Fun Nite at Thalia Surf for Yusuke Hanai's Vans show, Laguna Beach, CA

At Yusuke Hanai's Vans Opening this Spring at Thalia Surf in Laguna Beach. Sharing smiles L-R with Itoi Yoshitaka, Kevin Roche and owner, Nick Cocores. Good Times!

New Susan Wickstrand ARTworks released, currently on view at Surfindian, PB

Here's 11 of my newest one of a kind Original Oil & Encaustic (wax) Collages.  The process of Encaustic comes from the Ancient Greeks.  They'd paint the bows of their wooden ships in pigment then coat with molten wax to protect.  To this day it's a great way to create art.  All originals are currently on view at Surfindian, PB. Click on each image for more info.  Enjoy:

 "Tamarack to Tangiers"©, 2012, Orig. Oil & Encaustic Collage on Wood Panel

 "She Slides"©, 2012, Orig. Oil & Encaustic Collage on Wood Panel

 "Sea Flowers & Saffron"©, 2012, Orig. Oil & Encaustic Collage on Wood Panel

 "Outlaws, Homage to Danny Lyon" NFS, 2012, Orig. Oil & Encaustic Collage on Wood Panel

 "Meet Me At The Sea"©, 2012, Orig. Oil & Encaustic Collage on Wood Panel

 "Last Match"©, 2012, Orig. Oil & Encaustic Collage on Wood Panel

 "Gun Slingers, Christenson & Brewer"©, 2012, Orig. Oil & Encaustic Collage on Wood Panel

 "Gun Slinger, CC Slider"©, 2012, Orig. Oil & Encaustic Collage on Wood Panel

 "Go Faster, Chris Christenson"©, 2012, Orig. Oil & Encaustic Collage on Wood Panel

 "Colette, NYC to Tokyo"©, 2012, Orig. Oil & Encaustic Collage on Wood Panel

"Glaser Would Go"©, 2012, Orig. Oil & Encaustic Collage on Wood Panel

New Show This Sat. SALTWATER with Kevin Roche at Bliss 101

Please come join us for an evening filled with art by talented photographer, Kevin Roche and Susan Wickstrand, music by The Red Fox Tails, food, friends and fun. Sat. June 9th from 6-9 at Bliss 101, Encinitas, CA.  I'll have a series of large scaled glassed pieces available for the 1st time.  Plus a few surprises! We hope to see you there ~ Susan & Kevin

Japan was Amazing!

Here's some photo highlights from our recent trip to Japan for Greenroom Festival 2012.  We fell in love with the country & it's people and hope to return one day soon!

Wall of Susan Wickstrand Art at Greenroom Festival. Glad we had backup suitcases of Artwork to replace pieces as they were selling. We were very busy & I was so grateful to have the lovely, Mariko Atsumi & friend to help translate and explain some of the narrative going on in my work.

Sharing shakas with fellow artist Heather Brown & Susan Wickstrand

Signing the back of Artworks & taking photos with the new clients is very popular in Japan!

Kevin and I at the Ron Herman, Tokyo launch party for "Honey Magazine" debut. It's a sister magazine to "Blue" and I was fortunate enough to have an article in it on my artworks.

Our visit to Kita Temple in Kamakura was amazing! Here's a shot I grabbed of a monk descending a staircase in front of temple gates.

Gorgeous entry temple into the Engakuji, Temple, The Sanmon Gate, Kamakura. This gate is gigantic and no nails were used in it's construction.  Simply amazing to behold in person.  Our Kamakura visit was a highlight of our trip to Japan.  I hope to go to Kyoto also next time as I love Temple and the history of it all.

 

 Kevin and I in front of The Great Buddha of Kamakura (Kamakura Daibutsu). It is a bronze statue that was cast in 1252.  You can also go INSIDE the cast Buddha, something worth doing!

Our final night in Japan spent with Greenroom & Heather Brown Japan Gallery Owner, Jun Yoshimura (far right corner) and Yohei Otani (far upper left), Greenroom Gallery, HI and friends.

Artworks loaded in & installed on Friday, got Artist pass and ready for Greenroom Festival to begin on Saturday & Sunday.  Thank you to all who came out to meet me, thank you for the gifts, smiles, photos, art sales, and wonderful time in Japan.  It's been a trip of a lifetime.

New Show at Subtext Gallery, "You Should Have Been Here Yesterday"

New Group Show, New Work in the Works...yes...I Love my Job. New Collaborative Oil & Encaustic Collage series in the works with famed photographer Tom Servais. New works on Kelly Slater, Donovan Frankenreiter, Dane Reynolds and others.  It's gonna be good. Subtext Gallery is downtown, 1 block South of The Casbah. Other artists include, Kevin Roche, Myles McGuiness, Phil Gibbs, John Antoski, Skye Walker, Emil Kozak & more. You're Invited.

