6' Abalone mermaid

I've started to block in more colors on the flesh, adding warm highlights and cool shadows. I've also started to "grain" in some 23K gold leaf, adding an antique look to the piece.

Recently, my friend Dave gave me a shortboard blank that he had rescued from a dumpster after a "Beach Blanket Bingo" theatre production! It was saturated with housepaint and had been sitting in a storage unit for 3 years. I gave it to shaper, Jeff Scardine (http://jscardine.blogspot.com/) and he was able to work his magic and create an amazing retro "pumpkin seed" shape from a shabby blank. It was almost impossible to resist the temptation to surf it, but I knew it was destined for art.

So far, I have painted a bird's eye maple stringer, heartwood rails and redwood center panels. An abalone mermaid is being painted on the bottom. I will be updating as she comes together.

First Blog

Hi all,

Thanks for looking at my blog. Here I will be posting my latest paintings; some finished and some unfinished. I'd love to hear your feedback on them as I go!

The first piece is called "The Beast at Velzyland." It's painted from a black and white photograph, and I couldn't find the name of the photographer who snapped it back in 1961. Does anybody know?

With the vintage treatment of colors, it captures the essence of what the surfing lifestyle was back then.