bl!sss magazine | december 2013 | #76

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E R I K E L L I N G T O N / L I Z A R D K I N G / T E R R Y K E N N E D Y / T O M P E N N Y / K E V I N R O M A R / S P E N C E R H A M I L T O N

W I N D S O R J A M E S / B O O J O H N S O N / C H E W Y C A N N O N / L U C I E N C L A R K E / B J O R N J O H N S T O N / D A N E V A U G H N

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W A L L A C E J A C K E T

E S C A P E W O V E N

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T H E B A L A N C E O F O P P O S I T E S

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K E E G A N S A U D E R B Y B E N H O R T O N , 2 0 1 3 . M I X E D M E D I A . P O R T R A I T B Y K E N N E T H C A P P E L L O .

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Artist: Josh Keyes

T H E B A L A N C E O F O P P O S I T E S

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HOLIDAY T H I R T E E Nby Bryant EslavaMonterey, Ca

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Disclaimer: Although all best efforts are made to avoid the same, we reserve the right to publish unintentional mistakes and/or factual errors which may occur on a monthly basis. No responsibility is assumed by the publishers for unsolicited materials/articles/letters/advertising and all submissions will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright and/or appropriate licensing purposes subject to Blisss right to edit and comment editorially. The views and opinions expressedinthismagazinereecttheopinions of their respective authors and are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editorial team. Blisss Magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising matter which mayreectnegativelyontheintegrityof the magazine. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form [print or electronic] without prior written consent from the publisher.

If your favorite shop isnt receiving BL!SSS Magazine please contact [email protected]

DECEMBER 2013

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFnick [email protected]

EDITORjoey [email protected]

CREATIVE DIRECTORmark paul deren : [email protected]

ASSISTANT EDITORspencer [email protected]

EDITOR AT LARGEliz rice [email protected]

SNOW EDITORjon [email protected]

MUSIC EDITORmax [email protected]

[email protected]

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERSJason Kenworthy, Dominic Petruzzi, Daniel Russo, Toby Ogden, Tom Carey, Brian Beilmann, Jack Coleman, Andrew Mapstone, Adam Moran, Dave Nelson, Pat Eichstaedt, Julien Lecorps, Ryan Boyes, Zach Hooper, Tim Peare, Michael Lallande, Bob Plumb, Peter Morning, Bryce Kanights, Arto Sarri, Anthony Acosta, Cameron Strand, Brian Fick, Deville Nunns, Gage Thompson, Derek Bahn, Tom Cozad, Robbie Crawford, Ryan Donahue

CONTRIBUTORSWillie Marshall, Daniel Russo, Jason Arnold, Greg Escalante, Nathan Spoor, Tom

Carey, Travis Millard, David Choe, Kai Garcia, Mickey Neilsen, Peter Townend,

Hamilton Endo, Tawnya Schultz, Mike Murciano, Geoff Shively, Casey Holland,

Steve Stratton, Robbie Sell, Andrew Miller, Pat Towersey, Raul Montoya, Ian Dodge,

Richie Olivares, Eric Meyers, Kelly Shannon, JP Olson

BL!SSS Magazine

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T H E S Q U I R EDesigned w it h ha nd- craf ted per fect ion

H A N D M A D E X H E A R T F E L T l R A E N . C O M

ARTIST: JOSH KEYES

masthead

nixon.com

In early November the ONeill Coldwater Classic went down with a strong list of unsponsored surfers showing up to do battle at Steamers Lane in Santa Cruz. The event was a one-of-a-kind affair with 16 invited competitors. The Banzai Bowl crew was there to keep the competitors fueled, and the contest ran in classic fall conditions at the Lane with crisp runners peeling off for hungry competitors to devour. Event standouts included local boys Shaun Burns and Noi Kaulukukui, as well as Aussie phenom Wade Carmichael. However, it was Hawaiis Torrey MeisterwhowasabletotakeoutCarmichaelinthenalandwalkawaywitha$50k sponsorship from ONeill. Congrats toTorrey for a well deserved win!

Its safe to say that former war reporter Chas Smith wont be spending this winter on the North Shore as his new book Welcome to Paradise Now Go To Hell: A True Story of Violence, Corruption,andtheSoulofSurng has recently dropped and has got the surf communitys full attention. Message boards and blogs across the World Wide Web are lighting up about the wild tales ofghts,drugs,corruptionanddownright extortion thats happening each and every winter on Oahus most coveted shoreline. Now we cant say if what Chas has published is true or not, as we enjoy escaping the cold and getting a few warm-water waves ourselves, but chances are that well recognize more than one or two names dropped in this riveting, tell-all book. A must-read for every surf junkie out there, pick yours up today and cross that guy off your X-mas list.

Vans is celebrating 20 years in the snow and it brought us a great way to enjoy this milestone. TheyveteamedupforthersttimewithUnion Bindings, a leader in the snow industry, to release a limited edition binding. The binding comes with checkered graphics on the toe straps, ankle straps and high back, giving it that classic Vans look. These bindings have been rider-proven with Jamie Lynn

having already shown their worth on the mountain. The limited edition Vans

x Union binding is available now through Union Binding retailers.

Visit unionbindingcompany.com for more

information.

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Poler has recently come out with an outerwear line thats as comfortably cozy as it is eye-catching. We were blown away by the whole line but took a strong liking to their Reversible Jacket.Thejacketsaperfecttforwinterweatherandcanbewornonacold, blustery night out or act as the perfect all-purpose road trip jacket. Being that its reversible, this jacket offers two distinctive looks depending upon your vibe, and with built-in fuzzy hand warmer pockets youre guaranteed to never want to take this thing off. We suggest you head on over to your local Poler retailer or to polerstuff.com to get in on the worlds highest standard of stuff.

POLER REVERSIBLE JACKET

VANS X UNION LMTD BINDING

COLDWATER CLASSICWELCOM TO PARADISE NOWGO TO HELL

randoms

GRINGO BANDITOOur friend Chris Daly of Gringo Bandito came by the other day to drop off some of their new green pepper hot sauce. Gringo Bandito has been around since 2004 when the Offsprings Dexter Holland founded the company, and theyve been redeninghowweindulgeindeliciousfood ever since. Its no secret that their tantalizing hot sauce adds a delightful zing to whatever food item you apply it to, and their new green sauce is even more palette pleasing. Gringo Bandito takes the best of Mexican and American cultures and bottles it up for our enjoyment. Pick it up at Mothers Market, Las Golodrinas, Hot Licks, Eat More Heat and Light My Fire.

Nikes supreme snow boot, the LunarENDOR QS, is shining more than ever thanks to the addition of 30 LED lights on the swoosh of the boot. JustimagineyinghighlikeaUFOinthenighttimeskywhilemaintainingthe comfort and durability that the LunarENDOR QS offers. And not to worry, theres an on/off switch located on the boots cuff, so you wont have to stay lit up in the daytime, unless youre into that. Nike will be keeping these glowing boots to only a limited run, so check nike.com this month to get an exclusive pair of the LunarENDOR QS with LEDs and light up your local mountain today.

Nixon is bringing us an artistic and practical assortment of items via their new limited edition collaboration with Bolts Action. The limited edition run features a custom-built Nixon Corporal watch with a perfectly age-rusted brass dial, a hand-cut Horween leather bi-fold wallet and a solid steel keychain. Each piece compliments the other with a strong sense of functionality and polished style that blends together effortlessly. This limited edition run of items is made for the rugged and the adventurous. If that sounds like you then get moving, because theres an extremely limited quantity available. Check select retailers and bolts-action.com for the Nixon X Bolts Action Collection.

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Recently, weve had the pleasure of receiving and applying a few different types of SolRXs sunscreen. They sent us over their 8-hour original Waterblock Sport sunscreen, their Facial Clear Coat Dry Zinc and their UVA/UVB broad spectrum Spray-Dry. All three of the screens worked perfectly in every situation we threw at them.Whetheritwasanall-dayshingtrip, a long surf or a random 85-degree fall day in the sun, SolRXs sunscreen kept us covered and protected the whole time. SolRX offers three of the four Sal-free sunscreens available on the market, so you know youre not covering your body with chemicals. Check out SolRX.com for all sunscreen and skincare products that are eco and action-friendly.

SOLRX

NIKE LED BOOTS

NIXON X BOLTS

Ever seen a car driving around with a goofy looking pink mustache attached to the front bumper? Well, thats the new alternative to calling an expensive, disgruntled cab driver, and it goes by the name of Lyft. Lyft is an on-demand ridesharing community. Through the Lyft app on iPhone and Android you can request a ride, and in minutes one of their drivers will pick you up. Their drivers are friendly and safe (having passed three background checks) and rides with Lyft are about 30% less than a taxi. Lets be honest, theres nothing worse than paying way too much for a ride in a stuffy, gross cab. Check themoutatlyft.comanddownloadtheapptodaysothatyoucaninvestinasafe,efcientand cost-effective ride home!

