A Reflective Essay by Paige Evans
Street art has always fascinated me because it exists completely outside of traditional spaces. It’s public, temporary, unpredictable, and usually created by people who are driven more by expression than recognition. Over the last year, I’ve found myself increasingly drawn to photographing street artists, particularly during my time living in Venice Beach and later back in London.
There’s something very raw about the creative energy in Venice Beach. Along the boardwalk, you’re constantly surrounded by painters, musicians, skaters, performers, and muralists all creating in real time. The history of street art there feels deeply connected to the identity of Los Angeles itself, shaped by artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, whose work helped blur the line between street culture and contemporary art. Even now, you can feel that influence in the way creativity exists so openly within public space.
What interested me most wasn’t necessarily the artwork itself, but the people behind it. A lot of the artists I photographed were creating simply because they had to create. Some were selling pieces to get by, others were painting for hours without anyone stopping to watch. Photographing them became more about documenting presence and process than producing polished portraits.
Coming back to London, I noticed similarities within areas like Shoreditch, where street art also exists as part of the environment and culture. But there’s a different energy between the two cities. Venice Beach felt open and performative, whereas London often feels more closed off and observational.
Across both places, photographing street artists taught me to slow down and pay attention more carefully. The work became less about chasing perfect images and more about documenting people existing within their creative world naturally.
Author Bio
Paige Evans is the founder of PANNA DESIGNS, a studio working across web design, photography, and videography, with a focus on visual storytelling and content-led digital experiences.
