bl!sss magazine | august 2014 | #84

JULIANWILSON#FLYHIGHER

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T Y L E R G U N T E RP U E R T O R I C O

F E A T U R E D A R T I S T

K E V I N A N C E L L

The RVCA Artist Network Program is an ongoing venture which aims to showcase the talent of accomplished as well as emerging artists who inspire our generation and push the boundaries of creativity; providing something of substance and culture.

K E V I N A N C E L L

P R E S E N T

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T Y L E R G U N T E R

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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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2014 Luxottica Group. All rights reserved.

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Zered Bassett. The city is his weapon. More at CONVERSE.COM/CONS

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Timmy Reyes

Timmy Reyes

Timmy Reyes

Timmy Reyes

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RANDOMS // 32PRODUCT REVIEW // 38BEN CARLSON // 40PURPS // 42 LILY MEOLA // 44LEAH YERPE // 46EVER // 48INSTAGRAM // 50SUPER TASTE // 52ZARIA FORMAN // 54VANS GET-N-CLASSIC V.3 // 56THE ART OF CHRIS LABROOY // 62FASHION // 68KARIM GHONEM PHOTO PROFILE // 74NO JUSTICE NO PEACE // 82JUSTIN KENNISTON // 88TRAV END OF THE BEGINNING // 948TH ANNUAL MALIBU INVITATIONAL // 96PAGES @ VASF // 98ARNETTE CASH POT ALA MOANA BOWLS // 100AGENDA LONG BEACH // 102WIZARD WOES // 104CD REVIEWS // 106GROMS // 110

Artist: Chris Labrooy

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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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.

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AUGUST 2014

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFnick [email protected]

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CREATIVE DIRECTORmark paul deren : [email protected]

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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, Joe Foster

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

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ARTIST: CHRIS LABROOY

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There has been a bit of turmoil over at one of our favorite brands the past couple of years, and were delighted to announce that Insight is here to stay and is relocating its headquarters to America. Always on the pulse of whats hot and always setting trends throughout our industry, we were more than delighted to meet up with them at last months Agenda Long Beach and hear the entire scoop. With Alek Parker at the helm of the ship and Insight veterans Larry Castro and the lovely Danica Elbertse on board, expect to see big things poppin off in Venice in the near future. Were sure theyll have a killer kickoff party at some point, so be sure to stay up to date at insight51.com for details.

GraftiiconBlade has just come out with a new book entitled Blade:KingofGrafti. Blade is an original member of the famous grafticrewtheCrazy Five along with Death, Vamm, Crachee, Tull and his partner Comet. The crew became pioneers in the 1970s by taking to the streets of the Bronx and using the fuel of youthful freedom and rock n rolltopushthelimitsofgrafti.Now, with his tack-sharp memory and the help of Steven Ogburn, Roger Gastman and Chris Pape, Blades legendary stories have come to life. From his early graftidaystofarbeyondthe5,000 plus trains that he painted before he stopped counting, this book has something for everyone to appreciate. Blade will always be a name synonymous with graftiroyalty,andwesuggestyou all get a copy of Blade: King of Graftitoaddtoyourlibrary.Visitbladekingofgraf.com or anywhere ne,leather-boundbooksaresold.

We had the pleasure of catching up with Spencer Goetz of Imperial Motion this past month and he was kind enough to unveil IMs new ReectiveCollection to us.ImperialMotionisabrandthatconsistentlypumpsoutthenestofthreads,and trust us when we say that its new collection is as dangerously good-looking as ever.Thenewlinefeaturestwofullyreectivehatsandadenimpantwithafullyreectiveprintedinnercuffpattern,andwehighlysuggestyouconsidergrabbingall three items. You can shop the ReectiveCollection styles at imperialmotion.comoratnerretailersnearyou.AndinthewordsofthefolksatImperialMotion: Stay Safe and Stay Stylish.

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Zak Noyle is helping to spread his passion for photography with the masses day in, day out, and this past month he continued to do so by announcing the release of his signature water housing from Watershot. The housing is equipped for iPhone 5, 5S and 5C and can handle depths up to 195 feet deep. The Zak Noyle signature housing comes with two high-quality glass lenses: one a standard view lensandtheotherawide-angle,sheyelens.Thehousingalsocomeswithatripod mount thatll allow you to utilize it outside the water or attach it to other handles or whichever GoPro mounts you may already have. Zaks developed one amazing multi-purpose housing for all of us, so head on over to watershot.com today to get your own Zak Noyle signature Watershot housing.

ZAK NOYLE X WATERSHOT

REFLECTIVE COLLECTION

INSIGHT TAKE OVER

BLADE KING OF GRAFFITI

randoms

LETS PARTYWho doesnt like to party? I was visiting my boy Jason Jackson at Catch Surf and he walked me over to his neighbors, Lets Party Traction, who are making some of the best traction pads for your surfboard, skate decks and skimmers on the West Coast. These guys got a good thing going, and their party cat mascot has been poppin up more and more over the last few months. Every time I see this furry, four-eyed critter it gives me a chuckle. Check out everything they have to offer at letspartytraction.com, or pick up one of their pads at your local core shop.

Sanuk has long been a brand at the top of the footwear game, but the company recently put its efforts into producing a shoe that offers all of the elite comfort, style and durability for which Sanuk is known. Enter the Cassius, the newest vulcanized shoe to land in the Sanuk line. The Cassius is the quintessentialblendofacasualcruiserandarenedloafer,makingitwearablein practically every situation you could think up. The Cassius boasts a no ledgeprole,waxedtwill,5/8lace-upwithcustomprintsoftcanvaslining,Happy U rubber outsole and much more. Colorways include navy, dark brown, brown,khaki,blackandcamowiththeshoecominginhalfsizes,aSanukrstas well. The Cassius is your perfect school, work, travel or everyday live-in shoe, so head over to your local retailer or sanuk.com to snag yourself a pair today.

Theres a new tail pad company that caught our attention going by the name of Dreded. Dreded isacompanyco-foundedbysurnglegendMatt Hoy. Those who are familiar with Hoy know that hes a man who never holds back. Dreded is built on everything that he embodies and is heavily inuencedbymotivatedhumans,surf,snow,art, travel, Rock n Roll and cold beer. Dreded offers the public not just grip, but a story that they can run with as well. Dreded products are available in four varieties of unique, high-quality grips in premium black materials, Macro and Micro textures. Both textured styles are available in two- and three-piece grips allowing for effortless application. Make sure to keep an eye out for Dreded to be hitting America soon. In the meantime, head over to dreded.com to get your grip on.

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Team Arnetteisonarollafterhavingtakenhomerstplacethis past month at the 10th annual Switchfoot Bro-Am in Encinitas. Arnettes team of four included top SD surfers Darrel Goodrum, Gabe Garcia, J.D. Lewis and Sean Marceron. The crew dominated all day, taking out team after team consisting of top industry brands that showed up to compete. Of course, Arnette is proud of their regional team, and the boys were hyped to hoist a trophy in their backyard in front of a crowd of 10,000 anxious Switchfoot fans. Theres no doubt the whole Arnette crew will be back next year to defend their title. Congrats to Arnette and everyone who participated, and well see you all next year!

ARNETTE WINS SWITCHFOOT

SANUK CASSIUS

DREDED TAIL PADS

TransWorld Skateboarding just teamed up with SuperVillian Studios, home to some of the creators of the original Tony Hawks Pro Skater franchise, to bring us Transworld Endless Skater. The new game, exclusive to mobile devices, builds off of the original Endless Skater game. In TransWorld Endless Skater youreabletoplayasoneofveworld-renownedprofessionals:Danny Way, Christian Hosoi, Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins-Pastrana, Sean Malto or Ryan Decenzo. Everything from the spots to the skaters to the tricks and sponsors are all ultra-realistic. Players can compete with friends for high scores, upgrade their skills, unlock new zones and discover each professional skaters signature tricks. Transworld Skateboarding and SuperVillian studios have given us another reason to stay glued to our mobile devices, but at least in this case itll be for the sake of vicariously living out our skateboarding dreams. Make sure to keep an eye out for TransWorld Endless Skater in the app store very soon!

TRANSWORLD ENDLESS SKATER

randoms

BLACK BOX WINEWe all enjoy a little vino here and there from time to time, and many of you BL!SSSreadersouttheremayevenbetruewineacionados.Thatswhywewanted to boggle your minds a little with the newfound love we have for boxed wine. Well, not just any boxed wine, but Black Box Wines,specically.Yes,oureyes have been opened thanks to the wonderful Lauren Machen who sent some samples of Black Box Wines our way. Black Box Wines are high-quality, award-winning wines that come in a wide array of varietals for anyones particular taste. These great tasting wines come in 3L and 500ML boxes, perfect for any outdoor adventures including: music festivals, snowboarding, surf trips, romantic hikes, or wowing the crowd at your next house party. Make sure to try Black Box Wines the nexttimeyourelookingforanepalettepleaseryoullbehappyyoudid!

