I Create Pieces Of Art On Old Surfboards That Were Destined For The Landfill (25 Pics)

I have always known that I wanted to be an artist. I loved art in school, attended art college and then studied visual art and art history at university level. I first started out painting on furniture and painting murals when my children were small. My work and business then progressed to doing custom hand-painted shoes under the business name The Little Treasure Company. I was then asked to paint a surfboard and I haven’t looked back.

I received a message from someone who asked me whether I had ever painted on a surfboard and whether I would consider doing it. I thought I would take on the challenge to paint a larger canvas and after I had finished the artwork and posted it on my social media, it had such a great response and so many inquiries that soon I had to stop painting shoes to fully concentrate on surfboards. Not only is it a very different canvas to paint on but as I aim to make my art practice as sustainable as possible, each board I paint is being saved from potentially ending up in a landfill.

Each board that I paint is usually a personalized commissioned piece using reference photos and ideas supplied by the client. Every board has a lot of detail so each artwork takes at least 100 hours to complete with more complex boards taking longer.

I think the most challenging aspect of the creative process for me is finding the quiet time to paint. Once I get into the zone, I can paint for hours and so I love the time I am not disturbed which is sometimes hard to get when my studio is at home. I love painting details. I love being able to add those small personalized details to an artwork. I find it so liberating to work on a large canvas but I still love to get the tiny paintbrushes out and indulge my passion for detail.

I love every bit of the process of painting. From the concept sketch, through to the end result. I experience a sense of accomplishment when I complete a work, but it is the love of the creative process and the reactions and feedback that I receive from clients that drive my passion for my work.