JAY ALDERS | SURF ARTIST PROFILE [29.05.2009]Other

"Welcome to the world of Jay Alders"

It all started…  
When I was 2 or 3 I started showing an interest in Art and being an introverted wacko.  From then on, I was the “art kid” in school and since I can remember, I would write school reports for career day on how I would be an Artist or businessman someday.  So I did both.  As for when my actual “Fine Art Career” started, probably around 2003’ish, when I started doing Art Shows in NYC and around the Jersey Shore.
    
So what's your art all about Jay?
When I’m asked stuff like this, it’s a challenge to answer, because so much of my art or the process of creating my art is done through my subconscious, it’s like being in therapy with a paintbrush in one hand and a soy latte or pipe in the other.  But since this is mesurf, I’ll stick to talking about my Surf Art. When I’m painting Surf genre paintings, I am often relating to a feeling, a memory or a dreamlike fantasy.  Some of my paintings, like “Right Past the Light”, I had floating around my head so to say, for a while. I have always been fascinated by soul surfers and retro-surf moves like layback’s and hangin’ ten. So I knew I wanted to visually capture that feeling I got when thinking about those maneuvers. I love being out in the line up or looking at the waves from the beach as light punches through the back of the wave. I could analyze it all day, it’s spectacular how the water goes from transparent to opaque and how the trail from the board dissipates and how the temperature of the colors goes from cool to warm, thinking about what it could look like to tweak angles and warp shapes beyond what a photo could do. So I guess a lot of my paintings represent the process from concept to the finished piece, it’s that journey as an artist and a surfer to find solutions and question everything.

How long have you been enjoying the life of an artist?
I have been using my Art as both a means to make a living and a way to experience life for as long as I can remember.

Can you give our readers a quick run through on what it takes to make one of your amazing pieces
Each piece is quite different.  I know some Artists are more Step 1,2,3 about how they paint and that works for them, but for me, it’s truly about experimenting, often screwing up and finding ways to overcome and evolve.  Usually an idea will just come to me, whether I am actively sketching or I may just be driving or in the water and I am overtaken with inspiration.  Usually a painting goes through several phases after the initial concept. I will sketch and revise the overall drawing, like a blueprint until I’m satisfied with it and I feel it’s most powerful. Then I work on color schemes and determine the lighting, sometimes I’ll do color roughs or use the computer to see what works. Then I’ll often make a wood panel to paint on from scratch. For me, it’s like the Artist equivalent to shaping a surfboard. After the panel is ready, I’ll gesso it and begin painting. More often then not, I’ll begin with a tonal monochromatic underpainting, upon which I may do 20-50 sessions of transparent and opaque layers similar to how the Old Masters would paint in the 1500-1600’s.  My paintings often take 1-3 months to finish, partly because of the time it takes to dry between sessions and partly because I am constantly changing and repainting sections until they come as close to possible to my vision. Plus I travel and work on other things so much, I don’t often have the ability to just bust out a new piece every week. 

Where may we have seen some of your amazing work?
I have had my work in Surfer Magazine, Line Up Magazine, Longboard Magazine, Coastal Living Magazine, Alma Surf Magazine, Curl Magazine,Waves Magazine, Penthouse Magazine, FHM Magazine...I have been in shows or exhibits in NYC, California, Brazil,Hawaii and Philadelphia and have my work on some awesome web sites too. I also sell and show my work online, www.JayAlders.com

And what’s your connection with the ocean and surfers?
I have been a skateboarder since I was like 3 years old and always have been drawn to the Ocean. I grew up like 15-20 minutes from the beach, so it was inevitable that Surfing would be in my future.  I learned to surf when I was a teenager and as soon as I got my driver’s license, I was at the beach almost every day after High School.  Now I live in a beach town and feel like the ocean is a central driving force for me. I can’t imagine not living close to the ocean. Most of the kids I grew up with were the skater/snowboarder/surfers and I feel most comfortable around the coastal culture. From an Artist’s perspective, the ocean, waves and nature provides a limitless supply of inspiration, shapes, colors, reflections. Observing the movements of a Surfer, the path of the board as it slices the face of the wave and the spray that shoots off the board’s edge are just sick. Put it all together, shake it up and that's what I dig.  

Favourite piece?
My favorite Surf Painting of mine, is probably “Left Behind the Wall”. At least just technically speaking, for me, I really overcame some challenges with getting the lighting to work and I really went nuts on the details in the water. It’s hard to tell from looking at it on the monitor, but the original piece is over 65 inches tall and  18.875 inches wide, the dimensions of a surfboard.  If you look up close at the reflections and colors, you can see all sorts of crazy shit going on. I am pretty proud of myself on this one and having this one in production on a Surfboard is a dream come true. 

What’s hot on your music list at the moment?
When I am painting I’ll usually put on either Classical music, Jazz or tunes like Donavon Frankenreiter, Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews, Matt Costa, ALO, G Love, Bob Marley or Zeppelin. I also love Echo Movement and Quincy Mumford who are amazing artists and friends.

What do you see down the sweet road ahead?
Well, I see a lot of awesome concerts. I have been very lucky with building friendships with some of my favorite musicians and totally dig being a part of the live music scene. In another lifetime, I would love to be a rockstar. I see a lot of traveling to awesome places. I see more licensing and career opportunities that will help me create an amazing lifestyle for me and my loved ones while still staying true to myself.  I also see my paintings developing to levels that I can not even imagine achieving and still having room to grow.
 
Flick off:  
Finally before you get back to your next creation…

Tea or coffee?      Soy Latte, with a pump of hazelnut...MmmMmm
Films or music?   Music
Airs or barrels?    Watching Airs. Trying to get barrels.
Local or abroad? Feeling like a local while abroad.
Soul or new age? Soulfully New Age.

Thanks for giving mesurf readers a peek into the world of an inspiring artist. We appreciate it brah.
MY PLEASURE....Mahalo!!!

Website  
www.JayAlders.com

Contact
Jay@JayAlders.com
twitter.com/JayAlders

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Surf Forecast:

2010-07-29 23:30:00

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Surf Report

The swell Is messy out of the ENE and has picked up to around 3-4ft and it's overcast with showers. The winds are light WSW early and are trying to clean conditions up, but NE winds are predicted later. Messy waves along the open beaches early and check Kawana pocket and Kings later when the wind goes NE. Check out the latest Coastalwatch forecast.

Weather

Wind:

5 kts WSW

Swell:

3-4ft ENE

Rating:

4

High Tide:

09:48 am & 10:05 pm

Low Tide:

03:59 am & 03:37 pm

Water Temp:

20

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Rainbow Beach Noosa Bar Noosa Coolum Marcoola Maroochydore Alex Headland Mooloolaba Kawana - Buddina Kings 2010-07-29 23:30:00

Outlook:

Wind: NE/NW 10/15 knots, reaching 15/20 knots south of Cape Moreton in the morning. Sea: 1.2 to 1.7 metres. Rain breaking up to showers during day. Late thunderstorms developing.

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