LYFT

randoms

THERMO-REACTIVE TEESThings are heating up in the creative department over at Imperial Motion. This Christmas they are launching their new color change tees that swap color in an instant with heat. Your body heat allows these tees to evolve in color wherever you may be, giving you much more than just a single-colored tee. The shirts are so reactive that when you wear them its like a moving tie-die shirt. Theonlydownsideisthatyoullndyourselfpreoccupiedformuchoftheday,blowing on your sleeve to watch it change colors. Either way, we think youll really enjoy these unique new tees. Head to your local retailer to grab Imperial Motions thermo-reactive dyed tees or check them out at imperialmotion.com.

Smith_BL!SSS_AUSTIN_Dec.pdf 1 11/19/13 1:25 PM

Sometimes a little faulty manufacturing can be a good thing. In this case it was a run of Powell-Peraltas limited edition Bones Brigade decks that came out a little off. Instead of throwing them out, Powell-Peralta is now offering these limited edition decks with minor blemishes in high quality shadowboxes, perfect for your skate collection. Also, 25 of the blem decks will be autographed by elite Bones Brigade team riders, with George Powell and Stacy Peraltasigningveof each deck. All of the signed decks will be offered in shadowboxes and $100 of each sale will go to the Tony Hawk Foundation to help build skateparks in underprivileged neighborhoods. Theres a very limited quantity, so head to bonesbrigade.com today to snag a piece of skate history.

Active Ride Shop has been supplying Southern California with shop-built goods for 25 years with a focus on utilitarian, timeless design. This holiday is the beginning of a new stage of progression for Active where theyre offering high-quality fabrications at an attainable price point. The Radiator Jacket is an interpretation of a classic varsity jacket using 100% genuine leather sleeves with zipper gusset cuffs, quilted-satin-lined sleeves, and aannel-linedbody.Damnnearano-brainer, eh? Available for purchase at activerideshop.com by the time youre tryingtowashthisinkoffyourngers.

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Dear friend and all around great guy, Todd Miller, swooped by the BL!SSSofcesthispastmonthand laced us up with some more BL!SSS stickers. The former Factor54 mastermind is now hard at work for Nameplate Inc. This company has been around for over 50 years and has worked with dozens upon dozens of top-notch companies within the surf/skate/snow industry. If youre lookingforstickers,oorgraphics,window clings, die cuts, point-of-sale displays or just about anything else you can dream up, Todd is your man. Contact him today at [email protected] and hell get ya squared away with whatever you need.

NAMEPLATE

RADIATOR JACKET

BONES BRIGADE LTD EDITION DECKS

randoms

Thenishingtoucheshavebeenput on Mountain High Resorts new additions for the 2013-14 season, and just in the nick of time,astherstsnowfalloftheseason has landed. Mountain Highhasaddedvenewall-natural wood-terrain features to Woodworth Gulch the only all-natural terrain park run in Southern California. Woodworth Gulch will now be showcasing its uniquely constructed A-Frame feature. Other new features include a 15-foot log wall ride, a new log pole jam, and a new bannister log on the Woodworth cabin. Anytime Season Passes are still available on sale at mthigh.com for just $349. So, get your season pass and go shred the new wood features at Mountain High.

MT HIGH ADDITIONS

Our friends Brendan Sindell, Keegan Gibbs and Zach Powerscamebytheofcethispast month to introduce us to the next best thing to hit the alcohol market House Beer. The concept behind the beer stems from an enjoyment of great tasting, light beer over the years, and believe us when we say that this crisp brew is one that youll want to have hitting your lips for any occasion. The beer goes hand-in-hand, literally, with a wild night out, a relaxed barbecue, a ruckus house party and anything in between. While youre drinking this honest, super-premium, American lager, you can feel good knowing that House Beer donates 1% of its proceeds toanon-protenvironmentalorganization of its choice. House Beer has just hit the market, and itll be coming to a bar or liquor store near you, so keep up with them at housebeer.us or on Instagram at @housebeer.

HOUSE BEER

Whenrstintroducedtoyourart, you immediately intrigued me. You have found a way to introduce comedy and humor into serious and meticulously rendered graphite drawings. Will you please tell us about your background as an artist?My background is more in lame 70 and 80s TV sitcoms than art. Im just as surprised as anyone that I found my way here. Ive often said art is this grand safety netthatcatchesthedifcult-to-categorize riffraff before we fall off a proverbialcliff.Ifanything,myrstintroduction to art, other than comic books and He-Man cartoons, was a burgeoning appreciation for political cartooning in my late teens. L.A. Times Paul Conrad was an early hero. You studied journalism at the University of Southern California. What can you tell me about that time in your life?More than anything, USC was just a good-old-fashioned-naked-fun time! I joined a fraternity, and did my utmostbesttofulllthecharming,douchebag bro stereotype. Betwixt shot-gunning beers and binge nger-blasting,Itriedtolearnsomething about journalism, and I denitelyimprovedasawriterandinquisitive mind. I have one of those at home in the shape of a husband. You worked as an animator for some iconic television shows, so how did you get into animation and why did you decide to leave? Do you still do animation on the side?

Animationwasdenitelynotsomething I ever set out to do. My path to it was actually quite serendipitous. I took a year off from USC to get rid of some state-required courses for about $30K less at a local community college, while working full-time to build up my coffers. I had fully intended to return to the naked-fun lifestyle, but for shits n giggles I took a life-drawing class. My instructor, AndyFagan,wastherstteacherto recognize my talent, and unbeknownst to me, his class happened to be somewhat of an incubator for those dreaming of entering CalArts Character Animation Program. There were 6 or 7 students in the class who were apparently perennially applying to CalArts. Long story short, he told me I had the goods to get in, I applied and was admitted that same year. Truth be told, I had no idea what a magical and storied program it was until I got there.

Will you tell us about your creative process?I listen for the soft whispers of innocent children in the cool, night air. They tell me what to do.

I hope the innocent children are well behaved. What mediums do you work in?With drawings, I usually limit myself to a sharp, pointy stick. Charcoal, graphite, and colored pencils have been my mainstay. Right now, Im really enjoying working in color and have added a bit of pastel to my repertoire. Sculpturally, the skys the limit. Ill use everything from books and DVDs, to canned goods,

orevenavatofpetriedcamelsemen if the project calls for it.

Sounds dirty, I like it. How long does it take to create one of your large-scale pieces?It depends on the subject and detail involved. Anywhere from a week to two months. Color works can take as much as double the time of black-and-white works.

Are there any artists that really inuenceyou?Besides Paul Conrad, I could also mention Gary Larson, as well as lmmakers/comediansMelBrooksand Woody Allen. But, I give most credit to the everyday comedic idiocy and absurd obsessions and orthodoxies of the human race at large. Im merely a humble observer who is fortunate enough to have a platform to share his twisted observations. Humans can be quite funny. Tell me one thing that you found really funny recently?How grotesquely huge my dick is.

Do you have a serious side to your art? Is their anything that gets you really serious, really fast?Well, when you commit the amount of time I do to art-making, it becomes a pretty fucking serious exercise. I do actually take my comedy very seriously. It may surprise some to know just how much mental energy goes into most everything I do. I sympathize with Ernest Hemingways pursuit of penning one true sentence. All

I ever want to do is create one true image. As far as something that gets me serious really fast, threats of sodomy from large, burly, leather-clad dudes works wonders!

That can hurt. Do you have a favorite celebrity?Magic Johnson. I suppose Id also be a bit intimidated to meet Don Rickles.

Will you tell us about your solo show Ebony&Benghazi at Ambach & Rice, Los Angeles?In a nutshell, its really just a comedic analysis of the new face of American Exceptionalism in the face of growing dysfunction and insolvency at home, and a gradual shift back to non-interventionist policies abroad a dovish American sentiment not seen since pre-Pearl Harbor.

Do you have any upcoming projects that you would like to share with us?I have a few exciting things upcoming, but for the next several months most of my focus will be toward making works for my next big solo show at Paradise Row in London, May 2014.

Where can people check out more of your artwork?As always, the best place to see all things Yahnker is my website: www.ericyahnker.com.

Any last words?Yes. Van Halen!

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Before I create a new series I write about the project. If I cant denetheproject in a logical and a concise manner, even though I might be excited to try a new technique, I will drop the project.

Interview: Liz Rice McCray :: Photo: Ambach & Rice, Los Angeles

What was your rst distorted

piece?

Violin, 1997 was the rst piece that was a true compound mathematical distortion. In other words, changing one part of the object affected the whole. But prior to that, I was working on free-form distortions.

Was it a gradual evolution

artistically?

It was absolutely a gradual evolution. A lot of trial and error in order to arrive at a vocabulary of forms and content that worked.

Can you describe the

materials that you use to

create your work?

I try to eliminate art-specic materials in my work. So the sculptures are always made from the same type of material as the original object theyre based on.

How do you decide on subject

matter?

Based on a current idea that Im interested in. So guns, knives, brass knuckles came out of the notion that as violent tools, they

all related back to the grasp. I liked the idea that the subject related back to the way the viewer was trying to understand work with their body.

What has been the most

difcult sculpture from start

to nish?

