All a-quiver

Here in Surf City, we honor all things wave-related.

First there are the waves themselves, that break along eight miles of open-sand beaches, waves that bowl, curl, hollow, closeout, peak and fire. We’ve got a surf city diner, a surf city bank, a surf theater. We’ve got surf shops, surfboard shapers, surf museums and surfers.

And we’ve got surfboard artists. They’re a breed apart from board riders whose art is carving up the waves. The board is their art.

On Saturday, one of two vans traversing the California Coast for the Togo’s Surf Art Tour will be parked along Beach Boulevard just south of Heil Avenue. Five of 10 unique surfboards will be on display where you see the van. When you do, take a moment to vote for your favorite one.

The boards, shaped by Jerry O’Keefe for Dewey Weber, are each painted by a different artist whose inspiration is — what else — the surf. The southern contingent includes boards by Huntington Beach artists Rick Blake and Seth Thompson. It kicked off at the U.S. Open last week and is making stops at surf shops and other venues, including the Xgames, from Carlsbad to Venice. The northern contingent kicked off in Santa Cruz and hits several towns along its way, ending up somewhere near San Jose.

Blake’s style is described as a mix of influences that include California Impressionism, Toulouse Lautrec and John Severson. Thompson portrays the “unique culture, breathtaking scenery, and endless possibilities for outdoor fun” that are his experience in Southern California.

At the culmination of the Togo’s Surf Art Tour, five of the surfboards will be auctioned online with proceeds benefiting the Surfrider Foundation.

The artist whose painting receives the most votes will win the grand prize of $3,000.

To learn more about the featured artists, find out where you can see the final surfboard art and vote for your favorite artists, go to www.togossurfarttour.com.