Surf Fridays!

Have you seen the film Monsterboards?

It was in the short selections at this year's New York Surf Film Festival. Director Matthew McGregor-Mento filmed Eef - "a surfer in Holland who makes and rides wooden surfboards with painted monsters on them in the freezing and junky surf of his home".

The film about Eef made me smile so much, I thought it would be fun to ask him a few questions.

Eef, do you remember some of the first monsters you ever drew?

The first monsters I did were the shadow monsters when I lived in Amsterdam. I lived in a trailer for awhile and I painted them on the outside on both sides next to my door. Pretty dark stuff now that I think about it. I did some of them with spray paint in hallways and on the streets as well. So the monsters and me go way back.

When my wife and I started a little painting/art workspace we combined my monsters with her happy and colourful style which resulted in the monsters and angel shrine which is in our little girl's bedroom at the moment. She opens the doors of it when she goes to bed. I made lots of little guardian-monster paintings as well - the idea is that you can hang 'em in your house and they will keep the really scary monsters out.

As a lover of monsters, how does your family celebrate Halloween (is it celebrated in Holland)?

Halloween is not as big here as it in the U.S. - we don't really celebrate it but we have quite a lot of monsters around the house year round.

Did you get to surf today? What monster board did you choose?

I didn't get to surf today! It's more of a weekend thing for me at the moment. I work in Amsterdam which takes some time to get to and back and I come back it's time for dinner, and after that the girls are going to bed (they are 4 and 2 years old). So if it's slightly looking possible I go to the beach early on Saturday or Sunday morning so I'll be back in time to go do something with Belinda and the kids. I have mostly bodysurfed the last year or so. I try to go year round.

A new trick I have to be less afraid of sharks is to imagine them with rubber teeth. What do you think of that?

It's a fantastic idea!!! I heard that Cyrus is singing a song about it in his new film. I did see the movie but missed that completely so thanks a lot for reminding me. I got to meet Cyrus at the NYSFF, he is such a nice guy.

I don't know why I'm so afraid of sharks, it's quite embarrassing and I hope the rubber teeth thing helps.

That's exactly where I got the idea about the rubber teeth - from Cyrus' movie, Stoked and Broke. How did the making of the movie Monsterboards come about?

I got in touch with Matt McGregor-Mento via email when I found some pictures online of the paipo boards he made. I was making them too, so we emailed and kept in touch. Matt is the nicest guy you'll ever meet and is SO stoked. And he likes strange boards just like me.

One day he emailed that he wanted to make a short movie about me, my art and the little waves here in Holland and that he wanted to submit it to the NYSFF. So he sent a camera over and I shot some footage. Matt is working as a creative director so he got together a team of great guys that did the editing, the animation and all that. I was blown away by how great it looked.

Still a little weird that it was about me though, I'm not a very skilled surfer you know. Everything over 3 feet is HUGE and scary in my world.

I got to meet Matt in real life when we went over to New York for the film festival. We got to stay with him and his wife and they were so much like us! Too bad they live so far away...

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Thank you Eef! You really made my day. For more on what Eef is up to and the monsters he draws, check out Monstercult.

Surf Fridays!

I met Ashley Moffat through blogging, about two years ago. I'll never forget that her "About Me" explained that she likes anything that starts with an 's' - surfing, sunshine, soulmates, smiling, skateboarding, suntans...and simplicity. What's not to like about this girl, I remember thinking...

I knew from reading Ashley's blog, that she lives in Hawaii with her husband Luke, and their two little girls, Velzy and Ivy. The other day, I came across a photo of Ashley surfing while 6 months pregnant. I was truly blown away.

Not only was the photograph beautiful in every way, but it struck me deeply that with all of the surfing related blogs and magazines I have enjoyed in the last several years, I have never seen a photo of a pregnant woman surfing.


Ashley Moffat riding her Bing
all photos by Mark Lee


Ashley, what brought you to live in Hawaii?

I moved to Hawaii when i was 17, in 2000 to attend BYU - Hawaii. It's in a small town on the Eastside of Oahu, just 10 minutes away from the North Shore. I don't know why more surfers don't go to school there, it was so fun. I fell in love with Hawaii and a boy from here and the rest is history.

Have you ever gotten "island fever"?

Nope. Well, I do really miss my family who are all in California. But as far as "AH, get me off this rock!!!" no. I love it here - all I need is sunshine and water. And the occasional shave ice.

What are your top 3 best things about living in Hawaii?

1. living "the simple life"
2. warm water year round
3. the fact that riding in the back of trucks is still legal here
4. and mango season.