Surfindian, "The Wild Ones" Closing Party & The Red Fox Tails CD release party this Sat. Aug 6th

Link to Event: //www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=249069701772640

 

We have a few special surprise guests in store for this evening, musically & Photographically speaking.  Also a few surprise additional items on view in the gallery & for sale in shop. Album Artwork I did for "The Red Fox Tails" CD, "Drop In"...this will be the 2nd CD I've done for a recording artist.  Good times and you can pick up the album for the 1st time this Sat. during a live performance by the band at Surfindian, 4652/4658 Mission Blvd. Pacific Beach, CA

 

 

The Coast New Article on Wickstrand's Work & The Rip Curl Artist of the Search.

Click Here to Read or on image above.
Thank you Wehtanah Tucker & The Coast News.

Surf Magazine Online

Interview with Korduroy.TV

Recent interview with Korduroy.TV, click here or on picture for link. thanks guys!

Sacred Craft Santa Cruz, Cruise by the Art Grotto visit our art booth!

* SURF LOVE *

Susan Wickstrand, "SURF LOVE, WindanSea", 2010, Oil, Collage, India Ink & Encaustic on Wood Panel (WindanSea image provided by Kevin Roche, a little nod to my old stomping grounds growing up), Come check it out opening night, Sat. Nov 20th, at "The Pacific Surf Gallery", Cardiff, CA.THANK YOU ROXY FOR GENEROUSLY SPONSORING!
YOU'RE INVITED! click HERE to attend: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=127193577338192

* You're Invited: "THE BIG GROUP SHOW", Sat. Nov. 6th, Surfing Heritage Museum

You're invited, "The Big Group Show", by Surfing Heritage Museum, this Sat. Nov. 6th, 5-8p.m. Hope to see you there! Featuring artworks by: Jay Alders, Meredith Ambruso, Matt Beard, Big Toe, Esteban Bojorquez, Drew Brophy, Candy, Ron Croci, John Culqui, Norm Daniels, Danica Elbertse, James Finch, Damian Fulton, Roy Gonzalez, Calvin Knott, Wade Koniakowsky, Rick Rietveld, Heather Ritts, Phil Roberts, Kevin Roche, Blakeney Sanford, Joshua Serafin, Kevin Short, J.P. St. Pierre, Tyler Warren, Alex Weinstein, Susan Wickstrand, and Jeff Yeomans.

* CALIFORNIA DAZE * Group Show next Friday, August 20th ~ Sept. 16th, 2010

Please join us next Friday, August 20th at Green Flash Gallery for "California Daze" art exhibition, 5-10. Kids, friends & family welcome.

Green Flash "Crude Awakening" Oil Spill Show on BILLABONG ART Blog

This Saturday at Green Flash Gallery, "Crude Awakening" Oil Spill Show, Drinks, Fun, Friends & thought provoking artworks. 5-10, 117 Chesterfield Drive, Cardiff (across from Patagonia)

"Orange Peels" on view at The Surfing Heritage Foundation's "The Simmon's Effect" exhibition

Last week I collaborated with my very talented/photographer husband, Kevin Roche on a piece for The Surfing Heritage Foundation's, "The Simmon's Effect" exhibition (Kevin provided the beautiful center image of Ryan Burch on raw foam). Fully realizing that I will never be an expert on the genius of Bob Simmon's I pondered, "What the heck can I do or say about this pivotal person?". I dove into some research then was struck by the basic humanity of Simmons the "man" & decided to highlight some documented personal quirks with some nods also to scientific and mathematical breaking the bounds of shaping. I am no writer, I say it with images. However, I will do my best to open a window to a few of my thoughts with some pics & descriptions:
Susan Wickstrand & Kevin Roche, "Orange Peels", Orig. collab. collage, Oil, & encaustic on wood panel, 8" x 8", signed & dated on verso
Why oranges? "Simmons has been here, There'd be a stack of orange peels, like he was checking the surf. Then we'd zip up to Rincon, and there would be another stack." the man liked his fresh fruit from the trees of California & canned peaches.
The man lived off of canned peaches too with (free) wooden ice cream spoons in the ash tray of his car, ever the Scotch saving money. His mind & focus were on bigger things.
The one armed prophet atop. After significant injury to Simmon's left arm he had an interesting paddle, so I chopped off the prophet on a pedestal's left arm atop but the right, strongest arm wraps around the back. After growing up at Wind-n-Sea, I've learned, you can tell a lot about the way someone paddles.
* see above, why a one-armed prophet? Circling the entire artwork is a hand painted band of blue a metaphor for water, wave & wind binding it all together, as with the b/w photo of bands of corduroy (middle right). In the far upper left a simplistic barn structure that wraps around to the right with a door "open to the next generation" to follow through breaking down doors of perception with innovation. The barn is a metaphor for his simplistic lifestyle often wanting to design or shape alone, then show up at Malibu with a radical new shape to ride.
*above; I threw in a cheesy "paint by numbers" image dead center/above, because as a painter to someone like me Simmon's broke out of a mold for his craft in shaping/design/science & wave/water theories. To the right of that is a bronze fish. Go check out this artwork & many more amazing treasures for this exhibition and just try not to touch a concave, gorgeous Simmon's board as many are with a honey-golden California hue. Stunning....

Thank you Barry Haun of "The Surfing Heritage Foundation" for the opportunity to participate.