2009 will be amazing!

Bye Baltimore

Surf Fridays!

Malia Manuel after winning
photo by Rowland/ASP images

Malia Manuel is a fourteen year-old surfer from Wailua, Kauai, who earlier this year claimed the Women’s U.S. Open of Surfing. She is the youngest finalist ever at the U.S. Open of Surfing!

If you've been to Hawaii in the past few years, you've probably heard "Sweet Cherry Bomb" on the radio. The lead singer of Nuff Sedd sang at our wedding and that was really cool. Now we are off to Baltimore, where Jay's family lives. I'll try to find something interesting to post while I'm there. That shouldn't be too hard. After all, John Waters comes from Charm City.

Mele Kalikimaka!

Interview with Frank Cubillos

The description on his blog reads, Born in South America to a cuban mom and colombian dad. I caught my first wave at Point Dume at the age of 14. I married the girl of my dreams. Three grommets later, I'm still surfing. This is a place where I post my art.

Something about that description alone hooked me from day one. A lot of us faithfully read Patchie's Hideout, and I often look forward to that authentic refuge. You can always find a new creation - a painting, photos... along with something about surfing, and very good music. I've learned of quite a few new bands, thanks to Patch. He's a source of creative inspiration, and he is a warm and well respected person.

Let's get to know more about Frank Cubillos.

How did you get the nickname Patchie?

Patchie came from my childhood nickname "Pachito", a friend heard my mom call me that and the name Patch stuck.

I can tell that music plays a very important part in your life. Your blog offers such a wide variety of different styles of music. Where do you think your love of music comes from? And, have you ever played an instrument or been in a band?

From an early age, I remember my dad playing bongos, my mom and dad dancing, an uncle playing guitar, people singing enjoying the night. I think my love of music comes from hearing and seeing these people enjoy that warm festive mood. I grew up listening to salsa, vallenato and cumbias from Colombia and danzón from Cuba. Then my aunt, who was only five or six years older than me went through phases of disco, rock and pop. That led to the foundation of my love of a variety of music.

I was never really in a band, I just jammed with friends. I was a self taught drummer, playing from Jr. High through High school, eventually selling the drums in college to be able to go to Mexico on a surf trip. I currently have three congas and I play around the house on occasion.

What music have you listened to today?

Ruben Gonzalez.

I love your description on your blog - tell us how you met the girl of your dreams.

A friend of mine asked if I was at the gas station filling up the car at the gas station that was down the street from where I lived, not really sure if I was or not, I said, I think so. He then mentioned that a really attractive girl said that I was cute. This was all in high school BTW. A day passed and he showed me the girl he was talking about.

Once I saw her I was floored. I got to know her and we dated, stayed together through college, got married and have three kids. What's funny, is that, she later told me I wasn't the actual person she saw that day at the gas station.

I loved that in your interview for Santos SurfArt you said that your career highlight was drawing with your children. How old are your 3 children and are they interested in surfing, music and art?

Yes, I've been lucky to have won awards in juried competitions, been selected to open juried shows by acclaimed artists, a couple of my paintings are in esteemed collections of people and corporations, but by far the greatest artistic highlight is painting with my three kids (12, 9 and 6). The whole process is genuine, they're very expressive. They do like music too, the two boys play piano, one is learning guitar.

My daughter (the youngest) will be taking piano next year, As for surfing, all three were introduced to surfing really young. The boys get white water reforms on their boards, my daughter caught her first wave with me on an eleven foot tanker in Waikiki two summers ago and she really enjoyed it at that time. This summer she just wanted to jump through the waves with me.

Pajaros
sold at the California Wildlife Center auction in August

Something I like about your blog is that you often have a painting or photographs, and then tie it in perfectly to music and/or a story about your surf sesh that day. Do you typically surf first and then create?

Yes, usually I surf first, then I create, sometimes I am lucky and have something in my vault of work that I can use. The photos are almost always taken that day.


Who and what are your current sources of inspiration?

My wife and kids, the people around me, surfing, a song I might hear. In a general sense, I get inspiration from all of these, but it can easily come from a cup of coffee and a stroll down the street.

How is your art evolving at the moment?

Originally I was inspired to create images that showed the triumph of the human soul over tragedy and sorrow, depicting signs of hope, self expression and symbolism. I think I am still attempting to achieve that, but really I'm focusing on the process of creating, I am producing a lot of work, a sketch and drawing several times a week, sometimes daily, basically it's an art work out, exploring happy accidents, seeing where that moment takes me.

Hula 5

Hula 6

What is your creative space like?

I paint in my garage, my back yard or my office/studio. The office has a computer with loads of kids homework spread all over. The garage or the back yard is where I do most of my painting. I'm not a plein air painter who paints California landscapes, but I enjoy painting outside so I prefer the back yard.


Tell us about the first wave you caught at Point Dume when you were 14. Were you hooked from that point on?

My first wave, like many other firsts, are embedded in my memory. I was with Des and a couple other friends, we took some punishment for several days at Zuma, going over the falls and getting pummeled, we stayed with it though. We were on spring break so we made an effort to get as much attempts in as we could. Then one of those days, a very small spring swell at Point Dume it happened. A small clean pigdog right and it was over.

What is the most fun surf trip you've ever had?

