Susanne Chess & Bob Evans on Art, Innovation and the Spirit of Ojai

In this episode we welcome two remarkable newcomers to the Ojai, California community: Susanne Chess and Bob Evans. Susanne, a founding member of Tiabzu LLC (based in Ojai) whose mission is to reinvent desalination through modular, deep-sea-inspired reverse-osmosis systems that dramatically reduce energy demand and harm to marine ecosystems. Tiabzu+2Tiabzu+2 Bob is a visionary ocean-entrepreneur, artist and photographer who has logged over 5,000 hours underwater, documented offshore oil-platform ecosystems and now explores how those very structures can be re-envisioned. bobevansphotography.comWe dig into the enduring charms and layered history of Ojai — its origins in the Chumash word ’awha’y, the transformation from orange orchards to boutique valley community and the pull of places like Wheeler Hot Springs as a local retreat.We also explore the cutting-edge frontiers: Susanne’s work at Tiabzu, using subsea-oil & gas tech to make fresh water more sustainably. And Bob’s unique vantage: underwater photography, marine stewardship, and how coastal infrastructure might become underwater oases instead of rusty relics.We talked about Ojai's famous friendliness, the couple's other inventions such as aerodynamic pods that reduce gas mileage by hundreds of dollars per year (AeroHance.com), and Bart's Books and Barbara Bowman's. We did not talk about the lost civilization of Atlantis, Moroccan spice blends or Sigmund Freud's accomplished progeny.Whether you’re drawn to the stillness of the valley, the deep blue below the waves, or the promise of innovation that cares for both — this conversation spans local place-making and global impact. Tune in.Check out https://tiabzu.com/ and https://bobevansphotography.com/bob-evans-visionary-entrepreneur-artist-photographer/ for more information.