I'm selling art (slowly) in Hollywood now...

 Selfie, looking west, from my spot on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.  This is where I'm selling art now, Hollywood and Highland.  My selfies always look weird for a couple of reasons, 1) I'm in them, and 2) After 20 years of not being able to afford dental insurance (and eating too much sugar before that), I have a mouthful of broken teeth, so I don't smile. 

All that aside, I headed to Orange County a couple months ago to find a place to sell my artwork, continue selling my stuff online (it's selling in Europe now, thanks to Sven from Norway, Thanks Sven!), and rebuild my life into something that looks like an actual life again.  But my Paypal got frozen as soon as I started to make a little money, for reasons I still don't know.  Like an idiot, I forgot to change my phone number to my current one months ago, and I have a thrashed ID.  So I couldn't do the quick fix to get access to my Paypal account right away.  So I got stuck having to sell art for cash... somewhere... while I work those issues out.  I tried Laguna Beach, during their First Thursday Art Walk, and people liked my work.  But no buyers.  So I looked for places I could set up for no money, in my sketchy-ass situation, and hopefully make cash.  Much to my surprise, Hollywood came through as the best spot.  So now, 24 years after my last summer wrestling the American Gladiators (and being a crew guy), I'm on Hollywood Boulevard with the street performing dancers and rappers, a few artists/craftspeople, people in costumes taking photos with tourists, Mexican ladies selling water and bacon-wrapped hotdogs, and the pantheon of Hollywood weirdos and wandering crackheads. 

Hollyweird is so weird, that things like a guy carrying a guitar while walking his baby goat (for real), barely get noticed.  It may even be weirder than Venice Beach, these days.  In any case, I'm selling a little bit of art each day, not really making enough to survive yet, but getting there.  The people who actually stop to check out my Sharpie art (#sharpiescribblestyle) actually like it, and I get a lot of compliments.  But I can't take compliments across the street and buy a slice of pizza.  It's been rough week and a half, I've lost 14 pounds, but I'm used to rough.  I think I'm starting to get the hang of this place.  Hopefully sales will pick up, and I can get my fat, smelly butt off the streets, into a room, and work towards "real life" once again. 

 It doesn't get anymore iconic Hollywood than Marilyn Monroe's star, which is in front of... McDonald's.  Really.  Hollywood, just east of Highland.

 Everyone's workplace gets a little Goofy now and then.  Mine gets a little Goofy, and Minnie, too.  Bootlegging a tourist pic, of the mall "tunnel" at Hollywood and Highland.  The Hollywood sign is actually (though barely) visible in just below that bottom rectangle of sky in the background.  When there are tourists on that bottom bridge, they block the view from this angle. 

My set up right now, to get started.  11" X 14" drawing of Frida Kahlo on deck.  When you're homeless and have to carry everything you own wherever you go, it's best not to own much.  Hopefully a room (with a bed and nice hot shower) is in my near future...  Life is weird, and sometimes you just have to start over, right where you are, with just what you've got.  I'm doing just that... again. #sharpiescribblestyle