)(( hannah mello ))(

-- sidewalk brush strokes _

I painted with a friend on the sidewalks of Santa Cruz on Saturday for the second summer in a row. Perspective changes when you approach the world from a different angle. Yep. That's for sure. Not only are you seeing the street from a different level literally (seeing everyone's shoes clearly, that's for sure. ;)...) but you gain perspective from people in conversation that you couldn't buy. A 73 year old in a Frank Sinatra hat asked me if he bought the right paint for his newfound hobby. A birkenstock clad mother of three held the hands of two girls while talking with them about color and the possibilites of messiness. A 21 year old Santa Cruz Roasting Co drinker cupped his coffee, sitting over his journal, watching the painting's progression from the patio accross the cement path.

While I was there, a college guy with tossled brown hair and a spiffy camcorder with quite a mic came up to me-- asking if he could interview me in for a project he was doing for his San Diego State film class. He asked me why I thought Santa Cruz was the way it was. My spur-of-the-moment reply kind of shocked me. :) It's so funny what comes out of your mouth unexpectedly. I said that throughout history seaside towns were known to be open to the winds of change-- to spices (literally & figuratively)-- to exploring culture & people unfamiliar... and that I guess Santa Cruz is just like all of the seaside towns throughout history in that way and that I hope the buzz of consumer chain-empire conquest (Baja Fresh... :)...) won't change that ever. SO funny.

posted by )(( hannah mello ))( @ 11:43 PM