Press

13 Apr

Posted at 15:48h in Press, Shows & Events by
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PRESS RELEASE

MYRTLE BEACH ART MUSEUM FEATURES SURF CULTURE ARTIST IN
MAKING WAVES – A DREW BROPHY RETROSPECTIVE

The Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum’s exhibit presents the first museum exhibition of Drew Brophy’s body of artworks that cover the span of thirty years.

April 13, 2018 – Myrtle Beach, SC – Drew Brophy, an American artist born in 1971, is a self-taught, professional illustrator and fine artist. Brophy is globally known for his surfboard art and distinctive style of surf-inspired paintings. He is credited as the artist who changed the way that surfboards were painted worldwide, in the 1990s, using painting techniques that he developed with opaque paint pens.

Brophy grew up surfing in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He left the area in his early 20s to experience surfing throughout the world while creating art inspired by his travels. He currently resides in San Clemente, California.

Brophy’s art has a distinctive style of bright colors and exaggerated features and is a direct expression of his love for surfing and nature. His images, which have become ubiquitous in surf culture and beyond, capture the emotions of having fun at the beach and a love for the ocean. Through his travels, Brophy has been able to reach a global audience. His art has been featured in mainstream magazines, such as Spin and Playboy, and have graced the cover of several surf-culture magazines, such as Surfing Magazine and Longboard Magazine. He has been commissioned to create surf-inspired works for tech companies such as Google, IBM and Western Digital. Brophy’s designs have adorned hundreds of beach lifestyle products, including skateboards, surfboards, bodyboards and apparel.

The exhibition features over 70 of Brophy’s most iconic sketches, paintings and surfboards, arranged chronologically – from his early illustration works as a teenager to works for action sports companies, such as Liquid Force Wakeboards, Lost Surfboards and Sector 9 Skateboards, and more recently for bands and musicians, like Sublime with Rome and Eddie Vedder. The exhibit finishes with Brophy’s expansion into his latest style of work inspired by physics and mathematics, incorporating sacred geometry into large, mixed-media paintings on canvas.

Most notable in the exhibit is the visual demonstration of the evolution of the artist’s work from sketch to product output. For many of his iconic works, the exhibit includes Brophy’s original graphite sketch, the painting and the item that the illustration was later printed on, allowing the viewer to see the complete progression of a design.

Brophy says of the exhibit, “I feel honored to have this opportunity to showcase my life’s work. This exhibit celebrates a 30-year journey of surfing and drawing that began in Myrtle Beach and allowed me to use those skills to travel the world with my family. It is my intention to inspire younger artists to imagine what is possible for themselves.”

The exhibition is on display June 23, 2018 through September 16, 2018 at The Franklin G. Burroughs • Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum, 3100 South Ocean Boulevard, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, 29577 | MyrtleBeachArtMuseum.org.

Press Contact: Brophy Art Gallery at 949-678-8133 or info@drewbrophy.com. https://www.drewbrophy.com or Liz Miller of The Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum at 843-238-2510.

**PRESS IMAGES (Available ONLY for press to use in connection with Drew Brophy’s Museum Exhibit):  https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7qkhchd1dikr9r5/AACTMMfKCkU0qXdkcbYJlgXsa?dl=0

The Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum is Myrtle Beach’s only art museum. Opened in 1997, this nonprofit museum is located at 3100 South Ocean Blvd and contains seven first-floor galleries with rotating exhibits, four second-floor galleries, an art studio, an art resource library and tea porch with an ocean view. The Museum was named after Myrtle Beach pioneers Franklin G. Burroughs and Simeon B. Chapin for their longtime contributions to the cultural and educational development of the community. The Art Museum’s hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

The Brophy Art Gallery and Design Studio features the illustration and fine artworks of Drew Brophy. Located at 139 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, CA, the gallery has a showroom for designer meetings and it houses the working studio of Drew Brophy.

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02 Apr

Posted at 15:12h in Behind the Scenes..., Lectures or Workshops, Live Event Painting, Press, Shows & Events, Wheres Drew by
26 Likes

We are very happy to announce that the Franklin G. Burroughs • Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum in Myrtle Beach, S.C. is curating a Drew Brophy Retrospective Exhibition the summer of 2018. 

Many of Drew’s collectors are graciously loaning their Brophy paintings for the exhibition, and for that, we are very grateful.

MAKING WAVES – A Drew Brophy Retrospective

Franklin G. Burroughs Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina – June 23rd through September 16 2018.

