This creation stemming from longing is a high and noble calling, particularly in a place that self-consciously refers to itself "The Creative City.”
 One of the “Rock Lady’s” compositions. By Ed Garren. |
I have always considered myself an artist. My relationships, my work as a psychotherapist, my politics, all of which form and shape the art of living, and creating a space so that people can grow, learn, love and be loved.
As a consequence, I am drawn to people who also live to create, whether it is the marvelous food, glowing welcome and friendly food art of Sonia Hong’s at Irv's Burgers, or the beautiful one of a kind pieces of home decor which fill our Avenues of Art & Design, my love with West Hollywood was that it has been a special place, filled with one of a kind people and creations.
Now that I'm on the road, I am still drawn to art and artists. Here in Valencia Travel Village, we have a very special artist. Her name is Alexandria "Lexie" Louise Messenger. Born in Sedro Wooley Washington in 1924, she started painting at the age of 19. Along the way, she has been a mother with six children, a homemaker, welder, painter, grandmother of 16 and a great grandmother of 13.
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A little over a year ago, she came to Southern California to be with a son who was having health problems and herself developed a blood clot and was told she could not travel. So, another son bought a travel trailer and set it up in our park here. A large outdoor living room has been created in front so that she can sit outside, talk to the squirrels and Blue Jays, and paint. Her outdoor living room is also a magnet for the children visiting the park. They love to come sit with "The Rock Lady" while she paints, or plays music on her keyboard.
 Ms. Messenger relaxing in her artistic retreat. By Ed Garren. |
Husband Richard (also disabled) started bringing home unusually shaped rocks, and Lexie started painting them. Canvas costs money, rocks are free. Lexie told me that in 1963, she sold five paintings and used the proceeds to build a three-room addition onto her home. These days, husband Richard won't let her sell any, "because he loves me so much, he wants to keep them if I die to have a piece of me in his life".
Richard did let Lexie give a rock to the Hongs recently. Sonia and Mamma Soon Hong came to visit, have lunch, and see my new world. Mamma in particular loved the trailer, found it's coziness and mobility very inviting. When we walked around the park, we stopped at Lexie's place and Mamma fell in love with a rock with an outdoor scene on it.
So, why does this relate to West Hollywood? It’s really very simple. Once, West Hollywood was a place where "creative" people felt safe and sheltered from the storms of life. Most artists never make a lot of money, but we live to create, so we just keep creating anyway. West Hollywood, with its "alternative" flavor, provided a haven for folks to gather and share. More importantly, in times past, the majority on city council seemed to understand and appreciate that balance, and worked to maintain respect for the city's creative people, even if they were not wealthy or successful.
 Mamasoon hong and her daughter Sonia with their gift from the Rock Lady. By Ed Garren. |
Those days seem to be vanishing. Artists are becoming an endangered species in West Hollywood, squeezed out by an apparently indifferent city council majority, which appears only interested in promoting "development.”
In the meantime, life goes on, and Lexie will be painting rocks as long as she can lift a paintbrush. All artists live to create; as Lexie says, "I'm gonna keep on painting as long as I can, because it brings me life".
I'm pulling out of Valencia on Tuesday, headed north to see friends in Los Osos and Sacramento. After that, Oregon is calling. Later, Yellowstone, Cheyenne, Wyoming, Denver, Santa Fe and Mobile, AL are all on my agenda for before Thanksgiving.
Hugs, Ed
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Edward "Ed" Garren, MFT is a Family Therapist. He is originally from the Tampa Bay area of central Florida. He also lived in Miami before moving to West Hollywood in 1983. Ed has been published in the Los Angeles Times, Frontiers news magazine, and other books, including "Out of My Mind", a pictorial memoir by Kris Nelson. Ed can be reached at ed@egarren.us.