L I R A 2 0 1 4 F A L L C O L L E C T I O NW W W . L I R A C L O T H I N G . C O M

What do you get when you mix Iron & Resin, Aloha Sunday, Oakland Surf and Port of Long Beach? Let us introduce you to The Coastal Collectionacollaborative effort between four like-minded brands and boutiques that all share a few common interests. The collection was forged from sharing the similar passions inclothingandculturealongwiththeircombinedafnityandappreciationfortheCalifornia Coastline. The line consists of Hawaiian-style print button-ups, graphic tees, board shorts, a custom wool blanket, a bucket hat and exclusive cap with leather detail from Ampal Creative.AvailableatnerCaliforniaretailers,getyourCoastal Collection today.

With Agenda Long Beach in the books, a select group of buyers, media peeps and industry-heads packed their bags and headed to San Diego for the 4th Annual MasterPlan Fishin Mission on Friday, July 11th. This has become a must-do trip for BL!SSS editor Joey Marshall, as hes constantly coming up witheveryexcusepossibletobeoutonthewaterandawayfromtheofce.Like in years past, Captain Jodie Morgan and Apollo crew put the boys right ontopofthesh.Withnearly100shonthedeck(Yellowtail,YellownandBluen)andashit-tonofPabst Blue Ribbon consumed, it was neck and neck to see who would go home as The Drunkest Fisherman. Though a tight race to the end, no one would challenge that this years drunk honors goes to Hoang Fong for his non-stop hilarious antics and willingness to consume beers sunup to sundown. We wanna give a proper shoutout to AshtonMaxeld and Carter Katz for arranging this trip again and thank the sponsors that made it all possible: Etnies, MasterPlan Communication, Fred Water, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and of course, Jodie and the entire Apollo crew. See ya next year!

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MASTERPAN FISHIN MISSION

COASTAL COLLECTION

randoms

BOHNAM

Theres a whole lot of exciting news coming from our friend Chase Wilson and his company Byrd Hairdo Products. Byrds been producing premium hair productssince2012andhasrecentlysettledintotheirnewofce,The Byrds Nest, in Culver City. Odds are youve heard of or already been to one of their Slick Saturdays events that host an evening of live music, cocktails and haircuts at the on-site Byrds Barber Shop. Byrd has also welcomed a new facetotheockinMichael Donavan as their new vice president of business development, and theyve named Scott Wilson as their new creative director forthebrand.Headtobyrdhair.comtondproductsandkeepupwithallByrd news, and well see you all at the Byrds Nest soon for another epic Slick Saturdays.

BYRD NEWS

With Sir Roark traveling all over the world in search of adventure and inspiration, its no wonder hes teamed up with Leatherman Tools to make a limited-edition run of the Crater c33LX pocketknife. It comes equipped with a bottle opener/carabiner, Philipsandat-headscrewdrivers,apocketclipanditcomeswithablackDLCnishon the blade. Its a good-looking tool that can save your butt in just about every situation. We all know that adventure hurts, but its monotony that will kill you. So belikeRoarkandgetonyourownadventurejustbesuretopickuponeofthesebabiesbeforeyougo.Availableatneretailersworldwideandatwww.roark.com.

ROARK

IhadthepleasureofmeetingandshingwithoneoftheSalty Crew founders Jared Lane this past month on the annual MasterPlan Fishin Mission. Weve been seeing the Salty Crew stickers all around SoCal lately, and it was great catching up with Jaredandhearingwhatthisnewbrandisallabout.Surf,sh,diveandsail,thesewater enthusiasts are all about making their own adventures and enjoying what this world has to offer. With friends like CJ Hobgood, Jason Ratboy Collins, Greg Trompas and Duane Deigo repping their gear, you know they got a good thing going. Check em out at salty-crew.com or follow their Instagram @salty_crew.

SALTY CREW

1. Nike, Lunar Janoski - $110, nikesb.com // 2. Vans, Happy Daze by Dane Reynolds - $52, vans.com // 3. Volcom, Lo-Fi - $60, volcom.com // 4. Etnies, Marana E-Lite - $84.99, etnies.com // 5. DVS, Nica - $70, dvsshoes.com // 6. Converse, Chuck Taylor All Star - $65, converse.com // 7. Huf, Sutter Blondie - $65, hufworldwide.com // 8. Globe, Los Angered by Dion Agius - $110,globe.tv(availableatHuntingtonSurf&Sport)//9.Sanuk, Casa Barco - $60, sanuk.com // 10. Filament, Hypha - $84.95,lamentbrand.com//11.Supra, Hammer Run - $74.99, suprafootwear.com // 12. Adidas, Seeley - $65, adidas.com // 13. DC Shoes, Nyjah Vulc TX - $70, dcshoes.com // 14. Reef, Deckhand 2 - $57, reef.com // 15. Gram, 402g - $139, gramshoes.com

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In the late afternoon of July 6, 2014, the biggest south swell to reach Southern Californias shores in years raged to its peak off the waters of Newport Beach. With 10- to 15-foot sets and an abnormally strong 20-second interval fueling the swell, Ben Carlson vigilantly stood at the back of Newport Beach Lifeguard boat 5342 as it patrolled just off the turbulent seas of 16th street. It was then that Ben spotted something hed dedicated his life to preservingapersonindistress.Hemotioned to alert his boat operator, and in seconds they were within close proximity of the victim. At this moment, years of training, preparation, experience and overall knowledge of the ocean took over, as Ben realized the ailing swimmer in front of him was in dire need of help. Without hesitation, without fear for himself, with only the wellbeing of a complete stranger at the forefront of his mind, Ben Carlson leapt into the trepid waters off of the Newport Point, swiftly swam to his victim, secured him and saved his life. This was Bens last rescue, one of thousands that hed performed in his 15 years of lifeguarding for the City of Newport Beach. But it was one that will never be forgotten and will go down in history as the most remarkable save Newports Lifeguard Department and departments worldwide have ever seen. For on this fateful day, Ben Carlson gave his life in the line of duty to save anothers.

Benhaditallguredout.Therewas

no man who was naturally more t,moreknowledgeable,moredamn handsome, more comical and richer in spirit than Ben Carlson. He grabbed life by the horns and squeezed it for all it was worth, but he did so in a calculated manner that anyone could admire. At the age of 32, Ben had lived more than men twice his years. Ben not only helped the multitude of swimmers and visitors in distress that he rescued on the beaches and in the waters of Newport but also everyone around him in daily life. By day he guarded lives, and by night he responsibly tended bar, using his earned veteran status in both positions to help others: lending knowledge to less experienced guards on the beach; offering a job to friends who might be in need of extra income through the service sector when positions arose. All the while through his years of strenuous work, Ben maintained strong clarity in perspective and discipline in life, saving money for traveling the world in pursuit of big waves in the process, and setting enough aside to eventually buy a house in Newport Beach. His second home of Puerto Escondido, a place where Ben had excelled in riding gigantic waves and made lifelong friends, cherished his frequent visits. He was like family to Coco Nogales, Oscar Moncada and many of the best big-wave surfers in the world that traveled to the area. Ben always saw the good in others, and through this was able to bring out the best in anyone he came in contact with. He walked the walk without any talk,

and constantly treated others the way hed want to be treated. Maybe it was the strong upbringing his family had given him, maybe it was thebenetsreachedthroughearninga Psychology degree at UC Irvine, or maybe it was just a natural gift. Whatever the case, it was clearly evident that Ben Carlson was one in a million, a special kind of person of the likes we rarely ever see walk this earth.

In the week after Bens tragic death something extraordinary occurred in Newport Beach, in Southern California and anywhere in the world where Bens heroic acts had reached. Family members held each other tighter, surfers shared stories of ultimate trips and sessions with Ben,lifeguardandrstrespondercommunities up and down the coast gave an outpouring of support in his name, bonds were strengthened and people came together. The grief turned to remembrance, and this fast-paced community slowed down, causing people to pause and reectonwhatreallymattered.Aweek after Bens death, on Sunday July 13th, 7,500 people gathered at the base of the Newport Pier, just yards from where Ben had made hisnalrescue,topaddleoutinhis honor. The same boat that Ben made his last save on was there with his board and a wreath to offer in the middle of an enormous circle of paddlers. Later that day a memorial was held at Orange Street in upper west Newport with 5,000 people in attendance. There, Bens family was

awarded the Medal of Valor for his remarkable service. Those closest to Ben shared memories that moved the crowd of people present to laugh, cry and celebrate the life of Ben in the richest of spirit. The whole day was an unbelievable display of the highest degree of raw human compassion. It was through Ben that thousands came together and found true meaning in this tragedy.

Ben Did Go. And Ben would want us to go on and live our lives, because he lived his life to the absolute fullest. Hed want us to help others, because Ben dropped everything, no matter the circumstances, to help others at a moments notice. The joy of having known such a wonderful person, of having had the pleasure of being in the presence of and even just having heard the story of Ben Carlson is a gift. His story will live on forever, just as his spirit will. We thank you for all that youve given us Ben, and we love you always!

The Newport Beach Ocean Lifeguards Association has set up a scholarship fund in Bens name. Donations can be made online at www.newportbeachca.gov/bencarlsondonation or by mail to Newport Beach Fire Department, Attn: NBOLA, Ben Carlson Scholarship, P.O. Box 1768, Newport Beach, CA 92658-8915. Make check payable to NBOLA and include Ben Carlson Scholarship Fund in the memo line. All donations are tax deductible.

