March 12th, 2010

WET...

Maaaaaan, it's like getting to pee after sitting through a long, long movie. Finally got to dip a brush into paint again. It's been far too long. There's been a lot going on in my sketch books over the last year, inspirations long forgotten, ideas that once got me really excited and don't anymore and others that still wet my whistle... Plenty of material to get the wheels turning again. I'm currently putting together a bunch of small pieces (11"x11" with ply frame, like THESE) and will have them all available in MY STORE within the next few weeks for an unbeatable price... hopefully some of you will see one you like and be so kind to contribute to my Indo Tube Searching Fund (See previous post)

March 11th, 2010

HELLO INDO!

Pretty damn excited about this one. Come March 29th, I'm gonna spend 2 months getting cozy inside of some warm early season Indo tubes. Matlock gets there a day before I do and after a few nights in Bali it'll be time to go feral on some other islands and see what we can find... Operation: GET SHACKED! Got 2 new Roberts boards on order, shaving the head, rehabbing the shoulder, pumping some iron and stuffing my face with all the food I can... no computer, no phone, no bullshit... jungle barrels we're coming to find you!!

March 11th, 2010

Words of Wisdom:

"You never leave where you are until you decide where you'd rather be." - Unknown

March 3rd, 2010

A warm welcome home from Mr. Pacific Ocean

Well... the welcome is warm, but the water is not! Brrrr. It's always good to come home to waves when you've been gone, Brown and I got Little Rincon real good the other day, haven't surfed it like that in years. There really is no place like home, you know which spots to check on which swells, how the tide and wind will affect it, which rocks to jump off, where to park, where the trail is etc... it's comfortable, however, with a new spot, being uncomfortable is exactly why it's so exciting to travel around the world to find crazy waves you've never surfed. There's a desire to want to get to know how a new break works, in all conditions, so that you can feel at home.

February 28th, 2010

Stealth Mission Home for Grandma... Back to the US of A!

Weird how, at the drop of a dime, life can change in an instant. I'm back home on good ol' US soil now, just like that. Got off the plane from Australia a few hours ago (and couldn't wait to inhale a giant plate of good Mexican food served by actual Mexicans) What a treat!

Grandma's in the hospital and I decided to cut my OZ trip short by a month and grab a last minute flight from Brisbane to come spend some time with her while I still could. Glad I did. And apparently she's doing better than she was a few days ago. Woo hoo!

I'll be here for a month before heading out to Indo for a while. Hopefully the waves will continue to pump while I'm home... I've been jealous of all the epic swells the West coast has been getting this winter... but not too jealous, I spent the last 2 weeks in Byron Bay and that magical place had me by the balls, literally... it was hard to leave... the hot sun, the beautiful beaches, the fun waves, bath tub temp water, ice cold adult beverages and hoards of gorgeous, young, friendly, international women. Man Heaven? I'll be back to OZ soon enough... there's still so much to see!

But it is good to be home after 13 months on the road. Time to recharge the batteries, spend time with fam and friends, take a break from the booze, surf pumping Rincon and paint my ass off! Can't wait to set up the studio and go nuts! And my diet will pretty much consist of a constant rotation of In-N-Out Burger, Mexican food and cheap sushi... and of course Pizza Oasis when I go visit the crew in Portland... absolutely drooling for it!

Thanks to all the people in OZ who made my trip great!

February 6th, 2010

Endemic Agenda: Shirt Graphics

The brand spankin' new company Endemic Agenda just launched their clothing line and website a short while ago. They invited me to become a member of their Artist's Vault and used my Washed Up Print graphic for a range of men's and women's Tees. You can buy the shirts on the Endemic website. And their products are made using renewable energy and earth friendly inks, sshweet.

I think they got some good things going on. Keep an eye out.... and go grab a shirt.

February 6th, 2010

Roady Toady

Australia, February 2010

Life on the road
Hopping like a toad
Jumping across entire seas
Finding waves that only tease

Sunrise on a new East coast
New smells, new tastes, fresh buttered toast
Opposite sex crawling all around
Mouth is drooling like a hound

Warm water candyland
The sun, the heat, body’s tanned
Buckled board over the falls
Old trunks that rash the balls

Blue Bottles sting like hell
Onshores blowing them into the swell
Red wine all day into the night
These foreign girls are looking mighty tight

Inspired ideas fill my brain
Can’t wait to grab the brush and drain
The smell of paint and sweet sawdust
Vices and my life’s true lust

A few more Lilly pads to skip
Before the ending of this trip
Mind and body free to roam
To stoke my soul and ride the foam

January 27th, 2010

365 Days... on the road

365 days ago I hopped on a flight with a one way ticket to New Zealand, some surfboards, a backpack and a plan to create a lifestyle that revolves purely around surfing the best waves I can find while still being able to make a living from my art and design. I'd say the plan was/is a success. It has since taken me to 2 additional countries, shown me the joys of sailing and living on boats, logging over 1000 miles on yachts in the South Pacific. The plan has brought me a dream setup on a tropical island, my discovery of the sport of spear fishing, a new favorite breakfast... Muslie(with milk, yogurt and a sliced banana on top!), the opportunities to swim with whales and sharks, lots of mindblowing scenery, amazing waves, many wonderful new friends from all corners of the globe, and much, much more.