When and where did you learn to surf?

First time I went surfing was at Doheny on a friend's soft top. At the end of my first wave I didn't know what to do so I jumped off- belly flopped right onto a rock that hit my stomach and left a bruise. I was really proud of that bruise. I think I was maybe 10?

What is your favorite beach in Southern California and your favorite in Hawaii?

In California, Churches is my favorite place to surf and I grew up going to Crescent Bay in Laguna so that is my favorite place to have a beach day.

In Hawaii my favorite place to surf is Chun's Reef. And of course V-Land is super fun - but the crowds there can be a tad intense for me in my old age. :)

Can you share what is in your quiver?

We - Luke and I - share most of the boards. Usually when we go surf we have the girls with us, so we trade off riding whatever we brought that day. We have: two Dano logs - a 9'6" noseglider and 9'1" old pleasure; An 8'11" Bing silverspoon; 5'10" Junod pumpkin seed; A 5'10" Mitsven fish; A 5'5" Pavel creek fish, and a 5'11' Campbell Bros bonzer.

Luke just brought the Campbell Bros and Pavel back from California. The Pavel is a gift for me after this little one is born - I can't wait to ride it this winter!

What is currently your favorite board?

My personal favorite is the Junod. It's magic - it catches waves like a dream and is oh-so-much fun to ride. When it's small, I love the Dano old pleasure.




Did you surf while pregnant with your last 2 girls?

I surfed when I was pregnant with Velzy up until 4 1/2 months. When I was pregnant with Ivy we were living in Virginia (we lived there for 2 years) and I surfed on a few trips to California but nothing regular.

Does surfing while you're 6 mos pregnant feel very different than surfing while not pregnant?

Yeah, for sure. The first few months it just feels like you have a really full bladder and it is tad uncomfortable. Now (I am almost 30 weeks) it's like laying on a ball and paddling is not a ton of fun. Knee paddling is nice though.

I think the whole pregnant surfing thing is pretty funny and honestly, sometimes I feel weird going out- but it's so hard to watch people surf and not be in the water! Also, I have to say I am super lucky to be able to still surf and have healthy pregnancies.



Have Velzy and Ivy gotten on a surfboard yet?

They will come on little rides on our back but have not taken to surfing on their own too much. Most importantly, they both really love the water. If you ask Velzy (4) if she surfs she says "I am a body surfer" and she is a pretty good. I love it. Ivy (3) is crazy. She's getting into boogie boarding - she gets tossed around in little shore break but always comes up smiling and goes out for more. It's pretty funny to watch.

I really hope that they want to surf when they grow up, because it will be so fun as a family to surf together. BUT, I don't want to be one of those parents who pushes their kids into it and then they don't like it. So all in due time...

What is the most favorite or memorable surf session you've ever had?

There is a spot on the North Shore called Kamasugis. Luke and I don't surf it all that often but when it's good it is a really fun left and right so we get to share waves - he goes left (he's goofy) and I go right (I'm regular). We have had some good times out there.

Also, anytime I am in the water with family - especially my brothers and dad - we laugh a lot and it's so fun.

Thank you so much, Ashley - you are definitely an inspiration! May you enjoy the rest of your pregnancy and being in the water as much as you can. I also want to thank Mark Lee for sharing his beautiful photos and tell you a little more about him...

Mark Holladay Lee is a photographer on the North Shore of Oahu who specializes in unique water photography from surfing to weddings, and basically just having fun in the water.

Mark has been in Hawaii since 1996 but inbetween, spent a couple of years in New York working with a fashion photographer, and a couple of years in California as well. His inspiration comes from surf and fashion and he'd rather spend more time in the water than out. A fascinating little tidbit - a long time ago, Mark used to manage the famous Long Board Grotto! (Where Surfy Surfy is now).

When it came time to photograph Ashley, Mark told me, "I have photographed quite a few underwater maternity sessions here in Hawaii, and was so excited when Ashley told me she wanted to get some shots of her surfing. It is not very often that I come across such a graceful surfer that can still paddle while being 6 months pregnant. I would have to say as a surfer I am a little jealous - I wish my mom would have taken me surfing."



Happy Surf Fridays and Happy Aloha Fridays to everyone in Hawaii!


update: check out this beautiful momma surfing while 5 months pregnant!

Refueled Magazine Rocks

click and enlarge to read

When the editor of Refueled Magazine asked me to interview my own husband for the summer issue, I said yes. Chris Brown puts together such a fine, fine publication that it took me about two weeks to come up with some decent questions for the online mag. Of course, Mr. Jay Watson does an even better job answering them.

