Hi everyone! Happy 2012! It's been a whirlwind of projects, events, trips, and overall life for me these past few months. I'm a strong believer in not only working hard, but playing hard, too. So, often times, I'm out and about on what I like to call a "workcation". The good, the bad, and the ugly. Gotta get it all done, right? So, anyway, I apologize if it seemed as if I slipped off the face of the earth. As many of you already know by now, Hawaii was a huge success as far as getting together the old and the new vanguard of the Wave Warriors. It was great! Though there were some people who plumb forgot about the get-together (Derek Ho and Gavin Beschen!) or were too sick to attend (Shane Beschen) or didn't even know they were invited (Dusty Payne), and others who, unfortunately, weren't on the North Shore to take part of it (Archy ...

[caption id="attachment_1222" align="alignnone" width="375" caption="(Photo: The surfer as a grom; John John Florence checking out the surf at Backdoor.) "][/caption] To say that I've had an association with John John since he was a wee bitty grom would be a gross understatement. Not only have we established a bond as surfers, but our friendship has always been tight and crossed-over into a kinship only known between my family, the Fletchers, and John John with his little brothers Nathan and Ivan, and mom Alex; Mom John. I wanted to share some of the photos I've taken of John John throughout the years. This here is just a miniscule piece of my much larger archive. Like my boards, paintings, and sculptures, photography is another artistic endeavor that I've involved my life with. [caption ...

[caption id="attachment_1205" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Herbie Fletcher's "Wrecktangle" at the Waikiki Edition Hotel "][/caption] Herbie will be in Oahu this week to promote his "Wrecktangle" board sculpture that's being featured in the lobby of The Waikiki Edition. Coming from the mastermind of Ian Schrager, The Waikiki Edition is a new type of hotel - kind of like an entity of its own - that's being introduced by the Marriott International. In collaboration with interior designers George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg and landscape designer Deborah Nevins, the Waikiki Edition resides as its own sanctuary on the sand; smack dab near the beaches and Marina shopping districts in a coastal urban sprawl. Truly, a visiting surfer's paradise. When you walk into the lobby, the first thing that captures your eye is the wall-to-wall "Wrecktangle" pieced ...

Herbie, Dibi and Nathan are presently having their artwork displayed in New York as part of the "Swell" showcase. Check out the press release for more information: "Curated by Tim Nye and Jacqueline Miro. This survey of art inspired by surf and beach culture will open to the public on July 1st at the three locations in Chelsea and will include work by most members of the group of Venice Beach artists known as Light and Space and Finish Fetish. The show historically contextualizes beach culture and its poetic and freeing nature on the Beat Generation, Assemblage, Light and Space, Finish Fetish, and early Pop Art. One of the main axes of the show is the obvious yet sensual relationship between Shapers and the Finish Fetish movement of the 60's. As the show focuses on two cities, L.A. and New York, it attempts to place the Ocean and its proximity to both cities ...

Dennis Hopper was a friend and I've had the pleasure of getting to know him over the years. Here are a few photos I found of Dennis and that I wanted to share with all of you. These first two pictures shows Dennis with artist Julian Schnabel, Kelly Slater, Bruce Irons and myself in Hawaii during the Eddie Aikau Awards Banquet. The kid next to Dennis is his son Henry. We're all having a good time and just goofing around.  What a great memory. I'll never forget it. [caption id="attachment_890" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Herbie Fletcher, Kelly Slater, Bruce Irons, Julian Schnabel, Henry Hopper, Dennis Hopper"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_891" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="The Boys Hanging Out During The Eddie Aikau Awards Banquet"]...