Surf City Santa Cruz
Explore this museum-wide exhibition that highlights Surf City Santa Cruz through art, artifacts, photography, and surf technology.
Exhibited from March 27 – July 25, 2010.
A Wave of Inspiration
Santa Cruz locals and visitors alike will be fascinated by the many ways local Santa Cruz surf culture has impacted not only Santa Cruz but also the international surf community.
The Exhibition
The ground floor of The MAH was transformed into a dynamic display of surfboard design and cutting edge technology. Visitors saw the advances local surfboard shapers have made – with a combined experience of over 100 years – in surfboard design and technology. These shapers include Bob Pearson of Arrow Surfboards; Doug Haut of Haut Custom Surfboards; Ashley Loyd of Michel Junod Surfboards; father and son team, Peter and John Mel; Buck Noe of Noe Surfboards; Nick Palandrani of Gordon Palandrani Surfboards; and “Stretch” and Johnny Rice of Johnny Rice Surfboards. This exhibition also highlights Jack and Robert O’Neill’s “it’s always summer on the inside” wetsuit technology and Brenda Scott Rogers of Hotline Wetsuits. Graphic design and commercial art will be highlighted with examples from Santa Cruz locals Vince Broglio; J. Dennis Dederick; Jim “JD” Deleon; Matt Macuda; Judi Oyama; Jim Phillips; Jimbo Phillips; Travis Reynolds; William Strasser; Tim Ward; Reid Winfrey; and Christian Zajac. Films by Darryl “Flea” Virostko (winner of the Maverick’s Surfing Contest); Thomas and Tiffany Campbell; Josh “Pomegranate” Pomer; and Zeuf, “The Girl in the Curl” were featured.
On the second floor, the Solari Gallery housed artwork from more than ten of the best artists who surf in Santa Cruz County, many represented by national galleries. Each unique piece of work shows how the artist is influenced by surfing. Artists include David Kimball Anderson; Thomas Campbell; Jim Denevan; Don Fritz; Dave Gardner; Bo Kvenild; Terrie Kvenild; Dave McGuire; Jim Phillips; Anthony Tashnick; Patrick Trefz; Stan Welsh; and Shawn “Barney” Barron. Each of these artists works within varied media including ceramic, mosaic, installation, photography, painting and sculpture.
Featured: Yasmina Dedijer-Small "Steady She Goes" 2010
Lastly, the Art Forum Gallery, located on the third floor, was transformed into an exploration of popular media, surf photography. Here, professional photographers such as Bob Barbour, known best for helping “break” Mavericks publicly; Nikki Brooks, internationally known photographer; Ryan Craig, “Follow the Light Foundation” finalist; William Henry, founder of Save our Waves non-profit; Boots McGhee, one of the founders of the Santa Cruz Surf Museum; and Dave Nelson, photographer for Transworld surf magazine, present photographs that give the viewer a sense of being in the barrel, on the wave, and in the curl.
Featured: William Henry 'Natural Bridges Scenic'
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