A couple of weeks ago, I moved closer into the heart of Los Angeles. Thus far I’ve been living in Valencia because it’s where my college, CalArts, is. Valencia is real funny because although it’s technically in Los Angeles County and about 20 minutes from Hollywood (on a good traffic day), it feels like a world away. Tucked behind a small range of mountains, Valencia is a safe little suburban town. It’s truly quite beautiful- orange desert mountains all around, but man, is it hot and dry. Valencia has been a nice home and good place to start out in California as it’s close to all the LA happenings but also quiet and away.
Now, here I am entering my fourth year and final year of CalArts. Two of my best friends and I found a great place off the ole’ 101. We live in a little house built in the 1940’s. It’s got flowers planted everywhere, fruit trees, peach colored shutters, old wooden floors, aka the dream. This new area is much more urban and I am trying to adjust to living on a busy street, but feel pretty cool now that I am officially a pseudo- Angeleno. I have loved LA all my life and never thought I would actually get to call it home.
I have a very cool art studio attached to our new house- it has tall green beamed ceilings, and I’ve laid an old Persian rug on the ground to catch my paint drippings (shout out to the guy who sold it to me for 30 dollars on craigslist!). It’s lovely in there- especially when I crank some tunes and the weather’s fine to have the door opened up to the outside (no humidity, I love ya LA). I’m amazed how much a new space can bring fresh creative inspiration.
I’m spending the month of June in LA, taking an intensive 9-5 daily business course with General Assembly through CalArts. I’m getting real skool’d on how to take this art business to the next level (I’ll be back in Charleston, SC July- September). Today I created this little lobster on a china plate in my business course… with magic markers on printer paper, but it’s so dang cute, I’m going to frame it in my new kitchen.
Love,
Caroline
