San Diego, CA (Dec. 11, 2008) - Surfindian held its fourth show last Saturday, with a host of different genres and artwork, ranging from drawings and paintings to surfboards and photography. The lineup included six different artists, with paintings by Meegan Fiore, Mele Saili, Harry Daily, and Micah Wood; photography by Jay Peters; and surfboards by Jeff McCallum & Micah Wood.

In the surfboard quarters, the common theme was a mix of old and new school of board design. Incorporating this mix, Jeff McCallum had three different models on display, a 4’10” spoon, a 5’9” quad, and a 7’8” gun. “These boards are old-school looking, but with all modern rails, rocker, and bottom; and with a really flat deck chimed to the rails,” said McCallum. And also in the blend of old and new, Micah Wood presented his 5’8” single fin, naturally called ‘The One.’ “It’s old school, but not so bulky,” said Micah. “The midpoint is higher; it’s 2-5/8” thick rather than 3”; the bottom is not simply a V, but a V with double barrel; and the rails are softer than they used to be.”

Moving on to the paintings, there was a large array of genres. Representing the overly used label, but incredibly popular “retro” style, Fiore and Daily had several works on display. Daily, while the show was underway, took on some drawings and laid them out for sale. Changing the gear to a more realistic streak, Wood had three paintings to show, “Secret Spot,” “Blue Tube,” and “Freedom.” Freedom, a painting depicting Larry Gordon riding a wave back in the 60’s, set the backdrop of the paintings across the room. There, Gordon’s granddaughter, Saili, showcased her work for the first time in a gallery setting. At 17 and a Tourmaline local, Saili represented yet another style of painting, kin to the expressionist school. And finally, adding to the mixture, Peters exhibited a stunning set of photographs.

This miscellaneous show would most likely not have taken place if it were not for the Spirit of Christmas. “The idea for the show came about because of Christmas,” said Chris Rule, Surfindian’s owner. “Christmas is about family, people getting together, and that’s a little messy and fun. These local artists are a part of the community and so I decided to get them all together.” This variegated display of art had quite a resonance with some in the crowd. “The show is very diversified, colorful, and progressive,” said Michelle Connelly, from San Diego. “And it’s fun to see all your friends.”

Yet another driving force behind the Surfindian Holiday Show was Rule’s spirit of egalitarianism, that is, the belief that all should be given equal rights and opportunities. “Another reason is that I didn’t want people to think that the things are very expensive,” said Rule. “You can get an original piece for as little as $150. I’m an egalitarian guy, so I wanted it to be a place for everyone.” Other accessible items include: $30 t-shirts, books, and films. The show’s mix of different genre and artform, plus the wide range of financially accessible items, turned the night into a big success. Kaley Swift, from Encinitas, made a comment about Fiore’s paintings that summarized much of the overall impression: “it’s stunning.”

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Fun!
written by icthus , December 11, 2008

That looks fun! Too bad I missed it!!! I'll try to make sure that doesn't happen the next time around. I'll still try to swing by the gallery to check out the artwork, though.

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Congrats!
written by Andre , December 13, 2008

Hey guys, congrats! The night was indeed stunning, with great artwork, lovely crowd, and comfortable setting, especially with the Christmas theme through and through -- loved the Xmas song and tree!

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