Its probably a work from my last show at Marlborough Chelsea NY, chain-link fence (torn). It seems like it might be a relatively easy thing to recreate the manipulated geometry of a fence, but it wasnt. My studio worked with several foundries to engineer a process to get it realized. The piece was made of over 300 cast parts, which all needed to be nished by hand and then connected. Then all those connections needed to be nished by hand.

Do you think there is a

universal theme connecting

all of your work?

Im interested in a range of themes and subjects in my work. If there were an overriding theme, maybe it would be displacement.

In a general way, can you

describe the process?

The rst process would be the design part of the process. So most of that happens on the computer, which then culminates in the output of physical models that are mostly rapid prototypes. The next phase is the most challenging, making those designs with the original material. Then various hand nishing and coloring.

How big of a part does

lighting play in your work?

I work with the idea that the sculptures can be read as images as well as objects. Lighting plays an important part in this. By diffusing shadows, the work has a more undened physical presence.

Can you talk about any

current projects?

I just opened a solo show at Dittrich Schlechtriem in Berlin called jamshot, which is on view through December. To see more of Roberts work, visit robertlazzarini.com.

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Interview: Alan Garcia

I try to eliminate art-specicmaterials in my work.

Shane Dorians no stranger to hunting. Hes been a hunter of waves his whole life. But in the past decade hes slowly started excelling in a different form of hunting bow hunting. Its currently one of Dorians greatest passions, a new challenge that gives him great satisfaction. Hes encountered a weird new adrenaline rush, found an activity thats brought his family closer together and obtained a deeper knowledge for his surrounding ecosystem. So, whether youre a card-carrying NRA holder, a diehard PETA member or somewhere in between, take a glimpse at the following interview. You might even feel like picking up a bow yourself.

Howdidyourstgetintroducedto bow hunting?I moved from the beach up to where I live now, which is at 4,000 feet elevation up on the mountain. When I moved up there I put a bunch of trees in and the pigs would just dig everything up that I planted. I was having issues with the pigs and I didnt know what to do and didnt want to fence my property. A friend of mine gave me a gun and said, If you shoot a couple of them, theyll get the hint. Of course, that didnt work and I didnt like guns at all, so I gave it back to him and said, Thats not for me. My neighbor had a bow and he was a bow hunter, so I started shooting his extra bow. As soon as I got that dialed he took me hunting. AfterthatrsttimeIwascompletelyhooked. I bought a bow and got totally geared up, and its been a slippery slope ever since.

Where have you traveled outside of Hawaii to bow hunt?Ive been pretty lucky actually. Ive hunted in Australia a couple times now. Its funny because Ive been to Australia like 20 times, and if I was into bow hunting back in the day I wouldve gone hunting every time I was there. The hunting in Australia is amazing. So, Ive been hunting in Australia, Utah, Colorado and California.

Why is Hawaii different from anywhere else in the world as far as hunting goes?Hawaii is really unique in that there are no native mammals that are on land. Every single mammal in Hawaii, including wild goats, wild sheep, wild pigs and wild deer every single one of those species was introduced. And so, in Hawaii we have a lot of native animals that are impacted by all of the introduced animals. We have a lot of native species that are going extinct because of the impact of these introduced species. The introduced species have no natural predators whatsoever, so theyre able to reproduce at a crazy rate. The access deer that we have in Hawaii, if theyre not managed their numbers will double every three to four years. Just to put that in perspective, in 1960 there were eight deer introduced on Maui, and there was never one deer added to that herd, and right now there are 40 to 50 thousand on Maui. If those deer werent hunted for three years, thats one hundred thousand deer on Maui.

Whats the result of those overpopulated species not being hunted?One of the worst things is that these deer are at the maximum capacity of what this land can support, so if they werent hunted for a couple of years there wouldnt be enough feed for all of them and theyd all get diseases and die anyway. So, the best thing you can do for the herd is to keep them balanced, and keep them at a certain amount. Its a lot different, because on the mainland for elk and deer they survey the herd every year and sell tags based on how many animals there are. They keep the herds in check and balanced for their own good through hunting management. Its similar in Hawaii but a little different because all of the animals are introduced. The thing in Hawaii is that people love tosh,lovetohuntandtheresalot of self-sustaining action going on

as far as food supply goes. Theres a lot of people going back to the basics these days with adding organic gardenstotheirhouses,spearshing,getting bows and it feels like its been heading that way in the past few years.

How would you compare your experiencesinsurngtothoseyouve encountered in bow hunting?Its funny because Im such a calm personalways.Eveninsurngsituations Im pretty calm, even in some real dicey situations, just because Ive been at it for so long. But in bow hunting, me being able tokeepcalmissodifcultbecauseIget so excited and nervous. Especially when youre hunting something like deer, you have to be so switched on and so stealthy. The deer are so alert and have crazy senses. Their life depends on them knowing if theres something dangerous in their vicinity and being able to get a deer with your bow you have to be very close. Therearesomedeniteparallelstosurngbigwavesandhunting.Thepeople who surf really good in big waves are usually real patient, level-headed and can put it together under pressure and its the exact same thing with bow hunting.

Tell us one of your most memorable hunting moments.Probably my favorite hunts to do are multi-day backcountry hunts. I love the adventure aspect of hunting, kind of like going on a surf trip. Its like going to Baja with your buddies and not having an exact plan besides just going down there and looking for surf, hanging out with your buddies and having a good time. I have a couple of guys that I go with and we go to Colorado and buy an over-the-counter hunting license for two weeks. You just put all of your supplies in your backpack and just hunt back like 10 miles. Theres sleet, snow, lightning and storms and its just wild. I had a hunt a couple

of years ago with my friend from Hawaii and we were elk hunting and packed enough gear for 10 days in the backcountry. We did all of our own scouting, our own research and we both got bull elk, packed it all out and brought the meat home. It was super rewarding. I really dig that whole adventure aspect and being up against the elements.

Is the deer meat one of your favorite meals to enjoy?Nodoubt.WhenIrststartedhuntingmy wife thought it was really weird. She was like, Ive always known you as just a surfer and now youre going hunting and bringing animals home. But as soon as she tried the deer, she goes, Ok, you can go deer hunting whenever you want. Deer in Hawaii are super good tasting, easy to prepare and you can use pretty much the whole animal. Now I have a whole separatemeat-freezerlledwithdeerfrom bow hunting. My kids love to eat it and help me process it. On a weird level, its kind of brought my family closer together. My kids have connection with their food and know that when theyre eating a steak it didnt just come in a wrapper. We eat deer probably three or four times a week and theyre stoked on having a part in preparing the meal.

Whats your advice for people who are looking to start bow hunting?Itseemsdauntingatrstandprettyforeign, like I have friends who just started in California and it seems bizarre for them. But theres local bow hunting shops all over, and the best idea is to go in there and talk with the guys who work there. Its justlikebeingnewtosurng.Getfamiliar with the equipment, get some good advice and just learn as you go.Itsdenitelynotforeveryone,but for someone whos interested Id encourage you to go to your local bow shop and get started.

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Interview: Spencer Pirdy

MARINER TIDE

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CORY LOPEZ

FREESTYLEUSA.COM

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I dont know why, but unpacking a suitcase can sometimes be the most melancholy thing to me. It feels like Ive lived an entire life in suitcases, their handles and shapes coming in all different sizes in different surroundings, from hotels, lobbies, park benches,oors,sidewalksor streets.

After wandering for so long, it was with a little apprehension that I settled in Los Angeles. To paraphrase a few words my friend Werner spoke about the jungle: I trust it against my better judgment. This isnt meant to be some downer or diatribe, but rather whatever honest words that I can somehow put down here about living in Los Angeles while completing one of the largest photo and performance projects in its history.

From February 10th - May 20th 2013, working in collaboration with MOCAtv, I walked 1000 miles throughout Los Angeles, 10 miles a day over a 100-day period. Every morning I threw a dart at a map of the city to indicate my start point; I would then shape each days route as a hieroglyph of the journey in either a line, a scribble, a crude drawing or a geometric shape. My uniform was an all-white outtandasmallsatchelwhereIkeptmylm.Allthe photos here, with the exception of two, were found while wandering through houses in Compton, CA, during the project. At times, walking to my rstphysicalhomeinyears,I would stare at the sky, watching the planes move slowly, their lights slowly blinking back at me on the ground. Theres something so comforting about

wandering and walking with a camera in hand, as if the word every hangs around you in everything, everyone every time in every place everywhere turning as fast as the world does, a revolution of 1000 miles per hour, while each footstep passes another until the roads youve walked are no longer in front of you but behind you, and every object from every suitcase has in it a memory and reminiscence of some place in back of you. To remember to remember, as Henry says, is the ultimate task, but one too often forgotten. All I can do is keep moving then, step by step, under different skies from different days, every hour and every mile measuring up toward another.For more photos and information go to www.sskpress.com.

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Words & Photo: Jason Jaworski

I walked 1000 miles throughout Los Angeles, 10 miles a day over a 100-day period.