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Words: Spencer Pirdy

Photo: Lucano HinklePhoto: Tom Cozad

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There have and always will beamazing,inuentialpeopleon this earth of ours who create, help and inspire. These individuals gift us with what normally might not be obtainable. We can all appreciate the contributions these individuals tirelessly strive toward year in and year out for our enjoyment and satisfaction. However, seldom do we see key players who excel greatly in their own given facets of life, coming together to unite and create something truly special. Thispowerfulformofunicationwhere the interaction of multiple elements(persons)combineand surpass the efforts that only one element could produce is called synergy. Synergy is what PM Tenore, Kelly Slater and Dr. Chris Schaumburg had in mind when they combined their diverse backgrounds to create the brand Purps. By now youve seen Kellys Instagram announcing the launch, heard the excited talk amongst websites and on the streets. And if youre lucky, youve even tasted the healthy difference the brand is bringing to the world.

Ask the founders and theyll tell you that the Purps story is simple. Its all about building a healthy lifestyle brand that also offers better choices for people to grab on the go. They created Purps because they wanted to develop premium nutrition

products that were better choices for their daily routine, with the greater goal of giving back by inspiring and educating our youth to adopt a healthier lifestyle. The best part is that Purps is making it relatively effortless and very delicious to practice this lifestyle. The products that theyve introduced aretheretobenetourdailyfunctions. Each product is formulated using the Proprietary Organic Purple Life Formula that is harvested from this earth and is non-GMO, with valuable phytonutrients, antioxidants, essential vitamins and minerals. The proprietary blend contains six purple superfruits from around the world: organic mangosteen, maqui berry, aa berry, blueberry, grape and blackberry.

For the brand launch, Purps offers four premium products to choose from. With the Purps Vita multi-vitamin supplement shot youllndadeliciouswaytoinfuse your body with vitamins and nutrients whether its morning, noon or night. If youre traveling or at home, theres the Purps Vita T/H multi-vitamin supplement powder, which can easily be added to take your water to the next level. Purps Fuel is your go-to if you need an organic boost of natural energy, with valuable phytonutrients, antioxidants and essential vitamins. And Purps Hydro is

your go-to for hydrating amidst those marathon surf sessions, long days at the skate park or endless bluebird days on the mountain. And heres the slam dunk: All of the Purps products mentionedcontainnoarticialavors,noarticialcolorsandno preservatives.

The Purps mission statement is simple: uniting Nature and Science to promote your lifes health. Nature and science is the basis of the product formulations, and in the big picture its how the founders plan to reach out to the community. The long-term goal is building a healthy lifestyle brand that thrives on creating better choices and on building

a community of inspirational health advocates that want to go out and act on behalf of the overarching mission of the brand, said Purps co-founder Dr. Chris Schaumburg. Its an organic process of combining the best of nature and science to promote health and wellbeing. These are exciting times, and with the launch of Purps its safe to say that due to the synergy of a few bright minds, were all abletobenetimmensely.

For more Purps info and to keep up to date with community activities and advocate news, visit purps.com or follow them on Instagram @purps and @drpurps, and always remember to live the #purpslife.

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Words: Spencer Pirdy

CHAOS MEETS CULTURE

OTIS CAREY // MINOR PANIC

DBLANC.COM

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Lily Meola is an unassuming country girl at heart. She comes from the kind of country thats known for tropical blue waters and gigantic waves along with open green pastures and mountainous terrain. Its here on the island of Maui that Lily has honed her vocal chords to a perfect pitch and has begun captivating audiences all over with her charm and talent. We caught up with Lily right before she was headed out the door to check Jaws on one of the more colossal swells to hit the big-wave spot this past winter. As youll read, shes a true class act; a person who has battled adversity and someone whose musical prowess ranks well beyond her young 18 years.

Howdidyourstbegin

singing?Its kind of weird, but my really good friend from when I was three told me that I used to sing all of the time around them and that theyd plug their ears and tell me to shut up. I just always remember singing. I got the lead in a play when I was younger and it was a musical ManofLaMancha.Itooksinging lessons after that, and just really started falling in love with it. I started collaborating with the lead piano player in

that musical and we started getting gigs on Maui. It was pretty cool at only 11 years old to be getting gigs.

Did growing up with dyslexia have an impact on your singing career?I totally think it did, because I struggled with everything pretty much through my dyslexia. I still struggle with my singing too with remembering my lyrics. My mom tells me I cant use my songbook anymore, but I still do. It did help me because mostly I was focusing on how bad I was at things, but with singing and playing it was a good distraction from all of that.

How did growing up on Mauiinuenceyourmusical

career?Theres a great group of people here on the island that play music, and Ive been really lucky to be able to work with all of them through the years.

When traveling places, does it make you realize how special home is?It does and I miss it every second when Im gone. It is good to get off the rock a little bit.

Talk about playing with

Willie Nelson and his son Lucas.Its so amazing. I am really lucky to be able to play with such amazing people. Theyve really taken me under their wing and become part of my family. Theyre really supportive andIcantalktoAnnie(Willieswife)aboutanything.Theyliveprobablyvetotenminutesaway from my house.

So, in the Meola household youve got yourself as a musical star and Matt holding it down as a surf star. Whats the brother/sister dynamic like for the both of you?I wouldnt say Im a star, still working on that. But well have meetings with my mom, we call her the Mom-ager, and shell be talking about Matt and all of the crazy things hes doing insurng,andthenwelltalkabout me and everything Im doing. Its kind of wild that all of this stuff is happening in such a small family. Matts really supportive of my singing; hes at all my concerts and always has suggestions for me. He likes to try to be the boss sometimes, but its great.

On the other side of things, how is it for you to watch

your older brother catching huge waves at Jaws?Gosh, it makes me want to pee my pants, it freaks all of us out. Hes almost died once, and since then weve been really hard on him going out, telling him, Dont do it! Theres a lot of pressure and its really scary. But when he gets a huge, good wave it feels really good to see him accomplish something.

What all do you have in the works for 2014? There are a few things going on at Willies ranch and some other events I may be apart of.

Looking forward, what goals do you have that youd like to reach in your singing career?My biggest goal is to sell out Madison Square Garden. I dont know why but thats always been a dream of mine. Then, I always want to tour more and keep writing. I just started getting a little taste of it, and it has become really addicting.

TohearLilysmusic,ndout

about future performances and to keep up with her career, visit lilymeola.com or facebook.com/LilyLeilaniMeola.

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Interview: Spencer Pirdy :: Photo: Kenworthy

JOHN JOHN FLORENCE WEARS THE FOLD WITH HAPPY LENS

SPY-2014-AD-BLISSS-FUK-SAD-JJF.indd 1 7/22/14 2:04 PM

Will you please introduce yourself to our readers?I am a Brooklyn-based artist who works primarily in charcoal and graphite on paper.

Your drawings are often scaled to life-size form, 10-feet tall. Will you share some of your creative process while creating these drawings? For example, how long it takes to create, medium, your strategies to sustain interest, enthusiasm and concentration?The large-scale work is my favorite because I enjoy creating something that is my own size. There is an odd comfort in feeling like my body wouldtinsidethedrawing.Thesepieces can take well over 200 hours to complete, and the entire time I feel an urgency. What if something were to happen and I had to leave thedrawingunnished?Thatwouldbe terrible. Whether large or small, anunnishedpiecereallynagsatme. Thats one reason I put so much effort into the preliminary drawing process; I have to make absolute sure a piece will work before I begin, because once I start I have to see the thing through.

Do you ever get tangled in

bodies? What is your process toconceptualizeapiece,reneit,test it, etcetera?My process begins in a very hands-off manner and switches to tightly-controlled by the end. My models are given free reign to improvise their own poses and move however they want while I stay out of their way and snap photographs. This leaves me with a wealth of images to sift through, play with, arrange in differentcongurations.Itsaveryintuitive process that is alternately liberating and maddening; Ive spent many hours shifting bodies around by millimeters, trying to get everything placed just right. I make dozens of detailed sketches from these images before I hit on one that has the right rhythm and will work well as a drawing. Then after deciding what size it should be, I can begin the art piece.

What do you think is most misunderstood about your work?I really dont know. I hope people bring their own personal experiences and interpretations to my work. So if two different people have totally different understandings of a piece, thatsnewithme.

You draw from models, but do

you utilize dance to help you identify,rene,etcetera?Areyour models dancers?Afewofmymodelshaveidentiedas dancers; most have not. Everyone carries themselves a little differently and moves with their own personal lexicon of body language. So working with a diverse array of people is very important to keeping the art fresh. Dancers make great models because theyve been trained to convey meaning with their bodies. But the rest of us do that too, even if we might not be so conscious of it. Often the untrained can bring something really unexpected and special to the process.

Are you a dancer or were you once a dancer?I am not a dancer, though I love danceandaminuencedbyit.Inever had the opportunity to take dance classes when I was younger, and at this stage of my life, its just not going to happen. I think of myself more as a choreographer, and my drawings conduct a sort of dance.