You can click on the flip book above to enlarge the pages for your reading pleasure. Brown is one of the best editorial designers I've ever seen in the business. Thanks for the opportunity, Chris.

For the entire issue, go to Refueled Magazine.

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In other news, Jay Watson has a new interview available via podcast on LensFlare 35.

Cher Pendarvis: Part Three

1969-70, shaped by Tom Threinen, with glassing help by Cher. The 5'8" Arch Tail Twinny preceded Cher's first fish.
Photo by Tom Threinen

What an amazing time that must have been for you, experimenting like that and surfing with all of those greats. Can you tell us a little about working for Surfing Magazine? What did you do there?

When I worked at Surfing, it was a bi-monthly and I was the only woman on staff for quite awhile until they hired a receptionist. The staff at the time was about 5 people then it grew. I was an Art Associate and became an Advertising Designer; this was in the late mid-late 1970s.

How many surfboards do you suppose you've had, Cher? What is your current favorite?

I worked on surfboards in Ocean Beach in the late 1960s to the mid-1970s. In 1974, our friend Mike Casey was head shaper at Channin, and he introduced me to Tony Channin and Mike Diffenderfer. Channin has always been known for their quality and precision. Tony sponsored my surfboards for more than 15 years, and he commissioned me to design logos for his brands and also had me work part time at the factory if I needed more freelance work.

7'1" swallow tail shaped by Mike Casey; Channin built it for Cher's first surfing trip to Oahu to visit Rell in 1976. Shaun Tomson gave Cher hints on the design for tube riding - and she still has this board.
Photo by Tom Threinen

This was a creative time, and Mike and I worked on designing boards. It was an honor to work with Tony Channin and the crew. Mike Casey moved to Hawaii in 1978 and we continued to work together, and I rode his boards until Steve began shaping my boards.

Looking back and doing some counting, I think I've had more than 150 boards. It's been very fun, and an honor to ride each and every one. I still have some favorite boards that date back as far as 1970.

Currently my favorites are:

- Juvenile Garribaldi, 5'10 old school keel fin fish
- Frisky, 6'2 EPS quad swallowtail
- Queen Angelfish 4, 6'4 twinnie with trailer
- Kelp Slipper, 6'7 high aspect twin fin for heavier water
- Firecracker, 5'4 chambered balsa fish
- Leopard Spots, 6'10 chambered balsa high aspect fish
- Mother Garribaldi, 6'9 Skip Frye fish

I love how you name all of your boards. What is your current homebreak?

Sunset Cliffs and Ocean Beach (Southern California).

Your husband Steve Pendarvis, is a well known shaper. Can you tell me what defines a Pendoflex board?

A Pendoflex has a high speed torque tail design that Steve shapes into the board. After glassing it, he finishes it with a light foam decking. The Pendoflex allows you to subtly change the rocker of the board to get more speed out of your turns. Steve's Pendoflex design also helps the board to subtly conform to the wave face and tap more of the available energy.

1999 Pro Masters, riding Angelfish 3, PendoFlex, built by Steve
Photo by Jim Pigeon

Did you meet Steve while surfing?

Yes, Steve and I first met while surfing at the Cliffs, as acquaintances. Many years later, our close friend Janine formally introduced us, and we are very grateful to her.

What are you working on right now that you are most excited about?

Oh, I'm grateful to say it's many things. Being a self-employed artist, it helps to have a broad base of work that can be done. Right now, I'm working on a new edition of The Painter Wow! Book, which is an educational book which combines art and technology.

During the past 4 years, I've been working on and off as a producer on an independent documentary film, and my work included researching, organizing and conducting more than 20 interviews, and contributing photography among other things, for the project. It was an honor and labor of love to do the interviews and other work and hopefully the project will be completed someday.

Right now, I'm working on a painting commission of some Ginger flowers for a client, and helping Steve with his surfboard business. And a favorite on-going photography series involves photographs of surfing people and scenes. Steve and I are grateful to do creative work and we love the work we are blessed to do.

Cher, in all the riding you have done, is there one wave that is more memorable than others?

Thank you. Two waves, one was at Sunset on the North Shore, off the point in the Spring of 1982, the waves were about 6-7 feet. I got a long wave that had an incredible barrel so wide and dry that you could stick out your arm, out and not touch the waterfall. It was long and fast and so wonderful to emerge from the dry barrel.

The second wave was after Rell passed away in 1998. Rell used to say, "The ocean is the blood of the Earth and it keeps us connected, So if she was in Makaha and I was surfing the Cliffs, we were still surfing together."

