RIP Diane Butler by YOVENICE.COM

We are saddened to hear from the Free Venice Beachhead that Venice artist Diane Butler died today at St. John’s after being admitted for an intracranial injury. Butler was 59 years old and is survived by her husband Ibrahim and daughter Lani. As of 3pm her friends are beginning to gather on Ocean Front Walk at Dudley, where Diane and Ibrahim sold art together for over 25 years.

Butler grew up in Bel Air and started “hanging out” in Venice at the age of eighteen in 1970. She started selling her paintings on Ocean Front Walk after taking art classes at Santa Monica College. It was on Ocean Front Walk that she met Ibrahim.

Butler will be remembered for her art, her support of homeless and vehicle dweller rights, participation in the Venice Beach Drum Orchestra and publication of the Spirit of Venice website.

Update from Jim Smith at the Free Venice Beachhead: “It was a brain aneurysm. Diane was walking her dogs when she felt it. She told a passerby that she was having a seizure. He called the paramedics who took her to St. John’s Hospital.”

LAPD Captain Peters and his men working ENFORCEMENT BOARDWALK ORDINANCE LAMC 42. VB

Tony Vera — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 22:05:04 +0000

The Teena Maria Mural its a go at venice beach

Tony Vera — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:45:13 +0000

The Teena Maria Mural going up in days

Tony Vera — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:06:06 +0000

Pink new home now is venice beach

Tony Vera — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:40:05 +0000

Pink and Carey Hart with daughter Willow Pink with daughter Willow and hubby Carey Hart strolling on the pier in Venice Beach, Calif. Lohan is gone now we have Pick

This video is 2 years old when she had a home in malibu

Generation OS13: The new culture of resistance

Tony Vera — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:25:18 +0000

Bobby Brown clashes with the Paparazzi

Tony Vera — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:15:40 +0000

Record studio executive Clive Davis not a happy man at LAX

Tony Vera — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:33:19 +0000

Record studio executive Clive Davis not a happy man at LAX he miss Whitney Houston you can tell from his face not a happy man

Justin Bieber’s Bodyguard Punches Paparazzi At LAX.

Tony Vera — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:34:36 +0000

By Marcus Hondro

If you’re gonna stand right in the way of Justin Bieber’s car at an airport and snap photos, refusing to get out of the way despite repeated honks, well, someone isn’t gonna take too kindly to it. And, it seems, you might get punched and then arrested.

That appears to be what went down in LAX on Monday, Feb. 6, 2012, though Digital Journal wasn’t there. We have carefully researched it however and a paparazzi – Bieber calls them ‘paps’ – working either as an independent or for an unknown organization, most certainly got punched by a Bieber bodyguard.

Justin Bieber bodyguard protects star

The man was also arrested by L.A. police and charged with assault with a weapon. TMZ posted a video of it but you don’t see any assault with anything but a fist as the two scuffle. It takes a bit of time to load and it’s not really exciting, no shots of Bieber, nothing too dramatic.

In the video there does appear to be a camera lying in pieces on the cement and it seems likely the photographer may have used it to strike out at Bieber’s bodyguard, hence the reports of him being charged with assault with a weapon. Reports also have it that this particular Bieber bodyguard is a former soldier in the Israeli army.

Bieber was returning from Miami where he’s been recording with Lil Wayne and Justin Timberlake for his new album ‘Believe’. Ironically given the scuffle with the paparazzi, he was recording at a studio called ‘The Hit Factory.’

Patty duke Talks about the valley of the dolls @ venice

Tony Vera — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:16:52 +0000

Academy Award Winning, Multi-Emmy Winning Actress and Mental Health Advocate Patty Duke jumped into the Adler for Congress Campaign with both feet! Patty Duke, son of our very own Campaign Manager Sean Astin spent some time with us at Muscle Beach in Venice. With a little help from Candidate Adler, Duke toned up before offering a one of a kind endorsement!!!