Doyoudreamaboutyingorfalling?No, I dont. I think some people assume my work is about my dreams because the drawings feel

dream-like. I certainly make dreamy images, but they are not based on any dreams Ive ever had.

You are formally trained: Pratt Institute, M.F.A. Painting/Drawing and University of New York at Fredonia, Fredonia, B.F.A. Painting/Drawing with a minor in Art History. Will you share a little about your school experience?I really enjoyed being a student. ItwasthersttimeIdeverbeenaround other artists. Art school is a little protective bubble in which you are actually encouraged to create. The minute you leave school that encouragement evaporates. Its time to be responsible, get a real job, pay bills, get married, have kids, stop wasting so much time on your self-indulgent hobby. To be an artist, particularlyonenotfromanafuentbackground, requires incredible drive and dedication. I was lucky to have professors that prepared me by instilling me with a real work ethic.

Whats coming up next for you?Thats a question I am rarely able to answer.Imyingbytheseatofmypants.

Where can people check out more of your art?My website: leahyerpe.com.

46

Interview: Liz Rice McCray Alcyone, 38 x 50, graphite and ink on paper, 2013

This months Mural of the Month is a gigantic new piece by Argentinean artist Ever, in Graz, Austria, for the LivinStreetsFestival(curatedbyInoperableGallery).TheMuralisentitled Personal Interpretation of the Death of Idealism. We caught up with Ever, who is currently traveling around Europe, and asked him a couple questions about Personal Interpretation of the Death of Idealism and the undertaking of this massive installation. Be sure to check out some of his other murals from his trip abroad.

This piece is entitled Personal Interpretation of the Death of Idealism, which features a huge portrait of Chairman Mao with your signature eye socket rays of beautiful color. Will you elaborate on the content in this mural?The content of the mural is the representation of the idea/idealism through the portrait of Chairman Mao Tse Tung. The woman is the denitionofhopelessness,nakedagainst the reality, fragile around the enviroment. This woman is holding a dress of a communist soldier; the clothes are empty, representing the vacuumidea.Thecommunistagisall over the wall, moving around the body of hope but losing itself in the death of the concept of idealism. I

didnt want to represent the death inagurativeway,butIwantedto represent the emptiness of a body that does not exist. You can see an imaginary head where the communistagissupported.

Is this your personal interpretation of death in idealism?Yes, it is my personal interpretation of the dead, of an idea that cant work in this type of capitalism system. Its the representation ofaghtthatIlost.Itsalsotherepresentation of my contradictions, and also the contradictions of all humans.

How tall/big is this piece?The piece measures 10 stories that are in total 40 meters high.

This mural is massive. How long did it take you to complete? Will you share some of your strategies for conquering a piece of such magnitude?They were 10 days of intense work, which sometimes could only work up to the middle of the day, in consequence of the rain, wind, etcetera. They were mentally tough days. There is a whole organization behind the murals, and if they fail it would complicate the working time. My strategies were try to use the old

master rules, like a grid on the wall thathelpsyoualotfornotmakingmistakes on the proportions of the bodies.

This mural is a part of the Livin Streets Festival in Graz, Austria, curated by Inoperable Gallery. Will you tell us a bit about the Livin Streets Festival and how you got involved?Inoperable Gallery was the curator of the festival. They choose all the artistsfortheproject.Iwasnotiedabout the wall and the project like six months in advanced, like a typical Deustchland way of organization.

Do you know how long the mural will be on display in this location?Hopefully its gonna stay forever. This place was an old food company and now theyve started to reconstruct allthefabrictomakestudios,ofcesand apartments.

What was the most complicated part about the execution of this mural?The most complicated part was the organization. When you have such a big mural you have to organize yourself in part, for example, saying, Ok, today I will do all the arm and chest.

How did you feel about your time inAustria?Wasthisyourrstvisit?It was my second visit to Austria. Austria is a country that I love and has many of my favorite painters, like Egon Schiele and Klimt. Austria was a pioneer in bringing the architecture, the arts and sciences for the advancement of a country (ortheworld).Unfortunately(likealltimesofhumanity),theylivedtherstandsecondworldwar,which destroyed the human project. AndyoucanfeelthisinAustriasomething is missing, something was taken,whichtheystillcannotnd.

Whats coming up next for you?Imrightnowwaitingformyightto Paris in Frankfurt. After Paris I go to Barcelone for a project. Then I go back to my country Argentina, and then in September I have my solo show in Mexico. Then Basel, Brasil, and then I need vacations!

Where can people see more of your art?You can see more of my art via instagram @eversiempre or Facebook via eversiempre, or my website that has many interesting pictures and behind-the-scenes info at www.eversiempre.com.

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Interview: Liz McCray :: Photo: PICKS

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Take one look at this months Super Taste and youll be struck with the feeling that youve died and gone to heaven. Shesanabsoluteknockout,andthatswithoutknowinganythingabouther.YouseeKristenhasthetrifectabrains,beauty and athletic prowess. Shes got a full plate attending UCLA on a volleyball scholarship, and she enjoys spending her downtime at home in Newport Beach. A word to the wise, guys, dont ever challenge Kristen to a game of beach volleyball, because were pretty sure youll be left embarrassed and brokenhearted.

Photography: Dominic Petruzzi :: dominicpetruzziphoto.com :: @dominicpetruzziModel: Kristen Kiehnle :: Brand Models //Hair & Makeup: bethcartermakeup.com for MakeupForeverUsa

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Greenland #52, 45x60, Soft Pastel on Paper, 2012

Photo: Francois Lebeau

Photo: Francois Lebeau

This month www.booooooom.com featured Zaria Formans large-scale pastel drawings, and everyone(includingus)wasmezmorizedbyhercrashing waves and luminescent ripples, remote oceans, and icy terrains. Forman travels around the globe to document Earths shifting landscapes and the effects of progressive climate change.

In August 2012, I led an Arctic expedition up the northwest coast of Greenland called Chasing the Light, she explained. It was the second expedition, the mission of which was to create art inspired by this dramatic geography. The rst,in1869,wasledbytheAmericanpainterWilliam Bradford. My mother, Rena Bass Forman, had conceived the idea for the voyage but did not live to see it through. During the months of her illness her dedication to the expedition never wavered,andIpromisedtocarryouthernaljourney. Documenting climate change, the work addresses the concept of saying goodbye on scales both global and personal. In Greenland, I scattered my mothers ashes amidst the melting ice.

Continuing to address climate change in her work, Forman traveled to the Maldives, which is the lowest-lying country in the world and is in serious danger of rising sea levels. The Maldives 2013: Continuing the story of polar melt, which is the main cause of rising seas, I followed the

melt-water from the Arctic to the equator, she says. I spent September 2013 in the Maldives, thelowestandattestcountryintheworld,collecting material and inspiration to create a body of work celebrating and representing a nation that could be entirely underwater within this century. Two award-winning artists who participated in the Greenland expedition, Chasing The Light, joined me in this venture: painter Lisa Lebofsky,anddirector,lmmaker,andactressDrew Denny.

During our month on the islands, we shared the concept of our project with children on the islands, inviting them to document their homeland as it transforms throughout their lives. The children can use their creativity to continue spreading awareness while inwardly processing the ecological transformations surrounding them. I hope my drawings will raise awareness and invite viewers to share the urgency of the Maldivians predicament in a productive and hopeful way. I believe art can facilitate a deeper understandingofcrises,helpingusndmeaningand optimism amidst shifting landscapes.

Partial proceeds of Formans artwork go to 350.org, which is an international climate change campaign that works in over 180 countries around the world. To check out more of Zaria Formans art, go to www.zariaforman.com.

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Greenland #63, 50x75, Soft Pastel on Paper, 2013

Photo: Francois Lebeau :: Maldives #10, 45x75, Soft Pastel on Paper, 2014

Photo: Francois Lebeau Photo: Francois Lebeau

Reagan Ritchie

This is Get-N Classic Vol. 3. Ive been working with Graham Nash and Daniel Russo on this project for Scott Sisamus and Vans, and for the past two and a half years weve more or less been going on trips every swell. In comparing Vol. 1 and 2, Get-N Classic Vol. 3 is an in-depth look into the destinations weve visited. Weve traveled to the craziest locations, and its always a pretty relaxed atmosphere surrounding these trips. A lot of the trips have been rider-driven. The whole Vans team is super down to get together on trips that everyone has planned. So, for instance, Nathan Fletcher will have a trip in mind to go surf a big wave in France and hell call up Dane Gudauskas and say, Dane, lets go! And theyll psyche each other up on the trip. Or youll have Dylan Graves that has some secret wave he wants to go to thats tucked away down in the Atlantic Ocean somewhere. Theres also Scott Sisamus who is really pumped on cold-water waves, and northern Europe is a reallyperfectsettingtondwavesofthattype.Italljustkindofhappensintermsofthecollectiveloveweallhavefortravelingandsurng.