Facebook.com/LatitudeSupplyCoTwitter.com/LatitudeSupplyInstagram:Latitude_Supply_Co

L A T I T UDESUPP L YCO . COM

Classic 1960s surf culture can be embodied in many ways. But nothing really comes closer to epitomizing this era quite like the most iconic surf rock instrument, the Fender Jaguar, and the most popular wave-riding craft of the time, a vintage Hobie replica longboard. Now, the public has the opportunity of taking home eachofthesenepiecesofsurnghistoryandhelpbetterthe world in the process.

Hurleys clean water initiative H20 has announced a partnership with Fender Guitar and Hobie for global clean drinking water access. The product collaboration, which includes a collectors dream package of a Fender guitar and Hobie longboard, will be auctioned off

with partner eBay to the highest bidder. Beginning December 2nd at 8 a.m. PST and ending December 12th at 8 a.m. PST, the one-of-three Fender X Hobie collection will be auctioned off at http://givingworks.ebay.com/hurley-waves-for-water with a starting bid of $10,000. All proceeds from this one-of-a-kind collaboration go directly toWavesForWater,anonprotorganization which has been instrumental in providing clean water access to 10 million people to date in more than 20 countries.

Im stoked to see this happen, says Waves For Water founder Jon Rose. Two iconic brands bringing to the table what they

do best, and in the process helping people gain access to clean water. By creating these pieces, Hobie Surfboards and Fender are speaking through the Waves For Waters DNA: Do what you love and help along the way.

The Fender Classic Jaguar Special is the instrument of choice for the original surf music pioneers and remains just as relevant today. This limited-edition, one-of-three Fender Classics comes in custom Hobie Surf Green and features several thoroughly modern improvements, including hotter pickups, cut switch, Adjusto-Matic bridge, 9.5 ngerboardradiusandneckpocket with increased back-angle for improved stability. The other two guitar/surfboard packages

are with the Alter family and at the Fender museum. Hobie Surfboards has been an integral part of beach culture for more than six decades. And, like Fender, is considered one of surngsFoundingInstitutions.The 90 longboard on offer also comes in Hobie Surf Green and is a replica of a vintage early 60s Hobie board.

Artist and surf/skate culture icon CraigStecyklmedanddirecteda video on the Fender and Hobie stories and the making of these works of art. The soundtrack is by Bob Berryhill of the Surfaris, whos playing the limited edition Fender Classic throughout the video. For more information about the collaboration and to viewStecykslm,pleasevisitwww.ebay.com/fenderxhobie.

44


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Hi Shaina, will you please introduce yourself to our readers a little synopsis if you will.Im a visual artist from Philadelphia and Im obsessed with the human gure.IgotmyBFAinpaintingatMaryland Institute College of Art in 2011, and now Im working on my MFA at New York Academy of Art.

You have described your oil paintingsasgurativeandlandscapes, portrait and abstract. When looking at your paintings it makes perfect sense. Will you try and put into words your inspiration behindyourgurativelandscapes? I dont like the word inspiration. To me, that word conjures images of artists sitting around waiting to be struck by lightning so they can have a great idea and make work. This work came about by looking hard at the work of other painters, guringoutwhatIwantedandexperimenting with my medium

and process until I came up with something that worked. Starting in 2011, it was a year of research and trials before I made a decent painting. I suppose thats why these pieces are titled as Experiments.

When did you start painting the human form?Istartedpaintingthegurein 2006. I had just started my undergrad program and although I always knew I wanted to be an artist, I didnt yet know what kind. Practicality told me to go into some sort of design, but once I took my rstpaintingclassIwashooked.

When looking at photos of you, you could be mistaken for one of the women in your paintings. Have people referenced this before? Do you use yourself as a subject? Yes, I use myself as a model frequently. People mention it less with this current body of work, maybebecauseitsdifculttorecognize any one face in them.

But, I wouldnt say I use myself as a subject. Im not painting me, Im painting the human experience; the faces and bodies are just stand-ins.

How do you like living in NY? I love it! But, I do miss Philly sometimes.

What are your favorite things to do in NYC? My favorite place so far is the Cloisters, which is the medieval wing of the Metropolitan Museum, way up in Northwestern Manhattan. Its amazingly serene and quiet and its surrounded by a beautiful park. There are some really important works there, but mostly its the atmosphere that I love. You almost forget youre still in NYC. Apparently, they moved several abbeys from all over Europe here, stone by stone, and put them back togetherintothisonemagnicentbuilding.

Do you have any upcoming events you would like to share

with us? There is an awesome small works sale and holiday party coming up at New York Academy called Deck the Walls. There will be a lot of reasonably priced work by some really talented artists. Besides that, there is the Tribeca Ball in the Spring, which is a big Manhattan social event. Ill have work in both shows.

Where can people check out more of your work? My website (www.ShainaCraftArt.com) has a list of current shows and events and is usually pretty up to date. I also welcome visits at my studio in lower Manhattan You can call New York Academy of Art to set up a tour. For those of you who wont be on the East Coast anytime soon, you can check out my page on Saatchi Online (www.saatchionline.com/ShainaCraft). There, you can buy original works as well as prints. I have a lot of new work going up soon, so keep your eyes peeled!

46

Before I create a new series I write about the project. If I cant denetheproject in a logical and a concise manner, even though I might be excited to try a new technique, I will drop the project.Interview: Liz Rice McCray

Chris Christenson has just nishedpullingoffanall-nighterat his shaping bay in San Diego, building dream quivers for some of the worlds best surfers the old fashioned way with his bare hands. Now, instead of sleeping off his foam dust hangover, Chris is headed north to his cabin in a secluded region far from blaring planers and endless board orders. Chris enjoys these getaways. In fact, he enjoys and excels at a whole lot of other activities besides buildingne-tunedsurfboards.Heres a snippet of the world of Chris Christenson outside of the work place.

Tell us about some of your interests and hobbies?Obviouslysurng,shing,backcountry snowboarding, I play golf, paddling, motorcycles... EverythingIdoisdiversied,likewith my brand, I do a lot of different styles of shapes and equipment. My lifestyle is dictated around seasons. This time of year my focus is more towardssurng,thebackcountryand the mountains. I have a house out in the sticks, south of Mammoth, and Im pretty much up there a week on a week off. I base my visits around storms, and the good thing

about California is that a lot of the timeyoucangetthewavesrstandthe snow second. You get the best of both worlds.

Howd you get into such a wide variety of activities?I think it was how I was raised. Surngwasearlyon,andthenmygrandparents had a cabin in Lake Arrowhead that theyd go up to every weekend. In the winter my grandpa would pick me up from school on Fridays and Id go up there and rip the trucks off of my skateboards and those were my snowboards.Idalwaysshwithhim.IgotmyrstmotorcyclewhenI was six. My dad got me a 50cc Indian dirt bike as a Christmas present because he was a desert rat and into drag racing with GTOs and all of that. He got me that so I could go out into the desert, and as I got older I got bigger bikes and chased him around in his dune buggy. I always had the motorcycle sports bug.

Its a little known fact that you shoot sideline photography for the Chargers. How did that all begin?Yeah, this is my eighth season doing it. It started because of this guy Mike Nowak, hes the Chargers head photographer; he just randomly

ordered a custom board from me at my shop. I think he found out I was a Charger fan, and he said hed trytogetmedownontheeldoneday. I didnt believe him, thought he was just blowing smoke up my ass, and then one day he called me. I was just basically his camera caddy and was watching the games from the sidelines. Then, he kept inviting me to games, and I had no previous camera experience. I was there doing every game and by the third season it was when Ladainian Tomlinson was having a really good year. And, during the game where Ladainian set the record for most touchdowns in a game, Mike gave me a small camera to capture one of his touchdowns from between the goal posts. I was nailing all of these shots that game.

And you got a little surprise down the road?Yeah. Then, I started getting these calls from Canton, Ohio, and I called them back one day and they were like, Oh, congratulations youve received 2nd place for NFL Photo of the Year. I got a check and a plaque. So, now Im there with Sports Illustrated photographers as some award-winning photographer. It was just dumb luck for me as a surfer guy just being there shooting photos.

Whats the return from doing all of these different activities?I like the work hard, play hard motto. Ive had my business now for 21 years, and you do your best to try to avoid burnout. Dealing with surfers, surfboards and living on the beach, its easy to get burned out. I think going to the mountains or getting on the motorcycle is actually really healthy for me, which in turn makesmeappreciatethesurngside of things.

Whats next for you?My goal this year is to really have a lot of fun, snowboard, surf, do everything and still work hard. I always want to progress. I do all of these things and I know Im not a master at any of them, but I love the challenge. When I was 25, I thought that when I would be 40 Id be falling apart, but I still feel like Im progressing in everything Im involved with whether its business, life, relationships, on the mountain or whatever Im active with. I love my lifestyle and I know I dont need any other hobbies. Im competitive, even with my work, and Ive got these things I dig and my hands are full. Im content with what I have, but also want to get better at what I do.

