stood in front of this mural and
woman stood in front of this mural and she opened up about her rape and she
she opened up about her rape and she
she opened up about her rape and she said I am NOT a victim I am worthy and
said I am NOT a victim I am worthy and
said I am NOT a victim I am worthy and responsible for my life
responsible for my life
responsible for my life I woke up one morning and of course the
I woke up one morning and of course the
I woke up one morning and of course the first thing I do is grab my iphone check
first thing I do is grab my iphone check
first thing I do is grab my iphone check Instagram who’s messaged me and I woke
Instagram who’s messaged me and I woke
Instagram who’s messaged me and I woke up to this post by a mother who’s
up to this post by a mother who’s
up to this post by a mother who’s battling with cancer she’s on her third
battling with cancer she’s on her third
battling with cancer she’s on her third bout of chemo and she’s struggling with
bout of chemo and she’s struggling with
bout of chemo and she’s struggling with feeling beautiful she mentioned how she
feeling beautiful she mentioned how she
feeling beautiful she mentioned how she covers up she wears hats to hide her
covers up she wears hats to hide her
covers up she wears hats to hide her thinning hair and in that moment she
thinning hair and in that moment she
thinning hair and in that moment she stood strong and she stood tall for her
stood strong and she stood tall for her
stood strong and she stood tall for her daughter’s for those she’s in treatment
daughter’s for those she’s in treatment
daughter’s for those she’s in treatment with and she reclaimed her beauty
with and she reclaimed her beauty
with and she reclaimed her beauty painting late one evening in Santa
painting late one evening in Santa
painting late one evening in Santa Monica a man stopped and watched me
Monica a man stopped and watched me
Monica a man stopped and watched me paint I asked him how he was doing and
paint I asked him how he was doing and
paint I asked him how he was doing and he began to share about his addiction to
he began to share about his addiction to
he began to share about his addiction to alcohol and how it’s affected him and
alcohol and how it’s affected him and
alcohol and how it’s affected him and take him down a really dark path he told
take him down a really dark path he told
take him down a really dark path he told me thank you for painting this if I
me thank you for painting this if I
me thank you for painting this if I would have seen this 30 years ago
would have seen this 30 years ago
would have seen this 30 years ago my life may be drastically different
my life may be drastically different
my life may be drastically different keep painting because you don’t know who
keep painting because you don’t know who
keep painting because you don’t know who you may inspire and whose life you may
you may inspire and whose life you may
you may inspire and whose life you may change in 2015 my team and I went out to
change in 2015 my team and I went out to
change in 2015 my team and I went out to Clarksdale Mississippi the cities in
Clarksdale Mississippi the cities in
Clarksdale Mississippi the cities in decay violence is rampant and these kids
decay violence is rampant and these kids
decay violence is rampant and these kids don’t graduate school imagine if you
don’t graduate school imagine if you
don’t graduate school imagine if you looked at this every day now imagine if
looked at this every day now imagine if
looked at this every day now imagine if you can change just one of those
you can change just one of those
you can change just one of those buildings we painted a girl daydreaming
buildings we painted a girl daydreaming
buildings we painted a girl daydreaming about where her path may lead what’s
about where her path may lead what’s
about where her path may lead what’s after high school where’s she going we
after high school where’s she going we
after high school where’s she going we also painted a blank vision board with
also painted a blank vision board with
also painted a blank vision board with the words goals and dreams written above
the words goals and dreams written above
the words goals and dreams written above it it takes courage to ask a stranger to
it it takes courage to ask a stranger to
it it takes courage to ask a stranger to share their dreams and Here I am asking
share their dreams and Here I am asking
share their dreams and Here I am asking them to paint them on a public wall for
them to paint them on a public wall for
them to paint them on a public wall for everyone to see some were apprehensive
everyone to see some were apprehensive
everyone to see some were apprehensive at first while others charged away
at first while others charged away
at first while others charged away I remember one young man tapping me on
I remember one young man tapping me on
I remember one young man tapping me on my shoulder and he asked me to paint his
my shoulder and he asked me to paint his
my shoulder and he asked me to paint his dream for him I handed him a brush and I
dream for him I handed him a brush and I
dream for him I handed him a brush and I stood next to him and watched him paint
stood next to him and watched him paint
stood next to him and watched him paint his dream it’s the little house right
his dream it’s the little house right
his dream it’s the little house right there in the corner
there in the corner
there in the corner I put dream on top of it one by one they
I put dream on top of it one by one they
I put dream on top of it one by one they grab brushes a little bit of paint and
grab brushes a little bit of paint and
grab brushes a little bit of paint and began to paint their dreams on this bowl
began to paint their dreams on this bowl
began to paint their dreams on this bowl dreams of becoming dentists doctors
dreams of becoming dentists doctors
dreams of becoming dentists doctors soldiers moving to New York or becoming
soldiers moving to New York or becoming
soldiers moving to New York or becoming stars in Hollywood this was truly a
stars in Hollywood this was truly a
stars in Hollywood this was truly a life-changing moment not just for these
life-changing moment not just for these
life-changing moment not just for these kids but for me as well through my work
kids but for me as well through my work
kids but for me as well through my work I changed the visual landscape the
I changed the visual landscape the
I changed the visual landscape the negative messaging that surrounds us
negative messaging that surrounds us
negative messaging that surrounds us with a little bit of paint and a lot of
with a little bit of paint and a lot of
with a little bit of paint and a lot of love I choose to bring life to a
love I choose to bring life to a
love I choose to bring life to a neglected wall that may dare you to
neglected wall that may dare you to
neglected wall that may dare you to dream to feel beautiful to challenge you
dream to feel beautiful to challenge you
dream to feel beautiful to challenge you to live in a possibility and to love by
to live in a possibility and to love by
to live in a possibility and to love by having a conversation with one wall I’m
having a conversation with one wall I’m
having a conversation with one wall I’m able to have conversations with
able to have conversations with
able to have conversations with countless of people that I may never
countless of people that I may never
countless of people that I may never personally meet over 40,000 people drive
personally meet over 40,000 people drive
personally meet over 40,000 people drive by these walls on any given day walls
by these walls on any given day walls
by these walls on any given day walls will be built and walls will be torn
will be built and walls will be torn
will be built and walls will be torn down and I’m not the only one using
down and I’m not the only one using
down and I’m not the only one using walls to create community to be
walls to create community to be
walls to create community to be inclusive with our neighbors my dream is
inclusive with our neighbors my dream is
inclusive with our neighbors my dream is that together we can beautify this earth
that together we can beautify this earth
that together we can beautify this earth through our individual gifts and talents
through our individual gifts and talents
through our individual gifts and talents this is how I do it and I’d love to see
this is how I do it and I’d love to see
this is how I do it and I’d love to see your way
as you can see I don’t do this alone
as you can see I don’t do this alone with my team at beautify earth other
with my team at beautify earth other
with my team at beautify earth other artists I collaborate with and the
artists I collaborate with and the
artists I collaborate with and the community that volunteers with us we
community that volunteers with us we
community that volunteers with us we paint the world in color
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