I was surfing alone at my favorite reef in the spring after she passed away and riding an old Lis fish for fun. I felt her on the little board with me, and when I hopped near the nose to trim on the inside section, I felt her come through my heart and ride the wave with me to the beach. It was so wonderful and thrilling to share, and after that I floated on my board in the tidepool and cried happy tears, but missing our dear friend so much.

That is incredibly beautiful, thank you for sharing that. As our last question, I’d like to ask what advice would you give to a girl today, who wants to learn to surf?

If you have friends that surf, ask them if you can come along and watch and when you're comfortable, ask if you can try a board. You may even ask for some pointers. It's important to learn how to swim first, if you don't know how already. And nowadays there are classes and surf clubs in many junior high schools and high schools. YMCA's close to the coast offer surfing classes and camps.

I would love to encourage young women with the ocean to stick with surfing if they are inspired.

Cher with her new, 6'7" high aspect twin fish

photo by Steve Pendarvis

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Thank you, Cher! This has been an absolute honor. You embody the spirit of aloha and are an inspiration to so many.

Cher is in the the current issue (Vol 18, No. 6) of The Surfer's Journal, where she penned an article on Walter Munk (pg. 92).

Cher Pendarvis: Part Two

Rell, Susie & Cher
courtesy of the Cher Pendarvis photo archive

Cher, you were friends with Rell Sunn. Do you have a favorite story about her?

Rell and I met in 1975, waxing up for a heat in a WISA event in Oceanside and spent much of that summer surfing together and we had great fun! Rell loved to look for special vintage goodies in second hand stores and it was always fun to make little stops after surfing with her. I still have a 1950s silk Hawaiian dress that Rell bought me for $1, in 1975, and we shared this dress on occasion. Rell and I were close friends for more than 25 years.

We visited back and forth many times, and sent faxed letters to keep in touch. When I was visiting her, we had great times surfing Makaha, the South and North Shores, and she took me diving for fish and we would gather shells at special beaches on the West side. Once we were diving on a clear day near Kaena Point and we saw a big Ulua. Rell wanted to spear it, but the fish was too fast. Later, I think she did go back and capture this fish. Rell showed me to true Aloha.

When did you start shaping, glassing and painting on boards?

Picking up from patching dings to earn my first board in the mid-1960s, I was comfortable with surfboard building materials. I began building boards with my first husband and dear friend, Tom and friends in 1968. I did a little shaping for myself in the early 1970s, but Tom was more adept at it, so I focused on color work, glassing and designing and making fins when I worked, to earn money for college. Tom and I worked with Mike Sheffer building Fresh Fish Surfboards, also our own, and for friends.

1970, Cher glassing her 5'2" fish
courtesy of the Cher Pendarvis photo archive

It was a thrill to shape a family board this year with Steve, on my 59th birthday. Since this was the beginning of the last year of my 50s, I wanted to build a board from start to finish. It is a "6'7" high aspect twin fin fish.

How did you feel about the transition from longboards to shorter boards?

I loved my last longboard, the 9'8 Surfboards Hawaii Model A. Surfboards were getting shorter after Nat Young won the 1966 World Contest in Ocean Beach on his shorter, more maneuverable board, Sam.

My first short board was an 8 foot Hansen 50/50, and after that we began experimenting and building our own boards. Our boards went shorter very quickly after that.

We began to build our own boards in 1968, first from cut down longboards, and soon after that, we were buying blanks from Mitch's Surf Shop in La Jolla. Mitch was a good friend and you could buy all of the supplies for making your own boards at his shop.

Design was changing rapidly and many friends were experimenting, and we loved sharing ideas and trying one another's boards. It was an exciting time.

Cher, featured in an ad for Channin, 1976. Riding the 7'1" Channin Swallowtail shaped by Mike Casey.
Photo by Aaron Chang

From some of these photos, it looks like you are a real charger on the short boards. Did that come naturally to you once you started surfing short boards?

Jamie, I loved the shorter boards, they were faster and more maneuverable. I love the glide of nice longer boards, too. I have always loved to grow and push myself with surfing. It's just so much fun and so creative. The fish has been my favorite surfboard design since 1970, but I love to ride a lot of different shapes, as well.

Who at that time was your inspiration and did you pick up any tricks from other surfers?

My main inspirations were Thomas Threinen, Skip Frye, Bunker Spreckels, John Riddle, Jeff Ching, Larry Gephart, Steve Lis, John Brockway, Larry Bertlemann, Shaun Tomson and of course, Steve Pendarvis.

