Dave Doherty

There Once Was a Place Called P.o.p. Dave Doherty

"P. O. P.", better known as "Pacific Ocean Park", opened on July 22, 1958 on South Barnard Way, Venice, California. This project was a co-venture of the "Los Angeles Turf Club", (a.k.a. Santa Anita and the Lake Arrowhead resort) and "C. B. S.", (Colombia Broadcasting Systems) in reaction to the overwhelming success of "Disneyland" which had opened just 3 years prior. This concept required the joining of two completely separate piers, in two different cities, Santa Monica and Los Angeles, and the rehabilitation of an existing "Amusement Zone" that dated back to the turn of the 19th century! "P. O. P", unfortunately succumbed, and closed, due to bad management and changing demographics in 1967. Presented here are series of paintings and simple phrases. Which I hope will inspire an understanding of the difference between the directly honest "P. O. P." contribution of an experience that is "Here and Now" as opposed to its competitors that rely on Nostalgia or "Remember when" as their theme and selling base.