Hawaii is always a major part, and this is one of the highlights of the movie. Its basically ground zero. Vans has a pretty rich heritage in Hawaii, working with the Triple Crown andputtingontheevent.Hawaiiiswhatsurngis,whereitcamefromandwhereitwillalwaysbe.Pipelineiseverything,andfromalmersperspectiveitsthebestgiftinthe

world. Theres no place thats more perfect and right in your face. You have Kalani Chapman, the Florences and Nathan Fletcher who always shine there. Then, you have the Gudauskas brothers who have been going there since they were 13. TheHawaiiportionofthelmisveryspecial.Wetraveled to a wide array of places. We went to Norway and Scottland with Nathan Florence, Dane Gudauskas and Andrew Doheny. We did a bunch of Mexico trips with Kalani, Nathan, the Florences and Wade Goodall. We went to the Central Atlantic with Dylan Graves and Pat and Tanner GudauskasthatwasoneofthebesttripsandIhad one of the best days of my life there. Being

Words: Reagan Ritchie :: Photos: Daniel Russo

56

Joel Tudor

Dane Gudauskas

Nathan Fletcher

Nathan Fletcher

Andrew Doheny

able to capture all that went down and even getting a bodysurf in midday was perfect. It was the hardest wave to score in the world, but somehow we did. Dylan was a huge part in helping us score on that trip. Dylan Graves dad had always told him about waves surrounding his home of Puerto Rico, but hed never tell him exactly where they were. Hed always give him hints but leave it up to Dylantogooutandndthesewaveshimself.Dylanisanabsoluteguru and is always searching off the grid for these perfect, rarely surfed waves, and we were lucky enough to enjoy a few magical sessions thanks to him.

IthinklmingNathanFletcherandJoelTudoratDesertPointwas probably the biggest highlight for me. You have Joel who is purestyleandnesse,andthensomeonelikeNathanwhoissointo board design. It was really interesting to see their different approachesoutthere.Itwassuchabroadspectrumofsurnggoing down, and what a venue for it with those long peeling lefts. Nathan was on a 52 with concave rails, something he and Stretch havebeenworkingon,andhissurngwasincredible.IdontthinkIveeverlmedanythingquitelikethat.

Everyone on the Vans team has been there for a long time. Theyre all so different, but similar in the way that theyre 100% about surng.Allofthemcontinuouslyraisethelevelofsurngintheirown ways. Everyone is such an individual on the team that stokes one another out on joining together to make these adventures happen. They all have their own quirks and characteristics, but at theendofthedaysharethisdeeploveforsurng.Wereallprettytight and everyone is there because they want to be there at this point in life. No one is out of place. Working closely with Daniel Russo, whos a crazy swimmer and a talented lensman, has made this movie so unique. Thats something thats made Vol. 3 stand outmorethantheothershavinghimswimmingandgetting

Dane Gudauskas

Dane Gudauskas

Andrew Doheny

Nathan Florence

Ivan Florence

Ivan Florence

Nathan Fletcher

Kalani Chapman

Reagan Ritchie

Ivan Florence

Dylan Graves

Reagan Ritchie

Ivan Florence

Dylan Graves

Nathan Florence

the incredible shots he has is remarkable. Some of the shots he has from Tahiti are insane. He knows how to position himself perfectly in the honey jar. ThatssomethingtolookforinVol.3theupscalecinematography.

Beingabletolm,travelandbeapartofthemakingof Get-N Classic Vol. 3 has been insane. Its meant everything to me and theres been nothing more thatIvewantedtodoinlifethanbeabletolmandexperience all of this. To me, there are some times when Im on the beach and I witness stuff going downandyouknowitsjustpuresurngandreal.WhetheritslongboardingatMalibuorsurngperfectCaribbean,thisiswhatsurngandthismovieisatitsdeepest core. Were not reinventing the wheel with these movies, but I think Get-N Classic Vol. 3 is a movie that will bridge gaps of time and really transcend whatsurngis.Itpayshomagetotheold,thenewandstays true to these incredible surfers. I hope you enjoy thelm.Weworkedhardonitandtherelldenitelybemore to come.

UK-based artist Chris Labrooy is therstcomputergenerated/3Dgraphic artist to grace our cover. His mastering of 3D modeling is superb and his vision and creativity with his Auto Aerobics series Auto Aerobics And roll... and stretch... and glide... andexisinspiring,thusplacinghim on the cover for his 3D graphics, illustration, type design, architectural typography, food typography, etc. Labrooy is a true master of his creative medium and trade. His artwork has been exhibited at the

design museum in London, and he has been featured in numerous illustration and design publications. For more of his work, please visit his website at www.chrislabrooy.com.

What would you say your artistic medium is?My creative medium is CGI/3D graphics.

What does CGI stand for?It stands for computer-generated imagery.

Haha, ok I should have put that together. Did you go to school for that? Or are you self-taught?I have only been working with CGI 3D graphics for about four or veyears.PrevioustothisIwasaproduct designer, so with regards to CGI I am very much self-taught. I went to school to study product design at The Royal College of Art in London. I was really into making sculptural objects and then using

the computer was not a part of myprocessitwasaboutgettingmy hands dirty. My education in productdesignisabiginuenceon the work I do now. It gave me an understanding of the tangible qualities of objects.

Can you describe the genesis of your digital sculptures, how and when they started?I started using CGI as a way to visualize product ideas in order to evaluate them before actually making

Interview: Liz rice McCray

them. As time went by I started to focus on the creative possibilities of CGI to make powerful images. I got bored going through the process of making real things, as I felt that the images and 3D renders were more powerful and engaging.

Will you tell us about your Auto Aerobics series (featured on the cover)?Auto Aerobics was a personal project that I did seven months ago. There was no real big idea

behind the project; I just started experimenting and churning out different ideas until

something clicked. It began as a tiny idea for a project about New York. Walking through Brooklyn on a winter evening is a truly memorable experience, which motivated me to build a digital 3D model that captured the various details and textures of this location. The Pontiac automobile was initially destined to be a prop parked on the sidewalk; however, I later decided to make it a

parallel subject of the series and started abstracting the

cars form by hollowing out the vehicles core, stretching the proportions and experimenting with multiples, which over time began to look extraordinary.

I assume that 3D programs have changedsignicantly.Howwould

you say the technology has evolved?I think to some extent it is not so much the software that has changed but the hardware. I use many of the same tools and processes now as I did when I started. The performance of commuters in the last few years has been a game changer for the work I do. The ability to render tests in seconds makes the whole creative process more intuitive. You can be more spontaneous, as you dont have to wait 10 minutes to get a snapshot of where you are at.

Have you ever had any of your images turned into actual three-dimensional objects? Or does that somehow defeat

the purpose?The sneakerboots images I did for Nike was turned into in-store retail sculptures. These were composed on the computer then 3D printed.

Will you tell us a few of your clients?I have been fortunate to work with many clients over the years. I have worked for Pringles, Nike, Transport For London, ATT, Time, Xbox and Target.

Which projects have you been mostsatisedwith?

There are a couple of projects that really stand out for me. The Pringles project was really fresh and new at the time, and the client was really great and had a lot of condenceinthework.Istillseeitin magazine ads years after it was

done. The Transport For London new fares campaign was also really cool to do. It was a development of my Land of the Free project, and its also nice when a personal project can have a commercial application.

What are some of your consistent inuences?

The process is the most consistent inuenceratherthananyparticularartist or designer. I just try to work as hard as possible and create as much output as possible. Some things work and some things dont but its

important to keep trying new stuff.

Where do you call home?Aberdeen, Scotland. I live in a small town in the country.

How would you describe your studioorofceatmosphere?

I work from home, which works for me. I absolutely hate commuting, sitting in trafcanddrivinglongdistances.

Im curious, are you a sneaker guy? If so, can you tell us your

favorite make and model?I do like sneakers and I have a nice little collection. I dont have a particular brand that I am loyal to but my favorite shoe at the moment is the New Balance Made in USA 996. The quality of the materials really set them apart from other shoes.

What are you currently working on?

I am working on a project for Ted Baker in London. Its a fun campaign that will go public later in the year.

Where can people check out more of your work?My website at www.chrislabrooy.com. They can see work on my Facebook page, Behance page and also my Twitter page. I like to post different things on each of these.

Top RVCArvca.com

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L I R A 2 0 1 4 F A L L C O L L E C T I O NW W W . L I R A C L O T H I N G . C O M

Corey Goonan : B.S Flip

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Words: Rob Erickson

There are three things Karim cares about abov

e all else: his

twokidsandwife(thatcountsasonething),skat

eboarding

and photography. After that comes everything

else. And in

case you were wondering, sometimes that wo

rks out; other

times, not so much but thats the point.

Karim has had a camera in his hands ever sinc

e his parents

let him use their old point-and-shoot back in th

e 80s. It

was one of those long rectangular Kodak point

-and-shoots.

Remember those? Oddly enough, it wasnt unt

il blowing out

his knee about 15 years later that it ever occu

rred to him

to shoot his friends skateboarding. Thats when

it clicked.

Anditsnotgoingtostoptilthewheelsfalloff,g

uratively

speaking.