This is the first museum exhibition devoted to the full scope of the career of Drew Brophy, considered to be one of the most prolific surf inspired artists in history.    Brophy began his art career in his hometown of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  The exhibition presents an opportunity to study the artist’s development over three decades, beginning with his early illustration works as a teenager, to his surfboard painting explosion in the 1990’s, and onto his illustrated career designing everything under the sun in action sports.  There will also be an introduction into the current fine art paintings inspired by Drew’s love for nature and physics.

The exhibition includes over fifty original art pieces and will occupy Myrtle Beach Art Museum’s entire first floor gallery space, totaling approximately 1,700 square feet.

Brophy’s retrospective includes paintings, drawings, sketches and surfboards.  Included in the exhibition are the artist’s most iconic paintings—among them Pure Joy (2001), Sunrise (2006), and celebrated surfboard triptychs from the 1990’s.  Also exhibited will be Brophy’s art on skateboards, wakeboards and apparel, and the accompanying paintings that were used to design them.

Brophy’s career as an illustrator and painter comes full circle in this upcoming exhibition, as he is bringing his art that he created around the world, back home again.

Brophy’s unique style of artwork has inspired thousands of artists to take up painting, using his favorite mediums and emulating his distinct painting style.  (Some of the pieces on exhibit are available and can be acquired here.)

Drew Brophy and his wife Maria will be available at the exhibition for the first two weeks, leading several scheduled, guided tours.

EXHIBITION DETAILS:

Franklin G. Burroughs • Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum Myrtle Beach
3100 South Ocean Boulevard
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29577     843-238-2510

Opening Date:  June 23, 2018

Closing Date:  September 16, 2018

Opening Day Celebration:  From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 23, 2018.  Celebration will include live music, a hands-on-community mural painting project and surf-inspired workshops.  All events are FREE for the public (except the workshop which is $50/person).

LIVE EVENTS WITH DREW AND MARIA BROPHY:

OPENING DAY:  Sat.  June 23  11-3
Exhibit Tour:  Fri. June 29  2 p.m.
Exhibit Tour:  Sat. June 30 10:30 a.m.
LIVE POSCA Workshop:  Sat. June 30 1-4 p.m. $50/person
LIVE POSCA Workshop:  Sun. July 1 1-4 p.m.  $50/person
Exhibit Tour:  Tues. July 3  2 p.m.
Exhibit Tour:  Thurs. July 5  2 p.m.

**NOTE:  To attend Posca Painting Workshop:  Call the museum to register at 843-238-2510.

22 Sep

Posted at 16:00h in Press by
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Drew Brophy painting the Los Cabos Open of Surfing Surfboard

Painting the Los Cabos Open of Surfing Surfboard

This is an excerpt from a Drew Brophy interview with SurfCareers.com – to read the entire article go to:  Drew Brophy Surf Careers Interview

When did you start surfing?
I was about four or five years old.

What is it that you love about surfing?
It’s just me and nature, and the energy of the earth.

Do you have a session that stands out as your most memorable?
Hard to choose. I’ve surfed all of the best waves in the world, I have great memories of all of them.

When did you first get into art and did you always want to pursue it as a career?
I used to draw on the walls when I was a child. I drew on everything. I just did what I did best. Surfing and art were my passions, and that’s where I put my focus.

How did you find your niche in surfboard art?
I love to surf, and I always painted my own surfboards.  People started asking me to paint theirs. In the late 80’s, I was painting my own surfboards using techniques with Uni Posca Paint Pens that no one else was doing or cared about at the time. I developed my own style of painting with Poscas, and I knew it was the better way to paint surfboards. It took years before others caught on. I never gave up on my vision, though it did not come easy. Early on, I painted production boards, traditional airbrush style, for H2O glassing and Kelly Richards’ Perfection Surfboards, in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Then I moved to Hawaii, airbrushing surfboards at Bill Barnfield’s Pro Glass in Haleiwa on the North Shore for the best surfers and shapers in the world.  Brands like Channel Islands, Rusty and Brewer and surfers like Tom Curren and Tom Carroll.  This was a big jump for me, coming from South Carolina. I was in the thick of the industry, and I was in my early 20’s.

But, what I really wanted to do was paint surfboards using my own style and paint pen techniques, but none of the companies would let me.  The local underground chargers on the North Shore wanted it, but the companies held it back. While in Hawaii, I had approached all the best surfboard companies, asking if I could paint their boards using Poscas. No one would let me, my art was too radical. I was turned down by T & C, Local Motion, all the big companies at that time. Nobody cared about what I was doing.