There were some fun ones when I was younger, total debauchery, no money, little food, a feast would be eating from the local panaderia - what made it great was the surf. My best surf trip was surfing the east cape, a secluded spot at 8-10 feet.

What is your favorite surfboard?

My daily drivers, as of late, have been my 10-0 Harbour H3 and the 6-9 Quad that Ted Gallup from six foot and perfect shaped for me.


Do you collect anything?

Lately, it feels like it, we have lots of soccer balls in our backyard.

What is your favorite home cooked meal?

I love a good cuban meal. My favorite would be 'Chuletas de Puerco' (Pork Chops), marinated in citrus juice with a generous amount of garlic mojo sauce, sauteed onions and herbs, white rice, black beans and platanos. With a cuba libre or some sangria. I think I just drooled.

What are the top 3 concerts you've ever been to?

Jam, X, Specials.


Thank you Frank - it has been an honor.

Tiffany Morgan Campbell

photo of Tiffany Morgan Campbell
shot by her husband, Thomas Campbell

At the Nor Cal shop in Pacifica recently, I picked up a copy of Foam - a cool mag geared towards women with all things related to surf culture, music, art, style...it's nice!

I liked the above shot of Tiffany Morgan Campbell, the director of the upcoming surf documentary, Dear & Yonder. According to Foam, TMC and Andria Lessler have been working on the film for over a year to authentically document women who inspire both in and out of the water.

The story behind the title is that some of the women featured in the film will be surfing their beloved home breaks (the Dear), such as Judith Sheridan, who bodysurfs Mavericks(!!) - and Ashley Lloyd of Santa Cruz, a surfer/shaper who seeks out ecologically sustainable materials in order to perfect her craft. Other women in the film venture well beyond the comfort of their home breaks to the far reaches of the earth (the Yonder), such as Liz Clark, who is single handedly sailing around the world in search of waves and new shores.

The film will be released in the summer '09.

Paddler by Tiffany Morgan Campbell
part of the art show benefit for Dear & Yonder

Tiffany already has one film behind her belt, the anthem to skater girls called Getting Nowhere Faster. Check out a clip of Vanessa Torres from the 2004 flick.

Roxy asked TMC what she loves to do and this is what she had to say: "I love surfing, of course, but my roots are in skateboarding. Before I could drive myself to the beach, I picked up skateboarding and have been doing it ever since. I love the culture that has evolved from skateboarding. There's a part of me that thrives on the grittiness of the streets.

But mostly I love being in nature. My husband and I live in a wooded area and this is where I'm at most peace. I need the natural rhythms of the plants and animals to stay balanced."

Sounds like a real cool lady.

Surf Fridays!

This is probably one of the coolest movie clips I've ever seen, from a rare surf documentary called Blue Surf-ari . Footage is between 1964-67.



From the same film, here is footage of Redondo in 1963. Around the 4:00 minute mark, it jumps to a clip from 1967 - Rincon! Then they head to the 'Bu, where it's super crowded.

I hope you guys get some good surf this weekend, where it's not super crowded. If you've had a good post surf meal recently - I'd love to read about what you had - on your blog or in the comments here. That is a super fun subject that I don't read much about. Post surf grub. Mmm. Ciao! Chow?

TOMS Sole Surfing art show

The art show at the pop-up store in Venice has come to an end - Garett from TOMS sent over these photos last night. It's so cool to see everyone's work!

my work

Cyrus Sutton

Liz Cockrum

Ryan Tatar

Meegan Feori & Corey Brindley

Ty Williams

Tres Amigos Fin

Surf Fridays!

Aloha and Happy Surf Fridays!

I hope you are all doing great. I've had a touch of writer's slump so I thought it would be nice to simply feature photos today - but not just any photos...

You may already know that the entire Life magazine archive was posted online a few weeks ago, hosted by Google. It dates back to the 1860s but it mostly covers the 20th century with never-before-seen images of any historic topic you can think of.

If you have the time and inclination, the surfing shots of the 1960s are pure eye candy. Please enjoy a few here, and I wish you all a beautiful weekend.

update: Only 1/3 of the Life images are available now. It will take two more years before all of the images are online. So...there will be a lot more surf images to look forward to!

P.S. There is a fun interview all lined up for next Wednesday and most of you already know this interesting person...so see you next week. xo

Beach bum Jim Elliott waiting for a friend
to put his surfboard into the water for him
1950 - San Onofre, CA
Photographer: Loomis Dean

Beach bum Jim Elliott tossing his crutches aside
as he prepares to go out on his surfboard
1950 - San Onofre, CA
Photographer: Loomis Dean

Youths heading to the beach to surf
1961 - US
Photographer: Allen Grant

A surfrider surfing
1961 - CA, US
Photographer: Allen Grant

Surfboard rider racing into the water with board
in relay race at International Surf Festival
1965 - Manhattan Beach, CA
Photographer: Ralph Crane

Editor of Surfer Magazine John Severson on surf board
with wife and two daughters
1966 - San Clemente, CA
Photographer: Bill Ray

John Severson talking with enthusiasts of the sport
1966 - San Clemente, CA
Photographer: Bill Ray

John Severson is rammed by a board as he attempts to take a picture
1966 - CA
Photographer: Bill Ray

John Severson talking with art editor Leo Bestgen about layout
1966 - San Clemente, CA
Photographer: Bill Ray