From the vaults
I was very happy to get some interest in a print that was from a limited print run created years ago. It had been seen in a restaurant and led to other prints of that time being brought back to life. Although the originals had sold, the print runs had not concluded, so it was possible to sell a few, a couple (left and centre) of which are pictured below.
In my search for the artwork and print run details I unearthed other pieces that have been relegated to the drawers of previous work and ideas. Although some reached the end of their limited edition run, others have a few to go. This has got me thinking of a ‘From The Vaults’ page that could let them resurface, maybe find frames and walls.
The designs above were inspired by vintage luggage tags and the endless travel and no limits approach to reach desired surf spots around the world. They made their way onto the walls of a couple of surfboard factories but never found their way to a gallery. Instead of circulating them, I went travelling in search of waves!
Another find!
So while rummaging, I remembered there were some photographs of surfboard sprays I did years ago, pretty much pre-digital cameras, so all the photos were developed film. This is a minuscule fraction of the surfboards I have sprayed, people occasionally ask to see photos, or if I have a portfolio, and the answer is no, I don’t. In my experience, to get a job in the surfboard industry as a sprayer, you can either do it or not, and you’ll be rumbled on day one if you can’t.
To get to the point that you can, it helps to be creative and importantly, get a break with someone in a tight spot and willing or cornered into taking a chance on you. Into the deep end you go and then learn quick. This is what happened with me at Hot Buttered in New Zealand in 1989. Since then I’ve seen a lot of people come, and a lot of people go!
Although years ago, around the mid 90’s, I do remember spraying some of the boards in the photos. In those years, before internet shopping, that boards would go out to the shops and fly off the racks, especially in summertime. Looking back, there was a surge of interest in surfing and the factories already established were there to supply the demand. It became difficult not to duplicate sprays, plus I worked in several factories and understandably each one did not want to look like the others. I would vary the colours, let one idea morph into another, revert back to some classics, but sometimes I would stand with a clear board in the room and go blank.
Of course things are different now, there was a period when the internet suddenly offered people an endless amount of ideas and the bespoke nature of surfboards led to all sorts of requests and challenging briefs…sometimes straight up ridiculous.
Compared to other sporting products, the surfboard industry is in its infancy, there have been several twists and turns in a short period of time before finding a foothold. It seems to have settled now, although there is still an individual nature to boards, it has become more generic. I still enjoy turning up and doing my job, if I waver I think back to being 14 and spraying my skateboards with aerosols cans, then think ‘this is alright!’
Just a couple!
Just a couple of photos from my trip to the North Shore of Oahu this week. Going to drip feed them over the weeks, again they do a good job of taking me back there so I wish to prolong it. There is also sleeplessink.blogspot.com with more photos and videos.