Eventually I moved to California, painting at Ron House’s Surf Glass in San Juan Capistrano.  There, Stewart, Hobie and Harboursurfboards, among others, were being made.  At that time, it was the busiest surfboard factory in the world; it ran 24 hours a day. For a surfboard painter, this was a dream job.  There was always plenty of work.  But I still wanted to paint using my own style, so I continued to seek out other surfboard companies to let me paint my way.  I approached Spyder Surfboards, one of the biggest brands at the time, and just like the companies in Hawaii, they didn’t get what I wanted to do and told me “no”.

One day, on my bike ride home from Surf Glass, I stopped to meet artist Matt Biolos, an edgy, up and coming surfboard shaper.  We were the same age, and his art was really cool.  He was the only person I had seen who was painting with the Poscas, the same as me. He made surfboards for all the young guys.  My art was a perfect match for the vibe of …Lost Surfboards at the time. Matt got it!  I started painting …Lost surfboards that day.  Matt would let me paint whatever I wanted.  I would paint ten boards traditional style at Surf Glass, and then at the end of the day I’d go to …Lost where Matt would have surfboards waiting for me, and I’d paint them in my own style.They were an instant hit with the new breed of surfers. Within six months, my art and …Lost Surfboards began to take over the surf market.  That was 1996.  And the rest is history.  Surfboards were changed forever.

Do you recall when your pieces first started receiving widespread response?
Yes, it was in the late 1990’s, when I started painting, live, at the surf trade shows.  …Lost would exhibit at Surf Expo and other shows. The surfboards were never finished in time before the show for me to paint them.  So my solution was for me to paint, live, at the shows.  What surprised me was ……

READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE HERE:  http://surfcareers.com/blog/drew-brophy-artist/

31 Jul

Posted at 05:44h in Press by
36 Likes

Son of the Sea announces Buff® USA’s partnership with surf lifestyle artist Drew Brophy for bright, colorDrew Brophy SUNSET SESSIONS Art for Buff USA 2015 Collectionful BUFF® products.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 (Press Release) – July 31, 2014 – BUFF® Inc., the headwear company long known for its seamless multifunctional headwear, has signed a partnership with surf lifestyle artist Drew Brophy for their Spring 2015 Collection of UV BUFF® headwear and Sports Series Water 2 gloves.

For more than 25 years, Drew Brophy’s colorful surf art has been featured in hundreds of print media and television shows, and emblazoned on numerous products, including Converse Shoes, Sigg water bottles and Liquid Force Wakeboards.  Brophy currently licenses his art to over thirty companies.

Brophy’s art career began as a young surfer, painting his edgy art onto surfboards.  He became known for painting surfboards using techniques that he developed with water-based paint pens, eventually changing the way that surfboards were painted worldwide.

Now, Brophy’s distinctive surfing art style will be enjoyed during any outdoor sport, on Buff® headwear and sports gloves.

“As an avid waterman and adventurer, I was stoked to be able to partner up with Buff® Inc.  Their headwear is a necessity when I’m paddling long distances or hiking.  Their reputation for quality makes me proud to contribute to their spring 2015 collection,” Brophy says.

The new Buff® collection will be shown at Salt Lake City’s Outdoor Retailer Show in August 2014, booth number 28031.

About Son of the of the Sea, Inc:  Son of the Sea is an art licensing agency which represents Drew Brophy and is Master Licensor for all Drew Brophy Properties.  For more information, visit https://www.drewbrophy.com.

About BUFF®:  Buff USA is a subsidiary of Original Buff®, SA Spain, and established its U.S. presence in 2003. Original Buff® now distributes products in more than 60 countries. Buff® performance headwear is all about versatility and simplicity – one garment serves many functions and is designed to offer technical performance and protection from the elements during a wide range of outdoor activities and sports. Watch how-to-wear demo videos online at www.buffusa.com.

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11 May

Posted at 10:27h in Behind the Scenes..., Press by
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Drew Brophy Surfing Todos Santos Photo by Lonnie Ryan Excerpt from interview:

“I started looking into art schools, but I couldn’t get the money together. With no other way out, I said, ‘that’s it, I’m going to go surf these waves’.

That set me on my path of a kind of stubbornness to spite the system that let me down.  I had no other alternative. I asked myself, ‘If I died today, what would I have been bummed to not have done? “

I feel honored to be interviewed by the well known “outdoors gear” guide, GearJunkie.com, this week.

 

The interview was focused on how I built a lifestyle around my art that allows me to travel and adventure around the word.

We talked about how surfing big waves at Puerto Escondido lead to my art career in the early days;

and how people think we’re rich when they see my family and I travel several months out of the year;

and a lot more.

