Kings & Queens 3x4' Oil on canvas panel

Kings & Queens 3x4’ Oil on canvas panel

When I started this painting 6 years ago, my intention was to honor surfing pioneers, both male and female.

As inspiration, I referred to blurry photo of the Duke Kahanamoku at San Onofre Beach, surrounded by friends, admirers and early surf pioneers. Gifted waterman and photographer, Doc Ball snapped the reference photo.

I took artistic license and made the scene my own. I included a couple of my female surf heroes: Betty Pembroke Heldreich—a pioneering champion Hawaii surfer in the mid-1950s, an artist, a fisherwoman, a mother and a professional who broke glass ceilings. On her right is Ethel Kukea, a surfing champion, pioneer, competitive paddler, and role model who inspired a generation of women to follow her lead.

I used my husband for a model for a couple of the gentlemen in the painting (Lucky guys!),

I love painting surf culture and the nostalgia that goes along with it. I particularly enjoy painting the Duke Kahanamoku because of his contributions to surfing, swimming, (breaking world swim records -the freestyle 100-meter in 1911 and creator of the “Kahanamoku Kick”) along with breaking racial boundaries and showing the world the beautiful culture of Hawaii and the meaning of Aloha.

In this painting, Duke is surrounded by friends at San Onofre beach, and these friends were our surfing forefathers and mothers from the 40’s and 50’s. I included the iconic palm-frond covered surf shack that still exists at San Onofre beach to this day, even though the roads to San-O have been washed out by heavy surf, rain and high tides. Besides Duke, Ethel and Betty, I can only identify one other gentleman in the painting; Barry (Founder of the San Onofre Surf Club) who stands behind the Duke.