On Saturday, March 20, I found myself exploring airplane hangars full of art at the Santa Monica Airport Artwalk. Literally—airplane hangars full of art. Studio space like you would not even believe. And everyone was showing it off—and everyone and their mother was there (as well as their children wearing Disney Princess costumes—apparently I missed the memo).

The weather last Thursday night, February 11, may have been considered brisk for native Angelenos but it didn’t stop people from coming out for the monthly art walk held in downtown LA. Taking place on the second Thursday of every month, the Downtown LA Art Walk is a unique event which allows the every day art admirer as well as the more experienced art connoisseur to visit any of the art exhibition venues downtown for free. Spanning from Figueroa to Central Street from West to East and from 1st to 11th St from North to South, the art walk includes commercial art galleries, museums, and non-profit arts venues. On this evening I am focusing on one art gallery in particular: the Art Annex on the corner of South Main St and 4th St.

So I was at this thing called the Downtown LA ArtWalk. Maybe you’ve heard of it? It’s just a little monthly art event that EVERYONE that’s not living under a rock has been talking about…. There’s a shit ton of people pounding the pavement all night, enjoying all the mind-blowing exhibits, art vendors, food trucks (Hi Kogi Truck!) and long-legged fashionistas within arm’s reach (yup, even the models are into art now).

Although Petula Clark is right about the noise and the hurry, forgetting your troubles isn’t really what downtown is for, or at least downtown LA. Just because Skid Row is slowly edging away from the loft spaces and bars that have sprung up like mushrooms after a heavy rain does not mean anything has been forgotten here. The downtown art scene isn’t one of escapism; its craggy roots firmly cling to the foundation of the city, every canvas a mirror of one of the 4 million Angelenos reflected there.

On June 13^th, he would have been in the minority as the Santa Monica Fine Art Studios opened its doors to the unwashed masses for a rare treat – a chance to grok art with its creators, over 30 of them to be exact, spanning a myriad of media from painting to mobiles to sculpture, and encompassing every style, from Impressionism to Superflat.