Check out the article here:  BRIDGING ART & ADVENTURE 14 QUESTIONS WITH DREW BROPHY.

I hope you enjoy it.

Life is Good,

Drew

06 May

Posted at 10:15h in Behind the Scenes..., Press by
32 Likes

Drew Brophy and painted skateboard deck with posca paint pens photo by Scott Smallin 2014

“A long time ago I understood that I bear some responsibility for what I put out into the world. “

POSCA LIFE CUSTOM did an interview with me.

They referred to me as the “Godfather of Surf Art” – which is a huge compliment, but I don’t agree.  Many great artists in surf came before me; there’s a toss up between who could claim that title (Rick Griffin, Bill Ogden, etc.)

They asked very good questions, ones that I don’t usually get, like:

“I read somewhere that you weren’t into the Surf Industry Club…” and “Do you think surf culture needs more artists?” and “You have a lot of eyes on you…“.

Below are a few questions from the interview.  To read the entire thing, go to their webpage here:  Drew Brophy Posca Life Interview 

Posca Life:  * Do you remember your first drawings on surfboard?

I painted my first surfboard when I was 4 or 5 years old, with crayons. I wrote my name on it.* You are from South Carolina, is there a surf culture there?

* You are from South Carolina, is there a surf culture there?

Yes, there was a surf culture there. South Carolina was a great place to grow up. The water in the summer is 85 degrees (F) and the small waves were perfect for learning how to surf. I was lucky there were a lot of nice people surfing, and there were a few small surf shops.

* You are a surfer first, and you traveled a lot, it has been inspiration for your art?

I feel lucky being a surfer, because surfing has taken me to some of the most remote places in the world.  Not many people get to go to these places. The travel absolutely inspires my art. There is something great and beautiful about every place; they are all great.

* A lot of people got eyes on you…

I’m always amazed that people know who I am. I’m not sure if it’s the art or my lifestyle, or just being authentic. 

A long time ago I understood that I bear some responsibility for what I put out into the world. 

Everyone does. Knowing that I’m being watched makes me want to contribute in a positive way. I try to help people as much as I can, to encourage young people to know that they can create a good life for themselves.

* You are dedicated in your job and family, what could be your next achievement?

I just want to chase big waves around the world. I want to ride them. I want to tell stories about them and the people I rode them with. I want to spend time with the locals at each place and learn all about them. Ireland is the next place I want to go.

To read the rest of this interview, go to:  http://www.posca-life-custom.com/article/drew-brophy-interview

18 Jan

Posted at 09:06h in Press by
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Drew Brophy in his Art Studio in San Clemente Photo by Jason KenworthySUP The Mag magazine printed an interview with Drew Brophy.  They talk about standup paddling, standup surfing and art.

In the interview, Drew gives insight on what it was like in the early days of stand up paddling, and taking his paddleboards (and family) traveling to places all over the world.

One quote from the article:  “Everyone takes it for granted now because (standup paddling) it’s been around for a while. But imagine in those early days, there’s nobody around, just Ron and I and a couple other guys. You’re just riding these waves forever and you’re not even getting wet. It just expanded my repertoire of surfing. It’s just another form of it.”

They also talked about Drew and Seth Warren’s record breaking trip standup paddling 225 miles of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, paddling in New Zealand and how Standup Surfing has changed Drew’s “Big Wave Game.”

You can read the entire article here:  http://www.supthemag.com/features/from-the-mag/drew-brophy-the-sup-artist/

PHOTO CREDIT:  Jason Kenworthy

23 Jul

Posted at 14:36h in Press by
34 Likes

PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 23, 2013  –  Contact:  Ashley Pabst, Marketing Werks

(View Press Release on PRLOG Here)

Drew Brophy to graffiti vintage VW bus for two-day live demonstration in Huntington Beach during U.S. Open of Surf

(Huntington Beach, CA) — The Verizon FiOS SoCal campaign and professional surf lifestyle artist, Drew Brophy are teaming up to influence SoCal residents to conquer their creativity.

Drew will use graffiti-style spray paint and airbrush to customize the vintage Verizon FiOS SoCal 1965 Volkswagen bus, LIVE, in Huntington Beach during US Open of Surf Friday, July 26th and Saturday, July 27th from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. daily.

Visitors can watch as Drew transforms the VW bus, and even win a Lost surfboard, custom painted by Drew Brophy.  Brophy will be executing his live artistry on the Strand, between 5th and Pacific Coast Highway.  

