When big brands like Billabong , Glove, Mormaii or Reef put an eye on you probably its because you are creating awesome art and everyone wants to have a little piece of it. would you be nervous?
Probably, huh? Not Him. Let me introduce to you Tom Veiga, one of the most recognised surf artists. His work and style is well known worldwide and, most importantly, he is a really cool and down to earth guy always ready and willing to catch up for a chat.
So, in the middle the Boards & Art Exhibition in Buenos Aires, we talk about his art, collaborations and more. Enjoy.
How was your first contact with surfing?
My first contact with the most intense form of surfing was in 2005, when in the middle of a design course I was taking in Brazil, i had to do a media planning work as evidence, and my group worked on the Brazilian surf magazine Flowing. Looking at those pictures of hig waves surfers in paradise islands, eating açaí, with a sea view from your living room… it really caught my attention. So I thought ” I am living far from beach and im in a rush at work, how can i live what the surfers live?, I will try to work with surf to live it every day” and started to chase that dream in 2012 leaving my work and go on to live surf art.
How can you describe your waves surfart series?
My style and my art is the result of pure passion, it’s my way of seeing things, to construe and to express myself. Each wave around the world is unique, each wave has a unique feature, a color, temperature,width, speed, different styles, and my work seeks to show these differences through the curves and colors bringing Brazilianness for each piece of art I do.
I can not really describe my work, is just my passion for the ocean expressed through my colours.
How often do you surf?
I do not surf, I have an injury on my knee since the days when i played football, so I’m not able to do fast movements with my leg. My way of surfing is to be focused on my art every day. I go to the beach which is really close from home, to get some inspiration .
Please name five artists who you are influenced by.
I love Picasso, Modigliani and Tarsila do Amaral who was the main Brazilian artist in history. On a surf related style i really love the Californian artist Jay Alders, his style is truly inspiring and of course The Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer.
name 5 favorite beaches around the world or in Brazil for surfing.
There are beautiful places around the world, but most places I like most are from Brazil: Garopaba, where I live, Camboriu Beach that inspires me every time i walk through the streets, Joaquina beach in Florianopolis and i really love Biarritz and Hossegor in France.
How can you describe your collaboration with Mormaii, Billabong and other major brands? It is difficult to work with them?
I had the opportunity to create really cool projects. My first big project an overseas collaboration with Billabong Europe It was an awesome experience, I had a lot of creative freedom to sign the summer collection 2012, we also made a tour exhibition in France and Spain.
I also did collaborations with Reef California. I really like the Reef concepts, they lead the creative process in a really smooth way. I signed a collection with Globe Skateboardings Co. creating 3 cruiser designs. I signed a collection with the brand Havaianas from Brazil and now I am doing dream projects with Mormaii, who played a key role in my aims to work with surfing. For me, it is amazing and I’m very proud to be part of a brand with so much history in Brazilian surf culture.
Please name any artist would you recommend to keep an eye out for?
I really like a Brazilian artist who deserves a lot of attention: Ber Rodrigues.
Do you own surfboards? can you tell me which ones? (size, shaper etc.)
I do have boards, but they are all painted as displays.
last and very important: Why do you surf? or (if you do not surf), Why do you feel so drawn to the sea?
As I said before, I do not surf, but the surf keep me stoked in every possible way. I love the boards, the sport, the glorious God creation called Sea… The waves are beautiful, a flat sea is beautiful too, but a perfect wave coming in the horizon… looks like the sea is smiling at me… That is really a big source of inspiration.
Thanks a lot Tom!
Thank you, Santiago.
www.tomveiga.com
www.tomveiga.com/trabalhos.html
© Santiago Videla (Editor)
www.facebook.com/svidelasurfshots
No Comments