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Venice Beach is known for its boardwalk filled with colorful eccentric people.
The houses, buildings, and structures that dot this area also reflect this "rainbow coalition" of people. From simple beach bungalows to ultramodern homes, Venice is truly a unique place to live. But none of these places quite capture the effervescent essence of Venice like the Mosaic Tile House.
Though it's not well known to the public, the moment you enter this large-scale artwork-in-progress, it's like walking inside a coral reef. Most of the tiles are in the red, yellow, and orange spectrum, but bold colors radiate throughout. Almost every square inch of the home (including the outside) is covered in mosaic tiles. Cheri Pann and Gonzalo, a husband and wife team, are responsible for this local masterpiece. Cheri is the docent guide if you visit.
Cheri and Gonzalo's “visual feast" began as a weekend project which developed into a lifetime love affair surpassing 19 years. Cheri is an artist who creates contemplative large-scale oil paintings with mythic themes, and Gonzalo, canvases in vignettes of their life together.
For the house, Cheri creates the tiles, and Gonzalo shatters them and distributes them over every square inch of their home. Since 1994, the couple has been transforming their once bland, beige stucco home into the structural kaleidoscope that exists today. The Mosaic Tile House is still a work in process since there are still sections where it has not yet been completely covered in tiles, but what is completed is more than enough to give the average person a visual overload. What might catch your attention is a fruit tree and vegetable garden incorporated into all the tile landscaping, and a black fridge stuffed with dolls that Cheri described as the dark part of her imagination.
So if you ever find yourself visiting Venice, once you have had your fill of Abbot Kinney and the Boardwalk, head east a mile or so, and visit the Mosaic Tile House. Please note you must call the number listed on their website in advance to arrange for a guided tour with Cheri.
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