Arno River, Florence

Jay Burton : Gap to Crook

Corey Goonan : Push

Vintage

Emil Hilding : Smith Grind

He lives in southern Rhode Island with his wife and two daughters. His name came up in conversation, what seems now to be a handful of years ago, through a friend well known for their injections of raw power into the skateboarding wasteland as we know it. Hmmm, will make a point to look him up... thinking to myself. Another personofnote(whohappenedtoreside in the same town as the other person)mentionedhisbuddyhadsome photos of him that he would ask to send onward. A few more epochs of time passage and images began making their way down the pipes. Neither of the two raised any expectations as per the quality of the images or tricks documented for that matter, which in hindsight was simply their reserved nature. The images themselves clearly exhibited that the person behind the lens was thinking about what they were doing.

Corey Goonan : Ollie

Rebelo : Pivot Fakie

Correspondence continues to exchange and images always accompany the dialogue. The most resonant detail I have observed is the easy-going nature of thisperson.Moretimesthanngerscancount, the words Go for it... respond when asked if a photo was up for grabs forwhicheverprojectwasinthere.Thisis quality numero uno for a photog in the makingawillingnesstoputitoutthereand watch what happens.

Itisremarkablydifculttoletanimagego into the hands of another when one is not sure how their image will be used in context to a project. Many times has the regret button been pushed after handing over a photo to the advert or editorial gauntlet. Wisdom to share, as each time permission is granted the photographers image takes precedence. Compounded amounts of dedication, failure, patience, trust, chemistry, maintenance, and the almighty eye are built into the

Dustin Walls : Texas Plant

Spencer Heffernan : 360 FlipPimental : Front 5050

Jay Burton : Tuck Knee

Portrait

relationship of a photographer and their subjects. We have all observed countless art directors just ruin images for the sake of corny graphic design, and some will scream bias here,butIsaylettheimagefulllitsmerit.Love it to death, and in the words of one Alice Cooper - this path is for the hard-boiled. The harder boiled part is the axis of photographer crossing the threshold from upstart to where they will take it. That said, the observed characteristics combined with the dense population of shred long cultivated in the northeastern thickets of America makes for plenty to keep this picture-maker busy. One of the most inspiring details we often fail to observe is a person steadily pushing their potential. So embark on your journey, Karim, as we look forward to seeing your evidence of moments documented along the way.

This is one of about one million blow-tails Mitch did on this trip.

82

IrstheardabouttheMaldivesover10yearsagofrommy dear friend Jani Lange. Hes was the snowboard team manager/snow marketing guru for Volcom Europe at the time and was showing me photos of him and his snow bros shredding head-high perfection in crystal-clear water with no one around. It looked good, but to travel all the way across the world it always seemed like Indonesia was a better bet. Plus, he was the snow team manager and I wasnt completely sold on his report. Since then, Ive seen dozen upon dozens of surf features showcasing how good the Maldives actually

are, but it wasnt until Tom Carey returned from a two-week stint with Mitch Coleborn, Nate Tyler and Yago Dora

that I can say my eyes have truly been opened. Turns out there are some wave-inclusive resorts that are must-stays if you travel to Maldives, and

Tom, the world traveler that he is, was well aware of this and took full advantage.

The boys shacked up at Hudhuranfushi Resort, where they enjoyed their exclusive left-hander that never fell below head-high and offered up perfection for every style ofsurng.Ifthewindturnsalittlethis way or little that way the wave is absolutely perfect for laying on your rail or boosting over sections. With

Words: Joey Marshall :: Photos: Tom Carey

NoJusticeNoPeacewassomesortofpoliticalgraftiartthatwason

the main island of Male. The country was without a president or ruling party at that moment following some sort of coup.

Mitch looking hard.

Yago Dora is tight lipped about his night terror.

Free beers at the bar on the point at Lohis with Nate Tyler. Its quite a nice setup.

Offshore winds make for the best photos, but sometimes the surfers hate it. I think theyd rather have that light onshore crumble. Nate Tyler surfs a Taylor Knox model Channel Island. After seeing this turn I know why.

For anyone who hasnt been to the Maldives Id go as soon as possible. The islands are sinking and youwontndamorebeautifulandaliveocean.

Fumigation patrol, hold your breath.

Nate Tyler

Mitch Coleborn

YagoDoraippinout.

less wind and lower tides the wave out back gets hollow and you can even get your tube-game going. It really is a wet dream for any goofy-footer which is good, considering all three were right-foot forward. But the exclusive wave out back isnt the only thing on offer, as there are over 1,000 islands that make up the Maldives Republic, with a great number of known waves and likely many more to be discovered. The boys knew this but it was pretty hard to leave a good thing. They did venture to the main island of Male for a fun surf session and barely avoided a political coup that took place just minutes after they boarded their water-taxi back to the resort.

The crew was there for business, as the goal of this trip was to stack footage for the now available True To This movie that Volcom has released. You can tell by the images featured here that they accomplished more than they set out for and far exceeded any goals set prior. After talking to every one on the trip they collectively agreed its one of the better surf trips they had ever been on, with minimal to no hiccups along the wave and A+ surf in an absolutely beautiful setting. One scary event worth mentioning was a sleepless night due to Yagos chilling

For anyone who hasnt been to the Maldives Id go as soon as possible. The islands are sinking and youwontndamorebeautifulandaliveocean.

Mitch Coleborn needs to get on tour. Is there any-one better than this guy thats not on that thing?

I want to say this was one of Yagos rstwavesintheMaldives.Wewereso

blown away after this session, we knew instantly that he was the real deal.

$400-a-night Club Med sets the backdrop for this air-reverse. Mitch Coleborn prefers the $50-a-night alternative.

It wasnt all airs and turns, as a few tubes snuck in to our liking Mitch Coleborn getting some shade.

Nate Tyler, hand on the rail.

Mitch throwing tail on one of the very few rights ridden the entire trip.

There were some beautiful Israeli women at the resort. This one had just come out of the army and was ready to shred. Could you imagine being bunked up near that rig?

Yago displaying one of a hundred grab variations hes mastered.

night terror. Tom, Nate and Mitch were awoken by death-defying screams, and while trying to wake Yago Tom received quite a few bicycle kicks. Yago was back to dreamland in a few minutes, but the rest of the boys had the lights on and sleepless night thinking they were gonna get attacked by evil spirits. It made for a good laugh in the morning, but Tom still swears it was one of top three scariest moments of his life. Many of you might not know this, but the Maldive Islands are slowly sinking as polar ice caps melt, and it is estimated this surfers paradise might not even be here 100 years from now. That said, quit daydreaming and start booking your trip.

Nate Tyler following suit with his stellar air game.

There was actually some size on this trip. You could really dig into these waves.Mitch,nsburied.

Mitch,nsfree.

Yago,yinghigh

as can be again.

Nose-pick pivots are so hot right now. Heres Mitch showing us how its done.

AfteraweekofsurngtheleftatLohiswe

wentonaeldtriptoMaleandscoredthissu-per fun left wedge. Yago tucks under one.

Interview: Brandon Hammid :: Photos: Bob Plumb

After years of being friends and living with Justin, I cant think of many people that live a better life. When hes not withhisdogRedatthepark,youcanndhimhangingoutat the SFK House working on his motorcycle or at Rose Park getting a quick skate sesh. If its wintertime and there is snow in Salt Lake, hell most likely be found snowboarding at the rail gardens, having more fun than anyone there. This winter I was able to travel to Russia with him. He handleditprettydamnwellconsideringitwashisrsttimeout of the country, and he seemed to enjoy being in such a foreign place. If you asked pretty much anyone about Justin they would describe him as one of the mellowest and nicest dudes. Hes just happy doing his thing and enjoying the moment no matter what hes doing.

So, where are you originally from?I was raised in Portland, Maine, where I lived until I graduated in 2008.

I graduated in 2003; youre making me feel kinda old. What did you do after high school?I came to Salt Lake after high school for the remainder of the winter and then got a job at High Cascade Snowboard Camp. While working at High Cascade I met some people, and at the end of the summer moved to Salt Lake. That winter I went back and forth between Colorado and Utah a few times. I continued to go out to Oregon in the summer for four years. And then, back in Salt Lake to stay.

I didnt know you moved to Salt Lake before Colorado.Yeah!

I remember meeting you back then and you dressed a little bit differently. How was that inspired?I dont know if it was inspired by anything.

Explain how you dressed.I dont know, extremely tight pants, long hair, bunch of jewelry and whatever the hell funny hats.

I remember dudes like Lance Machado, Eric Fernandez and Billy Mackey dressing the same way. I think you guys had something goin on with the whole gypster trend. So where did your nickname Chip come from?So, when I dressed like that everyone use to call me Gypsy Justin, and then Micah Hollinger wrote a rap song one summer in Oregon. One of the lines was Justin Gyp dont give a shit. So then Justin Gyp kinda stuck from there, and then it broke down into just Gyp. And then Gyp transformed into Chip. Chip stuck and Ive run with it ever since. People remember Chip over Justin anyways so Im down.