48


Interview: Spencer Pirdy

Photo: Keith Novosel

Photo: Keith Novosel Photo: Brent Broza

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Keleigh Sperry is no stranger to the pages of BL!SSS Magazine. In fact, she was the featured Super Taste in the May 2012 issue as well as one of the bikini models in the 2012 Bikini Preview. Weve had so many compli-ments and such positive feedback that when this photo worked its way into our inbox we couldnt say no. So heres Keleigh again, batting her eyes in one of the sexiest shots weve seen it quite some time. Weve said it before and well say it again, expect to see more from this beautiful face as she continues to produce gold every time shes in front of the lens.

Model: Model: Keleigh :: Agency: Otto Models // Retouch: JasonSchorle.com

Photography: Dominic Petruzzi :: dominicpetruzziphoto.com :: @dominicpetruzzi

52

Basically, the contest had a good

rstdayofwavesandthenitwent pretty small. In Tahiti, if the swell

is a certain direction Teahupoo wont break, but all of these other little reef passes will pick

up waves. We just had this phenomenal window with no wind, kind of what Tahiti and that part of the world

are known for with those doldrums. It was dead wind, the ocean was just oil slick and the water was dead still. There

was no debris or disturbance at all. It was like looking at the bottom through a glass window, it was so clear.

We went down there for three days straight. It was just John John,hislmerandme;JohnJohnwouldjustsurfallday.Wejustjumped on a ski to get down there and anchored it in the lagoon. Wed paddle out or swim out at the edge of the reef and the next thing wed know we were on this perfect little knuckle of the reef that sticks out. Its one of those waves that if you drove by it you wouldnt even think its a wave. It looks like a closeout,

but if you get

one or two that hit the reef just

right, its a lot of fun.It was just a great

three days of surf where we got to get away from

the crowd that was down there.

The most amazing things I witnessed were the water and, for how much time someone like John John spends doing contests and traveling all over, just to be able to watch him forget about everything else,

surf and have a good time. There were

sick little barrels and perfect air

sections.

Every time he paddled back out he was like, Oh my gosh this is like the best

session Ive had. I cant believe how fun it is and no ones out. I pretty

much havent heard or seen him like that before or

since.

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AVAILABLE AT HAND-SELECTED RETAILERS

Interview: Ozzie Ausband : ozzieausband.wordpress.com // Photos: Deville

I had heard of Brad McClain long before I met him. Rumors. Innuendo. He was supposed to be this terror from somewhere north of Los Angeles and the only thing everyone said was good stuff. Epic board control. The dude is seriously good. I went on a Powell Peralta road trip up to San Francisco. Deville Nunes and the team were trying to get Brad to ride for them at that time. I recall them trying to get him to meet up with usalongtheway...ThersttimeIactuallysawBradMcClain skate was at Buckys BBQ shortly after that trip. Buckys bowl is 14 foot deep, and Brad rode the pool padless and at Mach 5. He did super long smith grinds, airs and gnarly stuff... I looked around and a saw a few raised eyebrows. The dude was crushing it. Fast-forward a few months. Brad started riding for Powell Peralta. He also began visiting my house at Ridiculous and riding pools with me. Weve become friends and hes always humble and fun to skate with. I give you: Brad McClain.

Give me a rundown on when and how you started skating.I started when I was about 10 years old. I was living in Livermore, California. The neighbor kids had skateboards and a few of them would cruise around on them. My mom bought me a scooter skate and I took the handles off and started skating on it. It was a piece of crap. On my next birthday, my mom took me to a shop and I got a World Industries board with Ventures, SpitresandLuckybearings.Idestroyedit.Everybirthday after that, my mom would buy me a new one. Id ride it for a year. Totally thrash the thing... I would sand them down and try to get them to last.

Where did you skate mostly? Did you ride pools and parks?I used my board mainly for transportation in the beginning. I would mainly skate outside my house, a rampnearbyandaatrailandboxthatmydadandImade. I started really skating hard in high school. My brother and I would ride a park in Dublin, California. It had lights. We rode every night and it really got me hooked. It was actually a pretty crappy park but it helped get me started.

Do you recall any earlyinuencesin

your skating?I just skated. I love to ride my skateboard. My mom bought me the Trans World video In Bloom. I saw Tony Trujillos part and seeing the way he did things opened my eyes. The way he tweaked his airs and rode... it really changed things for me. I started learning to do different things on my board because of that. Hip transfers, frontside airs, liens, just moving my board around.

How and where did you develop your skating after that?I grew out of the other skatepark and rode at Livermore. Sometimes Id go to Sunnyvale Skate Park. It had real vert and gnarly tombstone with two and a half feet of vert on it. I was about 15 at the time. As soon as I could drive and got a car, Id go to Sunnyvale and skate all day. I started skipping school and actually failed an entire period of school. I simply didnt go. Id be skating instead. My parents didnt really catch on for a bit. Id write fake school notes and sign my moms name. I got into independent studyandeventuallynishedeverything.Ididbetterin home schooling. Around this time, I got a job as well. Golf course. Having a paying job helped me get to more places, which led me to learn faster too. It was a progression.

Whatwasyourrstrealcontest?

Well,myrstrealcontestwasaChiliBowlcontest.TylerMumma and Josh Mattson entered that one as well. I was really nervous, as that place gets really crowded. Its a crazy vibe in San Francisco. I ended up sixth placeIthink.TherstcontestIwonwasalsoaChiliBowlevent.TherstreallybigeventthatIwonwas

60

F.S Blunt

Fast Plant

Stail Fish

B.S Tail SlideF.S Flip

F.S Nose Grind

the Copenhagen Pro. I won $5,000. I needed the money at that time. I couldnt believe it.

Sothatwasyourrstbigevent?

Isupposeso.Iguessmyrstbigdeal television event was Dew Tour. It was the one in Ocean City, Maryland. I was invited but I was also completely broke. No money. I wasnt going to go. All of my friends raised the money to get me an airline ticket. When I arrived in Maryland, I used my last $20 to get myself from the airport to the event. I had a skateboard, a backpack and a sleeping bag. I lurked around awhileandnallystartedseeingpeople I knew. Packy Fancher saw me and gave me a place to stay. I lived off Dew Tour catering food the whole time. It was pretty crazy... I was so broke. Ive been doing better in contests. It has helped. After X Games, I bought a new car, as my old one was unreliable. I recently won the Diamond Hell Ride contest as well.

How about sponsorship? Can you tell us about your sponsors?IwasridingowforSantaCruzfor about a year. It was cool. I had moved and was working two jobs to pay rent, eat and everything. It was so hard. Powell Peralta offered to pay me a salary and I decided to go with them. It has been a great decision. With them, I get to travel, eat and take care of things. I can focus on my skating and progress. I am grateful to the people that sponsor me: Powell Peralta, Osiris, Diamond Supply, Ace Trucks, Grizzly Grip, Bones Wheels & Bearings and S-One Helmets.

F.S Boneless

F.S Air

What are some of your favorite places youve visited and skated?Thailand was beautiful. I really like visiting there. I love Europe. I still think that Sunnyvale is a rad place to skate. I love skating different pools too. I actually onlyskatedmyrstpoolabouttwoyearsago.Ienjoythedifcultyofapool.Notwowallsarethesame and I have to constantly adapt and generate speed in order to do what I want to do. A pool is always a challenge.

Do you have any favorite tricks? Is there something youd love to do on a skateboard that you havent done?My favorite tricks change from time to time. I

recently worked on a backside smith grind over a set of shallow stairs in a pool. I basically killed myself for an hour in the heat and once I did it, I wasnt really into it. I was stoked yet angry at the same time. I recently also rolled down the Mega landing ramp. I never realized how crazy it is. Its insane.

What is in the future for you?Well, I met my girlfriend Maria at Ultra Bowl in Malmo, Sweden. I just got married and am on my honeymoon in Maui. I am doing a video part right now with Jared Lucas and Peacock so that is keeping me busy... and skating pools with you. I must say a thank you to my friends and family. Without you, I wouldnt be where I am today.

How was your Halloween?We had a great Halloween! Lots of trick or treaters at our door, and after that died down we went to an art opening at the Antler Gallery on Alberta Ave. Loads of people and fun costumes.

Do you have any current artistic obsessions? What are you working on now?Its more of a practice than an obsession, but the way I used to generate imagery for paintings has taken on a much more personal and ritualistic approach. Maybe it has something to do with turning 40. I experienced a breakdown and break open, which unleashed a tremendous amount of arctypal imagery. I thought I might be going crazy but, through my work in my sketchbook, realized that the imagery unfolding was common to many people and represented a passage in life. The

practice I use is a form of active imagination; its basically like having a dream and then conciously walking through it and observing it from differentt points of view. Its helpful to write down or sketch what is seen. Some forms emerge and are revealed as personal imagery, while others take on a strong archtypal or allegorical meaning. This is where I am currently working. I took a little hiatus this year and really enjoyed havingtimetoreectandletthework dream. I have an online show comming up in December 2013 titled The Far Side of the World. It will be a small collection of paintings and studies based on this new imagery.

