Jazz Salad Sandwiches
There was an arts festival downtown last night, and a friend and I spent the evening wandering around and people-watching. Ojai is home to lots of artists, and much of the work on display was by locals. I saw some beautiful pieces, many of which I coveted hugely, but funds are a little low right now so I restrained myself. But I took a lot of pictures and made notes about some of the pieces I’d like to return to once money is a little less of a worry.
I particularly liked a couple of bits of furniture which had been radically customized and turned into art. There’s a strong Spanish and Central American cultural influence in Ojai, and the bright colors of Mexican and Guatemalan art often get reflected in local artists’ work. I saw a small chest of drawers, perhaps the size of a nightstand, which had been painted beautifully then finished with pieces snipped from colorful aluminum cans. In a very cool way the artist had taken these discarded objects and recast them as art materials. Very nice stuff.
Later in the evening there was an outdoor concert in the town centre, where there’s a small amphitheatre. We have a lot of concerts there during the nice weather and this one was particularly good. We had brought a simple picnic dinner of chicken salad sandwiches which we enjoyed with a couple of cold beers as we listened to jazz music. Ojai really is the nicest place I’ve ever lived, and last night was an example of why I like it so much.