Drew-Brophy-artists-painting-van-airbrushThis live art installation is part of the Verizon FiOS SoCal campaign’s “Conquer Creativity” initiative, which offers locals a unique opportunity to design and win SoCal staples.  Participants can virtually design graphics for a beach bike, skate or surfboard, and enter those designs in the sweepstakes.  With a unique, computer-based design template, users can integrate colors, personal photos and text into their designs.

Each week, one sweepstakes entry will be randomly selected, and the winner will receive the item he or she entered – a surfboard, skateboard or beach cruiser – with graphics inspired by their design.  The winning sweepstakes items will be custom-made by local craftsmen.

For more than 25 years, Brophy’s bright, colorful art has appeared in hundreds of books, magazines and newspapers and on numerous products, including Converse Shoes, Nirve Cruiser Bikes and Liquid Force Wakeboards.

Having the freedom to experiment with many different surfaces and products allowed Brophy to grow tremendously as an artist.  Brophy’s artistic inspiration comes from surfing and traveling the globe with his wife and son.

fios socal logoAbout the Verizon’s FiOS SoCal Experience

Verizon’s FiOS SoCal Experience team is meeting with Southern California where they work, live and play in uniquely tech-laden FiOS SoCal Experience vehicles traveling throughout Southern California through the summer of 2013.  The Experience fleet includes an iconic 1965 Volkswagen van that has been transformed into a mobile entertainment experience, custom-fitted with FiOS internet and FiOS TV capability, along with a 42-inch HDTVs.

To learn more about Verizon FiOS; discover daily locations of the FiOS SoCal Experience fleet; find ways to support local community causes; and learn how to win by conquering creativity through custom design, visit http://fiossocal.com/. To learn when the team will be in your neighborhood, follow us on Twitter @VerizonCA and like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/VerizonCA.

About Verizon:  Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with more than 98 million retail connections nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500. A Dow 30 company with nearly $116 billion in 2012 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of 183,400. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

About Drew Brophy :  Drew Brophy has been a professional surf lifestyle artist for over 25 years.  An avid surfer and world traveler, Brophy’s career exploded in the late 1990’s when he began painting his edgy artwork onto surfboards.  Now his art is printed on hundreds of different products and his original artwork is collected worldwide.  Drew’s mission is to inspire your imagination through his paintings, and to remind people that life is good.  For more information, e-mail info@drewbrophy.com, or log onto https://www.drewbrophy.com.

 

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15 Jul

Posted at 05:42h in Behind the Scenes..., Press by
27 Likes

Drew Brophy SUP Magazine Interview in print spring 2013Talk about your Grand Canyon trip:  “That was pretty much like, ‘Yeah, I’m gonna learn to surf so I’ll paddle out at Pipeline.’  I was real naive.”

I was stoked to be interviewed by Will Taylor for SUP Magazine.  

My friend, photographer Jason Kenworthy, took the shot in my studio.   

(Note about the painting on the Standup Paddleboard in the photo:  it was commissioned by KEEN FOOTWEAR, and was inspired by my Standup journey across country last year – you can read about that here:  Adventures in America’s Back Country. )

In the interview I talk about how New Zealanders were friendly when they saw me SUP Surfing Raglan, my 225 mile SUP journey down the Colorado River, and how SUPPING saved me from small waves.

Here’s a short taste of the interview (to read the entire thing, check out the magazine):

HOW DID SUP FIND YOU?  I was in my late thirties and I couldn’t get motivated to surf all the time if the conditions were bad or there were no waves.   When the waves are small, I’m moody, and Ron House was like, “Why don’t you come standup?”  Immediately it was tremendous.  It gave me something to do when I couldn’t surf.

SO YOU WERE THERE AT THE START.  …Imagine in those early days, there’s nobody around, just Ron and I and a couple other guys.  You’re just riding these waves forever and you’re not even getting wet.  It just expanded my repertoire of surfing.

WHAT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES HAVE GROWN OUT OF IT?  It has allowed me to get into other bodies of water, whether it be rivers or lakes.  I’m a water person…..

TALK ABOUT YOUR GRAND CANYON TRIP.  That was pretty much like, “Yeah, I’m gonna learn to surf so I’ll paddle out at Pipeline.”  I was real naive.

At that point we’d only heard of a few guys that had been on the Colorado with standup boards but they all only did pieces of it.  Nobody had done it all the way.

We did 225 miles, every bit of it.  It was super-humbling experience for me.  I saw some of the gnarliest, scariest things I’ve ever seen.  But we surfed the river, man.  Big laterals coming off and you bank off of them and come down and hit these pits and come up out of it and into the next one.

Art is my job but surfing is my passion. It’s a great magazine, please check it out online here: http://www.supthemag.com/

Life is Good,

Drew