What importance do you place on higher education, regarding growth as an artist?Over the years I have met and come into contact with a variety of artists who were at different

stages in their career and artistic development.Oneofthebenetsofgoing to a good school is that you are exposed to new ideas, and with the right instruction can elevate your technical skills and sharpen your personal aesthetic philosophy and identify your voice. The university or school environment can be an efcientvehiclefornetworkingwiththe galleries and also open doors and opportunities for pursuing a teachingcareer.Ontheipside,theacademic structure is a competitive environment, and even if the school is very liberal, sometimes the school and faculty have strong ties to a certain school of thought or stylistic approach to subject matter and personal expression. It is important that you stay true to your personal voice. It is easy to follow the herd in school, the peer pressure, the weight of art history, the expectations of parents

and teachers, and above all your inner critic. I have met a number of artists who after graduating, had to take a year or two to forget or get back to their voice, shed the skin of college. It does develop your level of sophistication, and challenge your ideas and beliefs and also forces you to push your vision in new ways, and it also thickens your skin for the real world. I have also met many artists who never went to school and are just as competent as those who did. Most are securely grounded in their life and work, but their reference and perception of other artists and styles is often limited, and they can be somewhat close-minded about certain types of art and why they are important.

Who inspires you among your peers?Everyday people, stories I hear or read, people I meet on the street

Interview: Alan Garcia

or in passing. The world is so rich with difference, like a kaleidoscope. Knowing that so many are pursuing adventures, research, just being, going there, is inspiring. It reminds me a little of what I have heard about the sixties, individuals and groups discovering new ways of being, through meditation, organic farming, dropping off the grid or building a more organic grid. When we think of evolution, its often an exterior change we anticipate. I think we are collectively witnessing an evolution in human consciousness. Like a sphere made of tiny bubbles, we realize each of us is affected by the other; we are the same skin, both strong and vulnerable.

What was the most inuentialbook(arttheory,

or otherwise) or lesson you received while enrolled?Well that was some time ago, but the four books that shook my core were the following: A Thousand Plateaus, Capitalism and Schizophrenia by Deleuze and Guattari, Travels in Hyperreality by Umberto Eco,

America by Jean Baudrillardand Ways of Seeing by John Berger. Most of what I read was at the height of the deconstructivist era in the 1980s. Most of the faculty and students were investigating and challenging social patterns and the structure of communication and the shape of meaning and identity. I suppose the lesson is still evolving. I was taught to examine what I know, what I think and feel from the personal, social, political, and global points of reference. This fed my work and style in that it exists in a postmodern construct and context. The content is linked to the aesthetic impulses of the 19th century, Neo Classicism, Romanticism and Symbolism. It is in our contemporary distance to things and experience through technology and overall integration and displacement of city, roads and dwelling with the natural environment that echoes a fracture and strangeness within ourselves and with nature. I fear for the future that is rapidly approaching in silence.

Do you think of your work as Post-Apocalyptic (regardingtheme)?

It has explored the Post-Apocalyptic and Dystopian trope. These elements emerged from my research on environmental projections, and are exaggerated visions taken toasci-moviestatus.Ihadalso read Weismans book The World Without Us, which gave a realistic account of how the existing architecture and cites would decay and crumble if all human life disappeared. It is a book full of vision describing how nature and the animals might reclaim the world of man. I also examined this theme from a personal perspective, indicating that each of us has an inner dystopia. A past with wounds, heartbreak, and sadness, these are over time slowly healed and populated by our life, our inner animals.

What role do national monuments play? What are they representative of within the context of your work?Since I dont include a lot of people in my work, using

statues is a way of including the human presence in the work. They stand for big business, big brother, authority, old ways of thinking and the past. It allows the teenager in me, or my inner Banksy, to be unleashed. It is a way of creating a political statement when combined with graftielementsorplayedoffof certain surrounding objects or animals. It is the archetypal tyrant; they exist in the world and within us and should always be challenged.

Under what circumstances would you incorporate a real person into your work? I experimented a little with this in a painting based on Caspar David Freidrichs painting, Wanderer Above the Clouds. I was working on an epic adventure though a dystopic landscape and there were a cast of human characters. Its a silly painting but I really wanted to make it. Idousehumangureswhileworking through ideas. I use a sand tray, something a lot of play therapy or Jungian therapists use. Its a way of describing thoughts and

feelings in a visual and active form. I use it like a virtual sketchbook, setting animals here and there and moving them around and thinking about the compositions andplacement.Iuseacouplegurestorepresent the caretakers of my personal Natural History Museum. I began thinking of my paintings as specimens, kind of like a Damien Hirst sculpture, but in some strange post-apocalyptic museum. Maybe agroupofexplorersventureoutandndthese specimens and bring them back to orchestrate dioramas and allegorical situations. It sounds a bit odd, but in this way I feel like there is a human element in the way the imagery is presented, carefully,scienticallyandwithinacozyvacuum of white space. There may be another time when I incorporate human guresinmywork,butatthispointIamcontent in giving the viewer front stage, as they are the participant in the work, the seeer, the witness.

Can you describe your process in the initial phases? I know youre a fan of sketchbooks, but do you use Photoshop(asanexample)tohelp

conceptualize your ideas?I am a little too old school for Photoshop or Maya. I think they are great tools, but I fear I would get too involved in the program and not paint it. I use multiple references, some I photograph myself, and others I purchase through image banks. My initial process begins with my imagination. Its really like walking into a sci-orfantasymovie.OvertheyearsIhavedevelopedaspecicmapandstoryline, like an explorer I set off sometimes imagining myself as an animal and I jot down certain things I see. It sounds wacky but its both enjoyable and therapeutic. Once I have a list of visions, I go through

them and do thumbnail sketches to see which ones might translate well into a painting. After that, I go image searching, and eventually work out a composition and begin painting.

Do you work fast? I noticed that you have a preference for acrylics. Do you work on multiple pieces at once, or one at a time? I used to work very fast in college, sometimes a painting a day, but that may have just been a manic phase. I used to work with oils, but the fumes and drying time were an issue, especially the paint fumes. My work has become more and more detailed, and what used to take a week or two now takes much longer to complete. I like working on one painting at a time, each one is like a meditation, and I like to watch the painting slowly evolve and develop. Sometimes a painting starts a year in advance, either from an emotion or thought, it has to be the right time for it to emerge. The worst thing for a painting is forcing it; it squeezes the life out.

When you work in your studio, do you usually listen to music? Or do you have the TV on? What is currently playing in your workspace?I switch things up quite a bit when I work. When I am in the conceptual phase, visualization, I like to have ambient music, nature sounds playing. When I am composing the image, I like to listen to movie soundtracks. When I am working long hours, listening to audio books or lmsisreallyenjoyable.

Are you actively involved in any animal rights or preservation programs?I work with many, and usually do a print fundraiser each year to generate

awareness for a number of groups and causes. Some are animal related, others support a social need or specicgroup.Afeworganizationsthat I worked with recently are The International Rhino Federation, Big Life Foundation, Green Peace, Pangea Seed, and NIMH National Institute of Mental Health.

Yourwife(LisaEricson)isan

artistaswell.Doyoundthat

living with another creative person intensiesyourartisticdrive?

Whats the dynamic like in the studio(assumingyousharetheart

studio)? It is great to have another artists critical eye, and Lisa has saved more than one painting from disaster. She shares a similar aesthetic to my own, and she also respects and understands my overall vision. Our studios are close but also very private. We often critique each others work at the end of the night and are incredibly supportive and respectful of our differences. Overall, I do think living with another artist is very inspiring and motivating.

In your artist statement, you mention a fascination with mythology and folklore. Do you everpaintordrawctional(or

undiscovered) animals? You live in the PacicNorthwest,soIimagine a natural example would be Bigfoot.Well, I did visit the Ape Caves over the summer and though we did not see any apes or Bigfoot I am sure there are many mysterious animals living out there in the deep forests. I am working on a series of paintings with the theme of the Old Ones. Some of

these are loosely based on myths and legends from the indigenous peoples of Cascadia. I hope to include a number of mythical beasts and animals in my future work.

As a child, were you always artistic? What were some of the things that you were really into (ie.toys,movies,games)?

Growing up in the 70s and 80s I was exposedtotherstgenerationofStarWarslmsandtoysandwouldspend hours creating scenes from thelmsonoors,rugs,andoutside.I also loved Ralph Bakshis Lord of the Rings, and Wizards both were great inspirations for making complex drawings of battles and monsters. SpielbergslmsETandCloseEncounters opened my imagination to other worlds and otherness. Harryhausens stop-motion marvels made me want to pursue special effects.Otherlmsthatexcitedmyimagination include Alien, the Dark Crystal, Legend, Jaws, Time Bandits, Excalibur, the Road Warrior and the Shining. My fondest memories occurred in a large outdoor sandbox I had in my yard. My friends and I would often meet on Saturday afternoon and spend hours building detailed cities or a huge volcano with a hidden hose inside. We would act out scenes fromlmsorinventourownworlds.I feel that same level of play and involvement is an essential ingredient to being a creative person or artist, keep that inner child alive and full of wonder.

