Recycled Art - Water Mosaic from Old Surf Mags by Cheryl Sorg

My friend and local artist Cheryl Sorg hooked me up with a few of her recycled art pieces using old surf magazines as the medium. This 18" x 18" piece is made entirely of wave and water shots cut into 1 inch squares and taped together to form a mosaic.  We showed this work before as large sheets. She took those and made smaller pieces from it. I love it. Thanks Cheryl!

Fin Art - by The Surfboard Man

The Surfboard Man sent over this fin art. He's got a cool blog. Check it out.

http://www.thesurfboardman.com/ 

Maggie's Leucadia Arts Alive Banner

Maggie Marsek is a part of this years Arts Alive Banner Project. See info below for the kick off event.

February 20th, 2010 from 2pm-5pm at Cabo Grill located at 1950 N Coast Highway 101 on the corner of La Costa Ave and Highway 101, the 101 Arts Alive Banners will be unveiled. After the unveiling the Banners will be on display on the lamp posts along Hwy 101 in Downtown Encinitas, Leucadia and the Cardiff Town Center where they will remain until May. On Sunday, May 23rd, 2010 the banners will be auctioned off at the Cardiff Town Center.

Fin Art Inspired by Mary Fleener

This is my Mary Fleener inspired Fin Art.

Wax Man by Rodney McCoubrey

My friend and local recycle artist Rodney McCoubrey did his first wax sculpture from bits and pieces he found in Baja. He gets a wax buddy for sure. Thanks for sharing Rodney.

Some Fresh Wave Goodness From the Lens of David Gray

I know everyone’s been surfing their brains out lately.  It has been a fun swell. Now that your arms hurt and your face is burnt, it's time to sit back, relax and enjoy a few photos. Here’s some fresh shots just sent over from David . Enjoy.

Chicago Artist with Local Connection - Sue Mellado

Armstrong Woods

Dressing Room

Sherry's Garden

My friend Sue Mellado lives in Chicago but has a warm place in her heart for Leucadia. For the past 20 plus years she's been staying on the bluff a couple times a year to soak up the vibe and to enjoy what Leucadia has to offer. It's a special place for her. I've known her son Jason for years and have gotten to know Sue better more recently. She told me she was an artist so I checked out her work and was inspired. I thought everyone would like it as well. Enjoy.

Check out her website here.

Happy Valentines Day

Sexy in red, tall yet full figured, gorgeous curves, holds me tight on big beautiful faces. I love my Keels.

Photo: Ed Lewis

Film - Surfing Dolphins by Greg Huglin

This is really beautiful. Looks like a great documentary.  Just came out. You can buy it for $9.99 at the thesurfnetwork.com  

Our world is one of air and water, theirs one of water and air. As mammals, we went our separate ways millions of years ago. But that hasn't stopped us from staying in touch. After all, we share the same liquid playground. Anyone who has been in the ocean when dolphins are around can't help feeling these are sentient beings supremely aware of us--especially when we see them catching waves.

In his 20 minute film, Surfing Dolphins, filmmaker Greg Huglin crosses the liquid line that separates us from them. It's a stunning labor of love--fourteen years in the making--with visuals that will elicit gasps of wonder and awe. If ever there was a case for them and us occupying separate but parallel worlds, this film is it. Proof positive dolphins love to catch waves, and can surf over-under-in-and-around those waves in a manner we can only dream of. That's how the film makes us feel at times, as if we're watching images from an underwater dream.

From the film's beginning, when dolphins rise to the surface to play and surf at a remote bay in South Africa, we're clearly witnessing one of the seven wonders of the natural world. In wave after wave, Greg captures their freewheeling expression sessions performed in perfect synchronicity. The energy is palpable. Dolphins know how to have fun!

Greg's tightly-framed ultra slow motion footage zeros in on our aquatic brethren surfing inside and performing graceful aerial arcs out the backs of waves. You don't have to be a surfer to appreciate this film, but only a surfer could have made it this way. There's a sense of kinship with our one species-removed cetacean cousins. We're connected by a shared understanding of the nuances of timing and positioning in riding the energy.

by Kevin Naughton
Legendary Surf Journalist

Manny Caro, Eli Mirandon and David Gray on Drift

 Leucadia shaper Manny Caro of Mandala has a great little interview on Diftsurfing.com. Check it out. I also was stoked to see that one of David Gray's shots of Eli Mirandon was used as well in the interview. Way to go guys!

Valentines for a Cause

My friend and local artist Cheryl Sorg hosted a very special event last weekend at the Pannikin. She organized a Valentine Making Party for an organization called LOVE146 , a group that supports victims of the child trafficking and sex trade. The Valentines made will be sent to the Philippines to be given to the kids they are helping.

 74 Valentines were created that rainy day... see them all HERE

Cheryl has become very passionate about this cause and has raised money through sales of her art to support organizations that make a difference.

Check out Cheryl's site for updates on events and ways you can help.

Special thanks to the Pannikin for all their support. They went well out of their way to accommodate the change in wheather.

Andrew Kidman - Mamma you've been on my mind

Andrew Kidman singing and surfing in Mick Water's Believe. Classic film, great song. Nuff said.

New Artist in Town - Hilary Crahan

My friend Hilary Crahan just moved back to Leucadia. She lived here and then moved off to do great things. She came back to settle in again and to get serious about her art. She has always been prolific with creating and is one of the most genuinely talented people I know. Art, poetry, jewelry and writing. She does it all and produces amazing and inspiring work in heaps. Now that she is back I'll be doing a lot more posting on her work. It will be easy. Lost of material to choose from.