Nicknames are sweet! I remember looking up to dudes before I moved out here. Were there any specicpeopleyoulookeduptothatinspiredyou?Well, there were always guys like Scott Stevens, Chris Grenier, Chris Beresford and Austin Granger, like all the massholes. Growing up thats who I looked up to because they were from back east. Id watch all their edits on the Internet all the time. Their old Magical Go-Go edits, at Loon Mountain after Last Call, were my favorite. I cant remember the name of the edits but they were absolutely incredible. I used to watch them multiple times a day. Then those guys moved out to Salt Lake and I still followed what they were doing. Slowly their edits transformed into SFK edits, rallying golf carts and a bunch of crazy shenanigans. I would watch the edits and think how they did the coolest

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shit and they seemed like they always had fun. It seemed like they never had a down time, whether it be skating the old mini ramp or having crazy party edits. You could tell they just had the time of their lives. Now those guys are all my best friends!

YoustartedlmingwithTeamThunderwhenyourstmovedoutto Salt Lake, right?Yeah, they kinda paved the way for a lot of things, like the more DIY kind of snowboarding. Ben used to go up into the woods and build all this shit out of trees and logs, and then he would lmhimselfinthemountains.Or,like,random things like the hay bales edit they did in Sugarhouse Park. It kinda sucks because I got to Salt Lake as Team Thunder was kinda fading away. Will moved onto People, Ben was slowly getting out of snowboarding, Cody got hurt that winter and kinda just stopped snowboarding. Then he moved to LA to do art. Now hes killing it doing that. Fern stuck with it for a little longer. Sean

went to Videograss.

It sucks when your friends start doing new things.Yeah, its a group effort and once people start to fall off you lose that drive from everyone else.

What have you been doing since Team Thunder disappeared?I still had the drive to snowboard when Team Thunder faded away. Living in Salt Lake I met Bundy, you, and a bunch of other dudes and kept snowboarding and kepttryingtolm.IdrideatBrightonabunch and no matter what Id run into Id have someone to snowboard with and always end up having the best day.

I love Brighton.Its the best. Riding Brighton with your friends is the best time riding your snowboard.

Thisyearwegottolmthewholeyear together with Think Thank. How did it compare to the last few

years?ThelastfewyearsIlmedwithBode,Keep the Change, Videograss. I pretty much just crew hopped, which was really fun.IthelpedmegureouthowIworkwell with some people and other people I just dont click with. Filming with Think Thank this year was the greatest thing ever. We had the time of our lives. Things never got shitty or serious. It was just an awesome time. Every trip was super fun and productive. It seemed like we fucked off a bunch, but at the end of trips I would think about it and we did a lot of shit.

While we were in Michigan our birthdays were a week apart. How sick was that spending your birthday on a snowboard trip?It was hilarious. Midnight of my birthday we ran across the street to the Marriot in our long johns. We took a shot at the bar and ran back to our shitty hotel while it was snowing super hard. On my birthday, Burtner and the whole

crew were at this party spot with like six people snowboarding at any given time in the same zone. You guys got me a birthday cake and a couple cases of beer. It was such an awesome day!

Youve never been out of the country until this year when we wenttoRussia.Foryourrsttime

being out of the country, how was it?Itwasprettynerveracking.Weewinto Moscow and immediately I couldnt read anything or communicate with anyone. We got picked up by some guy and instantly I was scared to death because of the Russian driving style. This guy would drive super fast and then immediately slam on his brakes. Then he wouldswerveinoutoftrafc,splittinglanes and cut off anyone. It really set the tone for the trip.

Thetripwasdenitelycrazy.

We drove for like 24 hours altogether, stopping at four different cities in Russia.

Iwasfreakingoutwhenwewereattheat-to-

down rail off the side of the road.Yeah, while we were snowboarding a camel, a donkey, a horse and dog walked by us. I didnt know what to think.

What did you think of the food in Russia?It was really strange. They were all about cold eggs, little hotdogs, coleslaw for breakfast and some weird rice. The sameweirdclubwewereintherstnightwaswherethehotel served their breakfast. We survived Russia, though.

Yeah!At times I was unsure if we would make it out of Russia. There was a war on the brink of breaking out between Russia and Ukraine. We got confronted by people about being Americans. When we were at some spot there was a group of guys that were yelling shit at us in Russian. Then they were like, Obama suck our dicks, all wasted off vodka yelling at us belligerently. I remember saying we were Canadian at times so they wouldnt give us shit.

What did you miss most while you weretravelinglmingthisyear?

My dog Red. Luckily, being on the road I have great people that watch her. Usually, when theres snow in Salt Lake City, like in the years past, I bring Red with me to all the spots. Shes always there with me; shes another asset to the crew. Last year she made it into almost every video. She had a pretty hilarious clip in the middle of Bodes part. She had a shot in your part, Videograss, and in my part. I was cruising around with a bunch of crews last year, so she was also cruising around with me. Shes a great spot dog.

Is there anything else you wanna talk about? Any people you would like to thank?Umm, most of all my parents. If it werent for them I wouldnt be doing what I am doing now. Bob Plumb for always having my back; hes helped out a lot along the way. The Think Thank guys: Ted, you, Lucey, Burtner for always being down. SFK, my roommates, Scott, Beresford, Granger, Grenier, Bode, BluePlate, Knut, Josh, Cal. Tonino for paving the way for me. Jared and Mouse for providing the best resort to ride. Rail gardens for always being a great place for me to go snowboarding.

On June 28th, California-based artist TRAV opened his solo show at The Seventh Letter Flagship Store and Gallery. The opening was a big success, as attendants swarmed the gallery to check out TRAVs new body of work. TRAVs paintings consisted of bright colors, bold line strokes, geometric patterns and his signature typography. The goal for this show is to create thought-provoking paintings that straddle the line betweenatraditionalsignpaintingaestheticandmorecolorfulgeometricpatternsreminiscentofthoseseenwithinhisgrafti,TRAVstated.Make sure to check out more of TRAVs work at www.youngtrav.com or follow his Instagram @travmsk.

Photos: Emjay // End of the Beginning at The Seventh Letter Gallery // I Think Its Great // Friend Party // Deeper Perspective // Ready or not // Studio installation // Art talk

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Words: Vanessa Chiu

PHOTO: COULTHARD

S W I T C H B A C K S M I T H

@activerideshop | #ActivePRO | @7im7im

CHAD TIM TIM

Bliss-TimTim.indd 1 7/15/14 2:15 PM

Photos: Mehren, Zamora & Kenyon //NathanielCurranblowingtailtothetopofthepodium//BillyHopkinsairingitout//Prowinners:BillyHopkins,JakeDavis,NathanielCurran&AdamLambert//JakeDavisputtingitonrail//Legendwinners:AllenSarlo,StriderWasilewski,JohnMcClure&DannyKlein//TheraSurfwithAnthonyPetruso//SunnyGarcia&Timmypre-TheraSurf // Nick Rozsa getting after it

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Words: Vanessa Chiu

RESULTS

Pro1st - Nathaniel Curran2nd - Billy Hopkins3rd - Adam Lambert4th - Jake Davis

Legends(40-58)1st - Strider Wasilewski2nd - John McClure3rd - Allen Sarlo4th- Danny Klein

Masters(58+)1st - Scott Lewis2nd - Craig Kozolowski3rd - Don Kraft4th - John Baker

The eighth annual Malibu Invitational went off without a single hitch this year thanks to the support of presenting spon-sor Reef and hosts House Beer, Val Surf, Freedom Artists, Dukes Malibu and Audi. The event is a fundraiser for TheraSurf, a non-protfoundationcreatedbylegend-ary Malibu surfer Jimmy Gamboa and his wife Kim Gamboa. TheraSurf enables children with special needs to experience the calming and healing power of the ocean while promoting a safe and inter-active environment. TheraSurf stands for Therapy, Healing, Equality, Respect and Advocacy. The three-day event features an hour break each day where over 120 special needs children get to enjoy what veryfewdo:surngtheworldsmosticonic wave, with no one out! Thanks to the efforts of the entire surf community

the event raised over $25,000 for Thera-Surf.

This years champion was Nathaniel Cur-raninahighlycontestednalwithBillyHopkins, Jake Davis and Adam Lambert. Nathaniel was clearly the man to beat, as every wave he caught he rode all the way down the point with speed, style andow.Inthedyingminuteswhilestillneeding a second wave, Nathaniel took off and rode the last wave of the heat as if he were born and raised here, earn-inghimhisfth9-point-plusrideoftheevent. His brother Tim Curran has won the event three times, and now the Cur-ran family can add another sibling to the list of champs.

The pros are amazing to watch, but

one of the best parts of the event is the Legends division, which brought together surfers from all regions of LA, who in the 80s would otherwise have been involved insticuffsintheparkinglot.Theseleg-ends have found a common ground, put all differences aside and surfed together foragreatercause.EventMCandrstyearLegendscompetitorStriderWasilewski took home the victory over Allen Sarlo, Evan Caples and John Mc-Clure. Words were exchanged, water was splashed, but at the end of the day money was raised, tears of joy were shed and children with specials needs were equal.

The entire Malibu Invitational staff and crew would like to thank everyone in-volved for making this year the best yet.