To see more work, go to joshkeyes.com

When one thinks of the city of Newport Beach, an outsiders perception might quickly revert to thoughtsofsupercialhigh-browlifestyle: trust fund kids, Cadillac Escalades and Beamers on 22s and boob jobs taking precedence over real jobs. While these stereotypes certainly could hold up in a court of law, its far from what Newport truly has to offer as a core community. Newports foundation is one that stands on a rich heritage of ocean-oriented residents that are as

dedicatedtothePacicasany.

Back in the day, which in this case happens to be in the early part of the 20th century, boats in Newports harbor were so numerous they reached two times that of the citys population. Around that same time a man by the name of Duke Kahanamoku started frequenting the Southern California shores, and took a liking to Newports offerings its relaxed lifestyle and harbor entrance that, at the time, was home to some

of the best waves in California. The Duke played as large of a role as anyoneinbringingsurngtothisfabled town, a move that helped introduce mainlanders as a whole to the sport of kings. On a summer day in 1925 with a strong southern hemisphere swell blitzing the harbor entrance, Duke helped to save the lives of nine passengers on the yacht Thelma that capsized carrying 29 aboard.

Now, in present times, that same

treacherous harbor entrance sees tranquil water due to dredging of the harbor and the Army Corps of Engineers adding east and west jetty groins. But with the disappearance of one wave, another emerged in the Wedge. And so on down the line from the lower groins starting at 28th street on up to the Santa Ana River entrance.

Yes, a lot in the city has changed over the years, but Newports role in surf culture still remains at center

Words: Spencer Pirdy

Photo: Cozad

stage. With the brunt of the clothing industry still located just up the hill and a diverse and ever-growing surf manufacturing community full of shapers, glass shops and surf shops spread about the city, Newport plays avitalroleinthesurngworld.

The surf itself in Newport Beach could be characterized as mediocre at best. Josh Kerr once said in an interview that the worst surf hed ever encountered in his travels was found in Newport Beach. Josh is right; it does get bad here and quite often. But Newport, just like everywhere else, has its days. Sometimes, the ebbsandowsoftheseasonsarekinder to us. Consistent winter months with short-period northwest swells light up Blackies for days on end, 28th street looks like a point break and maybe a few rights peel off for the lucky few. Summertime

and the living is easy, south swells with sand piled up into the sweet spots of every groin from 36th on up and were in business. And of course, theres Fall and Spring. A time when two separate hemisphere swell directions can collide, bringing every Newport surfers wet dreams to fruition combo BL!SSS.

Newport has something for everyone. Long-haired hippy loving longboarders, WQS slaving shortboarders, aloof beginners, stink-eye locals with turrets, stock marketers driving in convertibles with their brand new Merricks hanging out the sun roof, hell, even wanna-be big-wave riders. Its all there for the taking. On any given day you canndride-ablewaveswithinthecitys borders, and thats something that has always lured generations of surfers into the area. That, combined

Colin Moran :: Photo: Cozad

Bobby Okvist :: Photo: Thomas Green

Alex Knost :: Photo: Cozad

Ford Archbold :: Photo: Foster

with what the harbor still boasts as far as awe-inspiring mystique, the unique dining optionsandaerypeninsulanightlife,makeNewport Beach the quintessential surfers paradise.

Believe us when we say we feel lucky as hell to have the BL!SSS headquarters located smack dab in the middle of all of this. Our hallway acts as a wind gauge; when we feel a warm dry gust in October and swell is up, ourofceclosesinordertopayrespectsto the Santa Ana winds. At times it can make tending to impending deadlines feel as though were being driven insane, but we easily get our fair share of sessions in regardless. Sorry, are we making you jealous?

Today,surnginNewportisaliveandwell.The younger crop is more stricken with talent than ever, always testing the patience of the older crew, the crew that dedicates every waking second to keeping tabs on their loyal stretch of beach. The best surfers in Newports lineups differ depending on the day. Some thrive in the throaty offshore barrels; others shine in tagging buttery lips withendlessnwaftsallthewaytotheshorebreak. Be you a hungry aerialist or Chase Wilson :: Photo: Cozad

Andrew Doheny :: Photo: Foster

Ford Archbold :: Photo: Foster

apolishednoserider,youllndyourrunor walkway somewhere along Newports shores.

The crowds, well, theyve never been more vibrant. Tis the reality of living in a surf town nicknamed Zooport that has a direct path from one of the major freeways in the area spilling out into your citys limits. But, in reality its just like everywhere else. Crowds have expanded all over the world asaresultofgrowthinthesportofsurng.Lets accept this overcrowding problem as avericationthatNewportiswhatwedlike to believe it is a wonderful place for surng.

If Duke were alive, hed look at Newport Beach and smile at the results derived from anarticially-drivenevolutionhavingtakenplace in the city over time. Hed witness the city in all its glory, watch surfers enjoying rides of all shapes and sizes and be pleased with the fact that the sport he introduced here a century ago has been well received.

Newport Beach will always, in one way or another, stay deeply connected to the history of surf that its rooted in, no matter how crowded the lineups become and no matter how much silicone bombards its shores on those hot summer days. The photos that youve taken in are just small slices of the present-day talent pool that llthewatersofNewportonaregularbasis. The shots strive to encompass whatsurnginNewportBeachinthe21st century is all about. By no means does this simple feature do Newport justice, but then again, what could rightfully please such a hedonistic place?

Chris Lomenzo :: Photo: Cozad

Joey Head :: Photo: Daniel Shea

Mark Contreras :: Photo: Carlos Santana

Daniel Shea :: Photo: Foster

Pat Towersy :: Photo: Robbie Crawford

Chad Towersy :: Photo: Cozad

Jason Rhodes :: Photo: Daniel Shea

Nick Fowler :: Photo: Benjamin Ginsberg Tyler Gunther :: Photo: Foster

Richie Collins :: Photo: Cozad

Kirk Blackman :: Photo: Cozad

Dustin Duddy Hein :: Photo: Cozad

Cordell Cordy Miller :: Photo: Cozad Joe Alani :: Photo: Cozad

James Lugo :: Photo: Daniel Shea

Geoff Moysa :: Photo: Cozad

Scott Madison :: Photo: Cozad

Nicolai Glazer :: Photo: Thomas Green

Josh Hoyer :: Photo: Thomas Green

Sean Jr. Okvist :: Photo: Cozad

Steve Farwell :: Photo: CozadDarren Brilhart :: Photo: Cozad

1. Hurley, Mills - $80, hurley.com // 2. Hurley, Dri-tHoodie-$60, hurley.com // 3. Raen, Flowers by Alex Knost - $102, raenoptics.com // 4. Pawa, Stamp Boardshorts - $52, pawasurfco.com // 5. Nike, When Pigs Fly - $240, nikesb.com // 6. Arbor, GBSizzler32KoaComp-$160, arborcollective.com // 7. Electric, DW01 Stainless - $450, electricvisual.com // 8. Estrada, 510 Epoxy Bat TailRocketFish-$695, estradasurfboards.com // 9. Neff, Chuckles, Yeti & Ski Patrol Snow Socks - $20, neffheadwear.com // 10. Pro-Lite, Kid Creature Collab - $42, prolite.com // 11. Pro-Lite, Kid Creature Leash - $25, prolite.com // 12. Sabre, Spring Break - $80, sabre.fm // 13. Sabre, Detox - $105, sabre.fm // 14. Reef, Reef Eland - $130, reef.com // 15. Reef, ReefWalled-$90, reef.com

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1. RVCA, DufeJacket-$140, rvca.com // 2. RVCA, Fold Up Beanie - $24, rvca.com // 3. RVCA, SherpoJacket-$124, rvca.com // 4. Vans, NordicMohikan-$65, vans.com // 5. Vans, Fleece Washboard - $57, vans.com // 6. Riviera, ZiaStickComplete-$160, skateriviera.com // 7. Vestal, Satellites-$90, vestalwatch.com // 8. Matix, GripperDenimPant-$65, matixclothing.com // 9. Lira, Commando - $52, liraclothing.com // 10. Vestal, Guide Watch - $380, vestalwatch.com // 11. iNi Cooperative, ParkPlaceJacket-$285, inicooperative.com // 12. Madson, L.A.X. - $50, madsonofamerica.com // 13. Mammoth Mountain, Gift Card, mammothmoutain.com // 14. Yea.Nice, Floral Mens 5-Panel Hat - $28, yeanice.com // 15. Yea.Nice, Nice Life Beanie - $22, yeanice.com // 16. Famous, WoodlakeBoardSock-$36, famouswax.com

1. Volcom, LandoTDSGore-Tex-$560, snow.volcom.com // 2. Volcom, Puff Give Mitt - $100, snow.volcom.com // 3. Volcom, Call Me Wild - $54, volcom.com // 4. Volcom, Frochickie Pant - $52, volcom.com // 5. Smith, I/ORecon-$650, smithoptics.com // 6. Body Glove, Vapor X Slant 4/3 - $470, bodyglove.com // 7. Roark, Chiba-$76, roarkrevival.com // 8. Black Flys, Sublime - $110,blackysusa.com//9.Imperial Motion, Uzi 5-Panel Camp Hat - $30, imperialmotion.com // 10. Imperial Motion,MolinarFlannel-$60, imperialmotion.com // 11. Gnarly, Elmer - $32, gnarlyclothes.com // 12. CRSL, Ringleader - $28, crslco.com // 13. Art Life, FreedomHoodie-$86, artlifeisgood.com // 14. House of Marley, GetTogetherBluetooth-$199, thehouseofmarley.com // 15. Alpinestars, PortJacket-$80, alpinestars.com