The above pieces are from her new site www.crimsonartboutique.com. She just launched it today.  We built to help her showcase her work along with other local artists she takes a liking to. A new artist each month will be featured. If you are an artist and like her site, send her an email and see about how you can get promoted on her site as well. 

She has a blog going on the site. Check it out, she writes some great poetry.  Enjoy.

John Peck and His Cyrus Sutton Handplane

Last year I got to meet John Peck. He was really soulful and a joy to be around. In the visit he pulled out his new toy, a little handplane he said his friend gave him. He was very proud if it and said he was taking it out all the time. It was one of his favorites.

Months later I got to meet Cyrus Sutton at sacred craft. He was doing his DIY demonstration about making your own handplanes. It was right when his new film came out along with the korduroy.tv website. We chatted and I told him I got to meet John and that he had a handplane as well. Turns out that was the first one Cyrus made and he had given it to John.

It's a small surf world after all.

Photos, Ed Lewis

Movie off the Week - The Present - Only $6.99

If you don't already own it, now is the perfect time to add it to your collection. The * Present at www.thesurfnetwork.com for only $6.99!

Made for Pipe But Never Made It

This is an amazing story. This is from Murphy's archives. It's a circa 1970 Nectar single fin that when he was  glasser and half owner of Nectar they made it to surf pipe. The trip was set and then suddenly Puerto Escondido was discovered. Apparently when that happened the boys decided to head south and avoid the crowd.

The board, never ridden, got stashed and ended up in a PB bar for 15 years. Finally the board made it back to Dennis and it now sits on his wall. It has never touched water.

Beautiful. Enjoy.

Note the vintage MR photo below.

Photo Ed Lewis

Long Live El Nino

This winter has been about as good as it gets. More days of quality swell then we have had in a really long time. Here's some proof as to how good, good gets. Long live El Nino.

Photo Ed Lewis

Wood Goodness - 5'8" Bortoleto Keel Fish- by Felipe Siebert

Brazilian shaper Felipe Siebert has always inspired me. He has style and skill. Check out his blog for (siebertsurfboards.blogspot.com ) more photos of this board and many more. This fish is 1 of a series of 20 that he is making in collaboration with American artists: Jesse Ledoux and Dustin Ortiz. Enjoy.

Photos by Felipe Siebert

REMINDER - Allison Renshaw - Plastic Fantastic- Oceanside Museum of Art - THIS SATURDAY

Click to enlarge

My friend and local artist Allison Renshaw is having an opening for her new art show, Plastic Fantastic at the Oceanside Museum of Art. Reception is 5pm to 7pm Saturday Jan. 30th. See www.oma-online.org for details. Check out her site at www.allisonrenshaw.com . Hope to see everyone there.

Dreamy

A rare day. Off shore, 12' and less then 5 guys out. Here is a local taking advantage of it. 

I called Erik to come down hoping to get some good shots. As the session progressed we moved to get a new angle and David and I also almost took it in the back with a land slide. Quite the adventure. If you ever hear a pop from a 300 foot bluff above, run like hell. In our flight to escape the slide his camera ended up in the sand. We never did get good shots of Erik. I was bummed. But the good news is we made it out alive and Erik got to surf this with one other guy out filmed entirely in memory cam. Play back is instant and on demand for life.

photo: Ed Lewis

Scripps

Last week David and I ended up at Scripps to do a little shooting. The place was amazing. I've never seen it so good. Here are a few I got. David got one of his in the surfline.com feature and a few on fuel.tv. Go check'm out. Way to go David!

There is just something about the contrast of a perfect right barrel and a pier in the way.

Outside! This was about 15 foot plus. These sets would come out of nowhere. Check out the guy paddling out on the left.

Everywhere you looked there were barrels and fans and fans of barrels.

This is right off La Jolla Cove. I'm a half mile away. It's big.

Finally, one more little duck dive and then I'm out!

11am freight train headed south.

Finally, no one around and I'm set up for my first tube ever. Nothing can stop me now...

Photos: Ed Lewis

Dom's Alaia Test Drive

We featured Dom De Pietro's handy work a few weeks back with some photos of him making his own Alaia. Today I got some shots from his first test drive.

This is the third Alaia he's shaped, but it's the first he's made using the real Paulownia wood from Oz. He is digging this board over his others because the Paulownia is lighter and has more floatation. According to Dom this new board glides much faster and turns easier due to the reduced weight. It also paddles much easier than the Alaias he made out of Douglas fir.

Like any stoked craftsman, as soon as he finished making a wood board, he's already starting to think about the next one he's going to make, and the different design changes he wants to try out.

We'll be keeping tabs on Dom to see what he makes next. Keep up the good work Dom and keep sending us photos!

Ryan Burch on 4'10" Foam Thingy. Really Cool.

I was amazed watching this. Check out  the new short from the guys at Korduroy.tv .

Filmed on one winter day, Ryan Burch lays into his 4′10″ block of styrofoam. He took a saw to a soft top surfboard blank and voila- no fins, no resin or fiberglass, no stringer, no leash… just a square chunk of foam. More shenanigans coming soon via the new surf film “stoked and broke” a surfari epic on zero dollars.

Lucky Shot

Shot from a moving vehicle, at 70 mph, from the passenger seat, through the closed limo tented window, after suddenly looking up and being stunned by the beauty of this image. Sometimes it's just pure luck. Get inspired, pull the trigger and the rest is done for you. I love it. Enjoy.

Mattson 2 playing Jan 23 in Cardiff 7-10pm

Check out the live music and art show tomorrow night. Click on the image for details. Should be fun.