Surfing the canvas

Young Chang

It’s surprising Glenn Martin doesn’t have 59 words for “blue.”

The surf artist’s paintings show water and waves in infinite shades of

dark blue, light blue, green blue, purple blue, black blue, pink blue

and, of course, baby blue.

Friend Michael Ibey, president of the Art Gallery International in

Costa Mesa where Martin’s work was hung Friday, says a lot of people

paint waves. But Martin’s make you feel like you’re inside.

Martin, who has been painting for 20 years, will exhibit more than 100

pieces this weekend. Surf legend Jeff Hakman, whom Martin has painted,

will join Martin this weekend to sign, discuss and personalize the works.

The duo also will unveil the artist’s newest piece, “Hakman at Honolulu.”

Each of Martin’s images include some combination of water, waves,

surfboards, surfers, sand, tropical Tahitian or Hawaiian scenes and

boats.

“Glenn has lived in waves all his life,” Ibey said.

Martin, 51, still surfs strong waters. He rode his first wave in 1961.

While living in Hawaii in the ‘70s, Martin befriended great surfers like

Butch Van Arstan, Kimo Hollinger, Phil Braun and Jeff Hakman, who is also

the founder of the clothing label Quiksilver.

Though Martin has sailed 35,000 miles throughout his life, mostly

trekking from Newport to Hawaii and sometimes to Tahiti, surfing is his

love.

“Surfing,” Martin says, “It’s healthy. It’s good for your body, and

it’s getting in touch with what makes the world breathe.”

He takes off on a really big wave and drops to the other side, finding

he has traveled the length of a football field in a matter of minutes.

The speed, the drop -- it’s the most exhilarating feeling, he said.

Martin said he has less of a skill for portraits and non-surf scenes.

But he has mastered the use of rich colors like red, orange and purple in

addition to blue.

“When I was a kid, purple was my favorite color,” he said. “I wanted a

purple birthday cake.”

He thanks his earlier experience with pen and ink for his techniques

today. Martin and a friend used to create watercolor designs with pen and

ink on rice paper, which was then laminated onto surfboards.

The medium taught him depth and perspective in pictures, he said. Each

wave has a different temperament, each scene a different mood.

Some of his works are historically personalized.

For one painting, which shows part of a canoe on the sand in front of

the beach, Martin signed his name on one of the wooden planks followed by

“DI 97.”

He was finishing up the piece one night three years ago when he saw a

mangled Mercedes on television. News of the late Princess Diana’s

accident had just come over.

His images of Hakman also have a personal touch. The two surfed the

same era in Hawaii and led a similar lifestyle, Martin said. Over the

years, Hakman became a surf star and launched Quiksilver. Martin made

waves on canvas.

“That’s how artists survive,” he said. “By creating something you

don’t see.”

FYI

* WHAT: Glenn Martin’s art

* WHEN: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Sunday

* WHERE: Art Gallery International, 1500 Adams Ave., Suite 104A, Costa

Mesa.

* COST: Free

* CALL: (714) 444-4427.