1. Brixton, Barry Poncho - $70, brixton.com // 2. Ezekiel, Ezekiel United Pullover - $54, ezekielusa.com // 3. Crap Eyewear, TheT.V.Eye-$56, crapeyewear.com // 4. Freestyle, Mariner Tide - $100, freestyleusa.com // 5. Nixon, The 48-20 Chrono P - $400, nixon.com // 6. Nixon, The Blaster - $150, nixon.com // 7. Stance, Murdock-$16, stance.com // 8. Billabong, 3MM Xero Furnace Fullsuit - $440, billabong.com // 9. Promer Surfboards, Modern Fish - $425, promersurfboards.com // 10. Bozwreck Snowboards, Team Bozwreck - $485, bozwreck.com // 11. Pink Helmet Posse, Pink Deck - $44, pinkhelmetposse.com // 12. Arnette, Skylight Aloha - $140, arnette.com // 13. Arnette,Dropout-$90, arnette.com

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Photography and skateboarding have always gone hand in hand for me. I started shooting photos in my driveway as a kid to document our progress, to at least see what we looked like doing the tricks we had. The initial tools of the trade were a VHS camcorder and a Pentax 35mm. Growing up in Vermont gave us limited time out of the year to be outside in nice weather. Luckily, thanks to Hannah and Dave Wood, an indoor skate park was built a couple years into my start of skating. Without it, an entire generation of new talent would be non-existent. Familiar names like Marshall Heath, Chris Colbourn, Jordan Maxham, and Cody and Collin Hale can all thank Talent Skatepark and long, cold Vermont winters for the development of their ef-fortless skateboarding skills. For more about my current photography and video projects, take a look at www.whitaphoto.com.

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Tom Rohrer : Ollie : Harlem, NY

Angel Saucedo : Bluntslide Transfer

Nick Zizzo : Wallride : LA

Angel is the best dude to skate with, always keeping everyone hyped on the session and will skate every spot you bring him to! This photo was taken on a trip to New York over the summer with Silent Skateboards.

Angel Saucedo : Bluntslide Transfer

Pat Rumney : F.S 50/50

Nick Zizzo : Wallride : LA Those were some wild times the night of this trick and the two months the OB crew stayed at the Silent House. Its a perfect example of skate life the previous hours before this photo was taken had been spent at The Gold Room bar, where they serve a PBR, tequila shot and two tacos for $4. Enough said. From there, wewenttothestripclubDjVuandnallytolightupthespotat4a.m.Thenextdaywedrovebytherailandithadbeenchainedup.Bepreparedwithboltcutters if youre thinking about stepping up to this crazy, roller-coaster rail.

Cody Hale : Front Blunt

Victor Zanoni : Ollie

LA

Chris Colbourn : Switch FlipI wish I could say Ive been to China, but unfortunately San Pedro will work for now.

WhenCodysnotfront-bluntingLAgap-to-ledges,youcanndhim3,000milesawayworkingtheliftat Stowe Mountain resort in Vermont.

Jordan Maxham : F.S Ollie

Gabriel Martinez : B.S 5-0

LA

Self Portrait

Jordans come a long way since the Dick Foot days back on the East Coast Hyped to see the progression of everyone whos helped me get into photography through skateboarding!

There is a lot that can be said for my good friend Mitch Hardbody Richmond, only because hes too humble to say it for himself. In most cases, if your riding doesnt do the talking your mouth will at the bar. Mitch is a different breed, hailing from a small town in Eastern Washington; he grewupriding49DegreesNorth,wherehedonatedtheirrstparkrail,whichisnowknownasMitchs Rail. For someone who is so humble and soft spoken, you would not expect riding with such power and determination. Dont worry if youve been living under a rock the last couple of seasons and missed anything Mitch has put out, you are in luck. You can jump on the Mitch Richmond bandwagon now because he just released his best video part to date in Think Thanks Brain Dead Heart Attack. It is a pleasure to have the experience of being teammates and good friends with Mitch. Kyle Lopiccolo

Hometown: Chewela, WA & Mammoth Lakes, CASponsors: Bataleon, Switchback, Mammoth Mountain, Val SurfInstagram: @Mitch_Richmond

Photos & Interview: Kevin Westenbarger

Tell us about your summer of loggin? So, my Dad owns a logging company in Eastern Washington. The summer went well. Its a very opposite environment than my winters, but its humbling to be around. My parents and all of their employees are very hard workers. It allows me to get a bankroll going and have all winter off to focus on snowboarding. What is your job at the site? I run a de-limber. It is an excavator-type machine that has a computer in it, the computer reads you the lengths and I turn trees into logs. I identify the species of the tree, remove the branches, and cut it to length accordingly. Have you always done logging in the off-season? I stayed away from the woods until I was a junior or senior in high school. Since then Ive been at Mt. Hood in the summer and home logging in the Fall.

Have you seen any crazy accidents go down with all the heavy machinery? Luckily, I myself havent seen anyone get seriously injured. Ive seen guys roll equipment over but they have all been ok. How do you feel about deforestation after being involved in the industry? Is it being done in a sustainable way or are we going to run out of trees at some point? That is something I think about a lot when I am out there. Its still a little over my head but there are lots of rules and regulations we have to follow. Depending if youre doing private land or state jobs, they are all a little different but Washington State seems to take it very seriously and they are constantly replanting. Some of the jobs we do its necessary to thin the trees that are dying anyways and it helps to prevent wildres.

You also got some boarding in this summer at High Cascade and Woodward, right? Yes, I went to the Think Thank session at Woodward and had a blast. Then session 6 at HCSC which was all time! K-UNIT! What was life like growing up in Chewelah, WA? Growing up in the small town of Chewelah was good, the simple life. Awesome part of the country, just very small. Tell us the story behind Mitchs rail at 49 Degrees North. Haha. Rails were just getting big when I was growing up, and at the time the resort didnt have the best rails to offer. So I drew up a rail that, at the time, I thought would be the sickest rail. It was likea4-inch-wideatbar,30feetlong,andlike4 feet tall. My parents helped fund it and the local welder made it. I donated it to 49, and not til after I left did I hear that it was being called Mitchs Rail.

How did you end up in Mammoth? I worked at Windells every summer when I was younger. At the camp I worked with a handful of awesome people that all lived in Mammoth in the

winter. They all told me it was sick, so after I graduated I drove down. What were your thoughts about the Mammoth scene whenyourstmovedthere?

Everybody was hitting 70-foot jumps like they were nothing. It was insane. I quickly realized I had a lot to learn and the scene here will always make me feel that way. What keeps you coming back to Mammoth every winter? This place grows on me year after year. There are a number of things: the season in Mammoth is one of the longest in the nation, always open in early November and the spring season here is insane. I feel that it keeps you well rounded. There are big perfect jumps, rails, and backcountry. Not to mention the weather is ideal. Its a little Dan Breezy sometimes, but other than that its either dumping or sunny. What is an average day like for you when at home in Mammoth? Wake up, throw in a snowboard ick,coffee,gorideallday,come home to the menu screen of whatever you watched earlier driving you nuts, so you play it again. Lots of biking and skating when we can and leaving paper trails throughout all those activities.

Howwasyourrstyear

lmingforThinkThank?

MyrstyearlmingforThink Thank was my most

memorable winter yet. A really good learning experience for me and I got to see lots of places Ive never been. It was apleasuretorideandlmwitheveryone involved with Think Thank. Jesse and Pika Burtner are awesome people giving back to snowboarding. Wheredidlmingtakeyou

last winter? I spent a lot of time in the Northwest, made it to Minnesota, Salt Lake, and up to Canada once. Did I hear that you are putting together a re-edit to release online? Derrick Wiemer did a lot of lmingwithmeandallmybuddys last season, so he is in the process of throwing all of our B-shots together. D-Reck is a boss, so it should be pretty sick. What kind of features do you look for when you are lming?

I love being in the middle of a city that is caked with snow, looking for good rails, a good wall or something to plant on, and slowly Im getting into looking for good, steep landings and even a sick line or two. Whats your dream snowboarding trip, where, what, and who?Wow, thats a tough one... Somewhere in B.C., staying in a cabin riding pow, with you, the whole North Village crew, Garret Warrnick, Kyle Lopiccolo and Jaeger Bailey. That would be a trip to remember, to say

the least. What are your plans for this season? As of now, Im honored to be doing the Think Thank project again. There is something to be said about a video part that has sick rail footy as well as some good backcountry. So, easier said than done, but my plan for this season is to try and send some pow jumps and slide some fun rails.

Live life in the bowl

Rider: Noah Beschen P

bl!sss magazine | december 2013 | #76

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