But most importantly, this last year has given me a broader perspective on life and has opened my eyes to the infinite possiblities for alternative ways it can be lived. There are so many people living lifestyles that are so different from the typical scenario of: work 9-5, get married, buy house, have kids, live in one place. Several people on my travels have inspired me with their uncommon and exciting lifestyle choices. And now, I might be more lost than when I started on this voyage, because the more I see and learn, the more options seem to present themselves... it's beginning to get a bit overwhelming! There are so many roads in life but so little time to go run off and explore them all...

January 27th, 2010

Words of Wisdom

"Stripped of your ordinary surroundings, your friends, your daily routines, your refrigerator full of food, your closet full of clothes - with all this taken away, you are forced into direct experience. Such direct experience inevitably makes you aware of who it is that is having the experience. That's not always comfortable, but it is always invigorating."
- Michael Crichton

January 21st, 2010

New Billabong Shirt

A new shirt I designed for Billabong is in stores... get you one. For some reason I'm not as happy about how this one came out, I like this one better.

January 12th, 2010

OZ: Sydney

Gday mates! After just a day in Sydney, I'm convinced that this has got to be one of the most beautiful cites in the world... giant white Cockatoo's flying around, harbor coves, botanical gardens, parks, amazing buildings, and gorgeous women on every corner. And right now the weather is as good as it gets I think; sunny, hot, humid, leave the doors wide open all night and sleep with nothing but a sheet. Currently staying with a culturally eclectic mix of nice lady friends (2 Brazilians, 1 Argentinian, 1 Kiwi and 1 Brit) in a high rise condo overlooking downtown, Hyde Park, the Opera House and the harbor, what a view!!! (And of course, a hot tub and pool on the top of the place!) I must have been a good boy last year.

No plans, just gonna slowly make my way up the East coast until I find a place that has quality surf and a good vibe. Most signs have been pointing me to the Byron Bay area so we'll have to see what it's all about. Deciding not to buy a car this time... just a board bag and a backpack. Should make for good times!

January 9th, 2010

10 Page Spread in TIDE Magazine

Check out this interview/article I did with German surf magazine TIDE (Yes, I said GERMAN surf magazine) for their Nov 2009 issue.

Sorry, I don't have the translation.... interesting questions though. And I thought they did a pretty good job laying it out...

>> DOWNLOAD THE PDF HERE (690 KB) <<

January 8th, 2010

NZ: So long Betsy

Geeeez... I didn't think it was gonna be this hard. I sold her this morning, just like that.... Betsy -The Van, The Vart Studio, Home Away From Home, Friend, trusty travel companion... and now she's gone. Sad sad day. I'll be the first to admit, I had an emotional attachment to my vehicle... but who doesn't really? Hope she treats her new owners as well as she treated me... no drama, no talking back, she didn't get jealous when I slept somewhere else, didn't whine when it was too hot or too cold, loved long drives on the beach and dusty mountain roads.... she was a trooper. But maybe she's got a younger sister in Oz... : )

My god, just listen to me, I'm almost 30 and have been living out of a van on the beach for the last year, and was an emotional wreck when I sold it... what the hell is happening to me? The journey of life is a weird, weird thing.

January 6th, 2010

Words of Wisdom:

"Life is a great big canvas; throw all the paint on it you can." - Danny Kaye

January 6th, 2010

Dear New Zealand...

Dear New Zealand,

Thank you for such a wonderful time! Really. You've given me so many wonderful experiences over the last year... so many good memories that have all added to the richness of my life. And something has been calling me to come here for over 10 years. I'm glad I finally came to enjoy your beautiful islands and great waves. Life is all about turning the things you really want to do into the things you've done right?

You've raised a good kind of people too. There's a camaraderie between Kiwi's that you don't find in the states or anywhere else I've been. Just listening to two strangers talk would make anybody think they go waaaay back. There's an instant rapport.

