Los Angeles

2015

Carrying a roll of cotton and paint, I go to America to listen and to collect stories of love.

All photographs are taken by Roo Lewis.

First day: Eagle Rock

"Half sad, half hope" - Ann, on top of Eagle Rock

"Dreams shape reality" - Eric, Moon and Lucas.

Meeting Oscar - Downtown

"If he wants to play with your toes, let him play with your toes" - Oscar in his hurricane-proof van.

Meeting Marcus

Marcus' story

"I fixed myself" - Marcus

Letter from Marcus

Following a love heart map

"Love is laughter" - Lily in the Treasure Cave shop

"Busman and I need her" - Jim the Busman, up the coast.

Jim

"One million trees" - Gashaw Tahir. He has now planted over one million trees in Ethopia

Venice Beach

"I'm deferring to my partner, Love" Welsh and Urrea

"Life is fragile"

Boy lost - fledgling heart

Sammy's chasing dreams note

"I do everything the hard way" - Sammy

"Don't put it all in somebody else's" - Garrsion Scott Key, ex real estate Tycoon

"Love needs a legal framework" - noted from Garrison's apartment

Me and Garrison go and hand out love hearts

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I went to see Madame Russia, "The Soul mate specialist". She has a red heart.

'Soulmate specialist'

"Everything multiplies" - Jorge, Downtown

Jorge

Miriam's thrift shop

"Don't dIe with the music still in you" - Miriam, 87

Mother Tree Meditation mountain

Alisun and Timopoche look after the mountain, green heart

"It's always testing" - Timoposhe and Alisun, meditation mountain

"Love heals" - Maka, Love Heals shop

"From the dirtiest ponds comes the prettiest flowers" - Robin, Salvation Army

"Seven out of ten times, if you respect it, it will respect you back" - Corey

"Don't fall, just don't fall" - Joey, Downtown

"Hearts don't see colours" - Corey

'Don't turn left' - Corey and Joey

I meet at the 'don't turn left point'. We make seven pink hearts.

The Old Hotel room. Baltimore Hotel, Skid Row.

Old hotel room

Eric makes love hearts

"HAUTE MAMMA" - Eric's art publication from prison. All contributions came from inmates: poems, stories and drawings. The most beautiful thing I've seen.

Names and prison numbers of the contributors.

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'Fuck fashion, fashion', 'Work hard, Play hard'. Eric's sink, walls, room are his sketch book.

Art publication from Prison 'Haute Mamma'

'I love you Mom'

"Love makes you do things differently" - Eric

"Love makes you do things differently" - Eric has written it on his note pad

When I leave, Eric calls me back. He said: "I saw your left hand. Beware of the curse of creativity. If you are talented, everything has meaning. You have to give back."

I go to catch sun down at the beach. I see Doug. He has just received the call he has been waiting for since 2012.

Doug tells the story, from the beginning and we paint a heart

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"She called" - Doug

On my last day I meet Michele over her pink wall.

I tell her I want to go and see the nuns at the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Michele tells me story of Philomena Long - she was a nun that jumped the wall and became a poet.

"Jump the wall" - Michele

The love heart is for listening. I've jumped the wall and seen one million trees. I'm at dreams.

Eric was right. "Love makes you do thing differently."

And I will take with me Jorge's words: "Everything you do multiplies.

Next stop, New Mexico and dreams.