On Americas day of independence, RVCA SFs current exhibition Pages was installed, which was followed up with the reception on July 5th. Pagesisagroupshowfeaturingworkcuratedfromthreeindependentpublishers:HamburgerEyes(RayPotes,SF),8BallZines(LeleSaveri,NY)andDeadbeatClub(ClintWoodside,LA).Theshowfeaturestheworkof40artistsandphotographersdisplayingworkfromthepagesoftheirzines/books.SomeoftheexhibitingartistsincludedDennisMcGrath,Ed&DeannaTempleton,JerryHsu,PatrickODell,ToddJames,RichardKern,LeoFitzpatrick,DevinBriggs,JasonRobertsDobrin,GrantHateldandNolanHall.Theshowhadacohesivefeel,whileeachcurated section maintained its own identity.

Hamburger Eyes had home court advantage with the exhibition in their backyard, and the core crew of the Deadbeat Club made the drive up the coast. 8 Ball also possed up on their venture west from New York. The large turnout at the reception consisted of people with cameras slung around their back and tall cans in hand. The show runs until August 23rd. VASF is located at 1485 Haight Street , San Francisco, CA.

Words: Albert Milo :: Photos: Ashlei Quinones //Exhibitingartists&theDeadbeatwall//Hamburgereyesphotos//Girls//Ed&DeannaTempletonofDeadbeatclub//Dudes//LeleSaveri8BallZines&FrancescoIgoryDeiana//8BallPhotos//AlexKopps&LeleSaveri//DennisMcGrath//ClintWoodsideofDeadbeatClub&RayPotesHamburgerEyes

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Words: Vanessa Chiu

UNITED BY FATE

EST. AUSTRALIA 1994

WWW.GLOBE.TV

FOLLOW @GLOBEBRAND

THE DION AGIUS COLLECTION

LOS ANGERED LOW AND LOS ANGERED

AVAILABLE NOW

BLISS_SR_SINGLE.indd 1 7/7/14 4:00 PM

The only stop for the 2014 Cash Pot series took place this past month at Ala Moana Bowls on Oahus south shore in super clean and rippable two- to three-foot conditions. The Hawaiian surf community is always extremely stoked on the event. Therefore, Arnette decided to keep one Cash Pot event alive, and it was without a doubt going to be the Hawaii stop.

There was over $5,000 dollars in cash given out, and the biggest winner of the day was Kekoa Cazimero whowon$1,200throughoutthewholeevent.ThenalfeaturedKekoa,MakuaRothmn,AlexPedletonandArnettesveryownJoelCenteio.ThenalwassupertightuntilCazimerospatiencepaidoffandhegotoneofthefewsetsinthenal,unleashingafuryofturns.

The16-and-undernalfeaturedShaydenPacarro,10-year-oldJacksonBunch,KelsonLauandDevinBrueggeman.Shaydenstartedthenaloffwithpossiblythebiggestsetwavethatcameinalldayandrippedittoshreds.Withhisopeningwaveheputtheothernalistinaverytoughpositiontotryandcatchup. It was safe to say that Shayden put on an absolute clinic at Bowls. The Aloha spirit was out both days and everyone went home super stoked.

Photos: Ryan Foley :: Words: Brent Bearden //Thechampslayback,KekoaCazimero//ProAmnalists//LarryLayback//Boysnalists//MinigromJackson Bunch // 12 Oclock with Joel Centeio // Airdropping with style and composure // Mini tubes were on offer throughout the event at Ala Moana Bowls

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Words: Vanessa Chiu

Results:Pro- Am1. Kekoa Cazimero 2. Alex Pedleton 3. Makua Rothman 4. Joel Centeio

16 and Under1. Shayden Pacarro 2. Devin Bruegermann 3. Kelson Lau 4. Jackson Bunch

ThispastAgendaLongBeachsigniedaturningofthetidesintheaction sports, street and lifestyle biz. Its no secret that our beloved industries have seen tough times over the past few years, facing unprecedented challenges that have troubled us all in one way or another. But on July 10th and 11th the Long Beach Convention Center was abuzz with business like never before, proving that our industry has realigned into a positive course with plenty of excitement and creativityfuelingthere.

OnbothdaysofAgendaLongBeachitwasdenitelyagoodideatohave had your mobile check-in pass ready, as lines were roping all the way out of the convention center with buyers chomping at the bit. Uponenteringtheshowoorsitwasstaggeringtoseetheamountofnew brands down every aisle. Brands like Depactus made their debut anddidsowithabang.Asalways,therewerecompaniesusingtheirown unique marketing gimmicks to catch the attention of attendees: Hurley always draws the masses with its Printing Press; Roark used

its gazelle blood to entice passers by; and the Dont Care crew had a sign on hand that caused folks to either laugh uncontrollably, walk by bewildered and appalled or rush in to get a dick pic. The product lines and attitudes of everyone in attendance were fresh and optimistic.

Of course, with all the walking and talking that goes down in those two days youre going to need plenty of nourishment. For that, you had to look no further than the eclectic food trucks parked out back. Bear Flag, the Lime Truck, Pizzanista and Juice Served Here were just a fraction of the options available. Ultimately, toward the end of the day thealcoholwouldbegintoowandserioustalkwouldstarttowearoff, and questions of where the night was headed would arise. All in all, whether you were only there for a few hours or spent the whole two days there, Agenda Long Beach was very enjoyable with a huge turnout and an extremely productive 48 hours. Well see you all back there in January!

Photos: Timmy B.//PackedhouseatAgendaLongBeachDay#1//FounderAaronLevant&RickRoss//DJKhaled//WildFoxSwim//KreyshawnatSeeYouMonday//JaneenAughenbaugh&JessicaRush//Matix//Birdseyeview//HurleysLegacyinstallationatAgenda

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Words: Vanessa Chiu

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Interview & Photo : Max Ritter

Fueled by late night Super Smash Brothers marathons and a heavy LilBinuence,RyanSolomonhasbeen crafting up the bedroom recordings of his latest musical endeavor Wizard Woes. Ryan has always been very involved in the San Diego music scene and has played in various bands over the years. He is probably known best for his work in the late band Dudes or his earlier work in a band called Da Bears. Ryan also plays keyboards in the band Heavy Hawaii. Having known Ryan for a few years now and watching him dedicate himself to what he loves, its been inspiring to see his music maturing and evolving. Ryan neverhasbeenonetotinamold and hes never been scared of mixing and mashing inspiration from various genres to try and create an interesting sound. The dude is constantly experimenting with different instruments, pedals, samples, and digital recording techniques in search of something unique. Ryan is also a die-hard Chargers fan so hed probably tell you to BOLT UP! and check out his new EP, which is a three-song collection available as a free download on Bandcamp or Soundcloud. Below is our chat mid Smash Bros match.

Whendidyourststart

making music?I started playing in bands when I was young. Ive always loved it. Its all Ive ever really wanted to do for fun. It just kind of was the path that was crafted out for me, and I guess in a way I cant really imagine being passionate about anything else. I rststartedplayingmusicwhenIhad some neighborhood friends who hit me up one summer and they were like, Hey, were doing band tryouts. I was like, Cool, can I try out? He was like, What do you play? I said, I dont play anything but I have a guitar. So I just showed up and they convinced me to sell my guitar and get a bass. So I sold the guitar and got a bass and started getting lessons and I was the bass player. I just learned a lot of simple rockabilly licks. That was the how I rststartedplayingmusic.Thersttime I actually started writing music was with my friends EJ and Danny. We rented MTV Music Generator for Playstation and just made really random house songs. I think that is why I am really geared toward using interface programs. We would just make a million songs all summer on this stupid program just laying out sequences and being weird 8th graders.

Youve always been involved in the San Diego music scene. Is it good place to be a musician?I was born and raised in San Diego. I lived in Philly for a little bit but other than that I have always lived in San Diego. I am more than happy with the scene here. The older you get you meet more people. Its a good scene. There always seems to be shows going on any day of the week. I am always down to see friends bands even if I am not really a fan of theirmusicitsalwaysagoodtime.The thing I like about the scene here is everyone seems to be friends with each other even if you are not playing the same styles.

How did your new project Wizard Woes come about?I was playing in my old band Dudes. It was somewhere in between a solo project and a band. When that

started kind of coming to an end I was working on a bunch of songs that were intended to be for that project. I was just doing Dudes shows solo and eventually I just decided to make it a new thing. It just appeared to me the feeling was different and it was the right time to start a new project. There is something internal where you decide that this is going to be my new thing and I am going to come out with a new name. It challenges yourself to make something different enough to warrant changing it up in a way. Its basically a favor to myself to have a fresh start and not really have to think about what you were doing before that. Just start fresh.

My favorite thing about your music is genre-wise youve never been able to put it in a certain category and you are never afraid to experiment with sounds or mixing genres.Its funny. Its a lot of experimenting. I dont really ever try to bite anythingspecic,butIllbelisteningto a new album and be like, Aww fuck I want it to sound like that. You ask yourself, Well what are they doing there? Then Ill try to listen to a lot of different music and take away elements I like and blend them together. Like, Oh I like this s

bl!sss magazine | august 2014 | #84

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