And they're even nice to asshole foreigners like me. It's like they all know they've got this killer little paradise in the South Pacific and they get to stay but eventually we all have to go back home. They're generally happy with just a sprinkle of dingy which adds to their great character. They're hilarious. They like to help you and bullshit with you and they smile a lot. Maybe it's because there's only 4 million of them, they don't have pollution or 8 lane freeways, they have more coast line than the US and pumping surf all the way around it. You can't get very far from the beach if you tried (And I've always believed the farther away from the ocean, the stranger people get... after all, we all are made of 70% salt water) Or maybe because they don't have 5,000+ Illegal Mexicans jumping their borders EVERYDAY, or any borders at all for that matter, or nukes or people trying to blow up their buildings, or a crazy guy named George mucking everything up for the last 8 years. Anywho... Your Kiwi people are on my good list... and even though the girlies aren't the hottest in the world, they get big bonus points for the extra sexy accent.

As for your waves... some of the best sessions I've ever had. Lots of variety, lot's of swell... but a bit too much wind. You can't have it all I guess. Some of your barrels will stick with me until I die and put a smile on my face every time I think about them. However, I feel you were holding out on me a little on the South Island, what the hell? But you did save the best for last...

Your scenery and landscape is mindblowing. I got to gaze at some of the most amazing sights I've ever seen. Mountain tops, mountain streams, snow covered volcanos, glaciers, ocean cliffs, rain forests, giant sand dunes, rock arches, alpine lakes, fern palms, oceans merging, sunsets that make you think somebody slipped a lil' LSD in your drink.... all of it jaw dropping. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for the visuals!

My time has come, I'm off to visit your big, fat, rowdy neighbor: AUSTRALIA. I'd like to come back someday but only in the Summer or Autumn.... you can keep your Springs and Winters... and you can also keep your Ozone hole (Burn time approx 8 minutes)... and your satanic Sandflies... and all your Mullets and Rat Tails.

I'll be recommending you to all my friends.

Stay cool. I love you.

Love, Me

January 6th, 2010

To the Land of Oz:

A U S T R A L I A: It's a big place...very big! Rumored to have the longest dead-straight road on the planet, the biggest rock, beer guzzling natives, and of course... top-notch surf and beautiful women with sexy-as-hell accents lounging in the hot sand in little else but scraps of nylon and string. And I hear those "Sheila's" aren't shy either, they'll bite your head off and kick you in the beans.... I can't deny it... I like'm mean!

My New Zealand time is winding down. It's almost been a year of Beach Bumming and now it's about time to get down and dirty again, to get into a studio and make stuff, to sniff paint and sawdust, to slam out some big design projects, to be productive, to settle into a spot for a while(with good waves of course), to network, and to grow(my dwindling bank account!)... it's all part of the cycle I guess. Work - play - work - play...

If you know anybody in Oz who:

1) Surfs
2) Paints
3) Is a fit female age 18-36(Hey, you can learn some things from the older ones!)
4) Likes to pamper guests
5) Owns a gallery
6) Needs graphics designed
7) Owns a brewery/bar
8) Has a hot tub
9) Is a Paraglide instructor

...then shoot me an email, I'd appreciate the connection... it's all about who you know right?

Kangaroos and Koala Bears here I come!

January 5th, 2010

NZ: Christmas Hike, Mt Fyffe, Kaikoura

Christmas was great! I didn't see one damn Christmas tree, no twinkling lights, no tacky tinsel, no paper wrapped presents or ribbons or bows, no stockings, no shitty music, no stars, no angels, no bells, no nativity scenes, no Santas, nothing... it was awsome! But I did see this...

December 23rd, 2009

NZ: WAVES Nov/Dec 2009

I've done my fair share of complaining about how miserable the waves have been here on the South Island over the last couple months. But during the last few days, the East coast finally saw some decent conditions and I've been gorging myself as much as possible. And looking back over the pics from November and this month, I realized that we had more than a few fun days... in between the endless hours of driving and getting skunked. Here's a little collection...

December 23rd, 2009

NZ: Kayaking Abel Tasman National Park

Weather looking good. Plan: Take Kayaks out for 3 days and hike for 2 more around Abel Tasman National Park on North Western tip of South Island, New Zealand.


Bring sling and dive gear for fishies. Stuff Kayak to brim with delicious food items such as: 5 liters of boxed wine, steak, veggies, several flavors of creamy Brie cheese, salami, fruit, musilie etc... Leave Betsy in parking lot all by herself. Kayak to first nights' camp... small cove with beautiful beach, nobody around, roll around in sand, guzzle wine, eat, enjoy sunshine and tanned naked woman. Sunset brings 2 plump ladies on a kayak who decide to camp as close as possible to us... Grumble, grumble. Curse at the sandflies and their thirst for blood. Forget to pack sleeping pads.... crap. Back hurts just to think about it.


Wake to sun. Make coffee in beloved plunger that doubles as insulated cup (Definitely my most valued purchase of 2009) Low tide, watch Linds pluck Green Lipped Mussels from rocks. Leave camp. Kayak to nearby island. Land on amazing beach. Gear up, spear fish for dinner. Nail 2 mystery fish... go for big tasty looking guy in cave... hit tail, scales fly, disappears in cave... could have fed an army, damn it. Clean fishies. Pack up camp and kayak. Make way up coast, windy around points. Paddle as hard as possible. Find river/estuary to escape from wind. Beautiful glass. Make way towards second camp... see 2 girls in kayak blown far, far out to sea, signaling to boats for help... bummer. Finally make it to camp.