Jeff Ching was especially inspirational because his surfing was extremely quick, and stylish and smooth. Jeff was the first stand-up surfer to ride a fish, and I was in the water when he first borrowed Stevie's kneeboard and began surfing it standing up. Shortly thereafter Stevie shaped Jeff his own fish. Most of the early fishes were 4'6-5'6.

Soon, Tom shaped me a 5'2" fish, and this little board changed my surfing. It was so free and fast, almost like a bar of soap skating across the water.

My first fish had hard down rails that were inspired by some of the edge boards that Bunker was riding at the time. I loved helping build this fish and glassed it and made the fins.

Tom was a stylish longboarder in the 1960s, and made the transition to shortboards. He was inspired by George Greenough and fell in love with kneeboarding. Tom built himself spoons, tri plane hulls and fish kneeboards.

He, Stevie Lis, John Brockway and other kneeboarder friends, Louis Greco, Mitchell Pelegrin, Marshall Myrman, the Huffmans, Mark Skinner and others... their deep tube riding was inspirational.

Cher surfing a 5'5" fish in Mexico, 1974. Shaped by John Belik and glassed by Cher. This was Cher's fourth fish and she still has it. The photo was used on the press release for the first ever women's pro contest, The Hang Ten Women's Pro Malibu, 1975.
photo by Tom Threinen

Bunker Spreckels was a very creative surfer, who was very fun to surf with and died tragically at the age of 27. During the early 1970s era that Bunker was around, we rode edge boards with small fins or finless, and were speeding sections and then slowing the fast little boards by slipping/sliding 360s and helicopters similar to the folks riding finless boards now. I became fascinated with tube riding and loved traveling the coast with our kneeboarder friends in search of barrelly waves.

When we were working at Surfing Magazine in the late 1970s, I met Shaun Tomson, whose tube riding was ground-breaking. We got to see Dan Merkel's first shots of Shaun at Off the Wall when he first brought them in to Surfing.

Shaun kindly gave me pointers on tube riding and shared ideas for a board that Mike Casey shaped me for Hawaii. At that time, we also met Larry Bertlemann, and surfed with Larry, and other inspirational Hawaiian surfers on the North Shore.

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Please stay tuned for Part Three tomorrow!

Surf Fridays!

all photos © Jay Watson Photography

PineappleLuv was very impressed with some blog posts this week from a handsome and talented photographer by the name of Jay Watson. It's a gorgeous series depicting Northern California surfers during "Our Only Summer Swell". I decided to do this interview in person, over leftover Chinese food. And it was all business - there was no kissing or hand-holding.

Jay, what are some nicknames you have?

Juice, JDub, J-dawg. And my dad calls me Buck.

What are the best few songs you've heard in the past few days?

My Kingdom, Echo & the Bunnymen; Caribou, The Pixies; Shimmy Shimmy Ya, Old Dirty Bastard.

Why does classical music make you "hyper"?

Because it's associated with being soothing and because I don't like that style of music, it makes me want to break something.

What is your favorite iPhone app besides email? They're all tools. With the Wordpress app I can update my blog. I use SportsTap for NBA scores. Shazam is crazy technology. I can't believe it actually works.

What are some things you've always wanted to do that you've never done before?

- Ride a horse while shooting a gun
- Steal a car while shooting a gun out the side of a window while turning a corner with the wheels screeching
- A 24 hour solo mountain bike race
- I want to be sent to Japan for work
- And build a log cabin.

Do you have a favorite shot from your series this week?

Probably the overhead shot of the little grommet climbing down the cliff.

You are going to Oahu next week. What are you most excited about?

Waves.

What is your favorite meal that I cook?

That arugula rice dish or the chicken lime soup.

Most influential photographer that you've never met?

Robert Frank.

I was going to ask you what equipment you are using these days, but instead I want to hear something you talked about recently - about how "what" you are shooting with doesn't matter...

I hate how photographers get obsessed with the tools. Filmmakers and photographers are like that but other artists aren't. I don't like the purity of "Oh it's film or it's digital". They're just tools. I could go on, but it's almost as simple as that.

What is the most fun shoot you've ever been on?

Probably something for Garage Magazine. Maybe Bobby Green at the El Mirage Desert. Such a beautiful place, amazing light and car...

Do you have anything fun planned for your interviewer this weekend?

We have to pack!

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Thanks J-dawg. Currently you can catch Jay's work in the November issue of Inked Magazine - the Freddy Corbin feature.

My interview in Liquid Salt Magazine

Hi you guys, have you seen the new Liquid Salt Magazine? Glenn Sakamoto did an interview with me and it was really fun to answer his questions.

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.