Sunday Reads: Open Studios open for biz again & how a would-be surfer found her nature fix elsewhere

Open Studios are fully ‘open’ once again, showcasing Santa Cruz’s wealth of artistic talent

Your guide for getting around Santa Cruz County and taking advantage of all the great artists welcoming you into their creative spaces. Painting, sculpture, mixed-media, photography, jewelry, woodworking, metal, glass, mosaics, clothing, ceramics and more. Wallace Baine gives the guided tour.

I failed at surfing, but Elkhorn’s otters changed my life

(Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

Marisa Messina, an MBA student at Stanford, wanted to be a surfer, but could never quite get vertical on her board. She stumbled into kayaking and fell in love with the harmony she observed among the creatures at Moss Landing’s Elkhorn Slough. She takes us on her journey and urges us to imitate and learn from the animals, plants and algae that surround us. Read her Community Voices opinion piece here.