Stuff fishies with lime, onion and spices, wrap in foil... salivate. Curse satanic sandflies. Linds prepares yummy mussels. Sign say: "TOTAL FIRE BAN" I say: "BULLSHIT!" Build fire in cave on beach. Fish in fire, mussels in pot 1, wild rice and veggies in pot 2. Smelling Umm Ummm good. Feast on the fruits of the sea, guzzle wine, drift to sleep. Wake. Coffee. Low, low tide... drag kayak waaaaay too far down to water line. Windy paddle to next camp. Beautiful coastline. High-center onto submerged rock. Can't move. Spinning around on top. Laugh a little.. but not too much. Next camp is awesome. Amazing beach, rocks, caves. Stinky Sealions. Hot sun. Wine. Food. Clouds come... Shit! Rain. Damn it! Everything into tent. Pouring. Praise $40 waterproof tent from Warehouse(Like Walmart... bad, I know). Boil big pot of noodles in middle of tent. Wine kicks in. Tip over pot, spills on Linds' arm... screams, cries... FU*&%K!!!. Throw Linds a towel, watch her wipe arm skin right off... not good!! Crisis management mode in full effect, try to make all better. Eat remains of noodles in pot. Rains all night. Wake. Coffee. Curse bloodthirsty sandflies. Boat picks up Kayak... says weather will be 40 knot winds with rain the next 2 days.... decide not to hike next 2 days. Hop on next boat back to civilization.


Few days pass. Forecast looking clear and sunny for 4 days. Decide to hike in from top of park down coast. Sun shining. Beautiful day. Breathtaking vistas. Aqua blue water. Wind picks up. Find nice beach to camp on. Pick yummy mussels off rocks. Get chased by smelly sealion family. Ominous clouds hovering. WTF? Sprinkles. Rain. Damn it... everything into tent. Eat. Draw picture of cow with a big Mustache... get it? "Mo" instead of "Moo". Laugh a lot. Boil water far from Linds' arm. Fear high tide. Move tent up to grass. Wake to sun. Coffee. Hear most insane bird song ever... beat boxing bird. Hike out. Drive to Mussel Inn and drink beer. The End.

December 18th, 2009

NZ: Kaikoura Trekking

The waves were shit so Brown and I decided to go run around for 3 days in the mountains behind Mt. Fyffe in Kaikoura. Good times. It was what the Kiwi's call a "Route", which means there are just some trail markers every once in a while to tell you that you're headed in the right direction. Basically you blaze your own trail up the mountain, river, valley etc...

This route took us up a wide river bottom with tons of river crossings and rock hopping up a canyon to one of over 900 of NZ's famed Back Country Huts. Some huts are basic, some are posh. Our first one had 6 bunks, a wood stove and plenty of fresh rain water. Brown brought his trusty iPhone and we laughed our asses off to the new season of South Park... if you haven't seen the episode with the Japanese whale/dolphin killers then you are missing a good laugh. Next day we woke to rain and it was cold... so cold that as we made our way up to the saddle, where rivers started on either side, it was dumping snow. Bad situation. Not prepared. I was in surf trunks with a plastic trash bag over my pack. Almost froze walking up the river, trudging right through it with shoes and all, no trail, just up and up and up into the icy river and slippery rocks. Dumping! Everything white. Snow starting to cover all the trail markers. Damn! I thought about the situations people get themselves into that make it possible for TV's shows like "I Shouldn't Be Alive" to go into production. Would I lose some fingertips or a few toes to frostbite? Would we have to make shelter under some rock and eat squirrels until the storm passes? Would I have to eventually eat Brown or would he have to eat me? Should we go back? Nah.. screw it, let's just keep going higher up this steep river canyon with no trail in the snow. It's only supposed to be 6 hours to the next hut. We're young enough... and dumb enough.

Up to the top of the saddle and back down to the next hut. Made it in record time. Cool to see where 2 rivers literally started. Was happy to see plenty of dry firewood outside on the front porch. Took us a while to thaw out. Got the stove blazing, all our gear and clothes hanging up, hot enough to run around in chones. Hot food and more South Park on the menu for the night. Warm sleeping bag. Nobody around.

Woke to bluebirds. Long hike down river. Sunny, warm. Plenty of waterfalls and snowcapped mountain views... the stuff that's good for the mind, body and the soul. Long walk down to main road. Thumb out for 2 seconds and we get picked up and front door service right back to The Van. Ice cold beer? Yes please, and then let's go find some surf.