Venice Portraits: Legends and Locals

With basic materials, charcoal and reclaimed cardboard, this vibrant series captures the spirit of Venice Beach through portraits and scenes that honor its icons, past and present. The selected pieces below were all featured in the film, Alchemy in Venice, currently in production.

Beloved street performers like Harry Perry fill the boardwalk with music, while film pioneers Roger Corman and Arnold Schwarzenegger left their marks on local history. Both owned properties in the area.

The sands, surf, and pier frame both memory and myth. Today, emerging voices like Noella Jung (playing the part of Sua in the movie) carry that legacy forward—championing sustainability through beach cleanups, sharing her music with the community, and ultimately creating an art studio to unite these works. Together, these portraits celebrate Venice as a living canvas of culture.