’’ I JUST
SURF
cause it’s good to
go out and ride with your
’’ friends
a magazine for surfing females.
THE STORY BEHIND THIS MONTH’S FRONT COVER: THE POWER OF WORDS. This year the London Surf / Film Festival is celebrating the art of storytelling and the power of narrative in surf filmmaking. For all great works have one thing in common – they take the viewer on a journey, convey a message, tell a tale. The best of those finely turned phrases and iconic lines stay with us, go on to become sound bites in our every day living – cultural reference points shared with like minds. For the 2014 gallery LS/FF approached ten of the UK’s most exciting creatives and tasked them with crafting a work that celebrates the power of words – choosing a phrase or a line from a film that resonates with them. Each work of art is presented as a one off A2 print to be exhibited for the duration of the festival. They will then be auctioned for charity.
The contributing artists who have donated their time are: Richard Bull/ Bull, Rich Braham/Whale Submarine, Nick Radford/Frootful, Chris Dorning/Moot, Ben Cook/Littoral Drifter, Ed Syder, Steve Wintercroft/Wintercroft, Gemma Chalmers, Zander Grinfeld / Venn and Leo Stockley. The works on display are original pieces – each a unique work of art. They are available for sale with all proceeds being split between two great causes – our charity Wateraid and the festival environmental partner #2minutebeachclean. Details: londonsurffilmfestival.com
When asked to choose my favourite surf film quote and produce a poster to be on show at this years London Surf Film festival - this is the one I chose. “I just surf cause it’s good to go out and surf with your friends” - Matt Johnson, Big Wednesday. A jaded Matt Johnson is hitting rock bottom but he still knows deep down what surfing is really about for him. [And epitomises what The Slideshow is all about!] Big Wednesday gathered a cult following after being a commercial flop on release in 1978, and it is my favourite dramatised surf film ever! Capturing an era of pure retro style, great surfing, hysterically foolish humour and one-liners that are up there with the best! - Gemma Chalmers - Slideshow Editor/Artist.
Artwork: Gemma Chalmers.
#24. OCTOBER ISSUE Venturing into Autumn here in the UK, we see a magazine issue packed full of sparkling artistic creativity and stories of the Slide. Temperatures might be about to drop, but hopefully swells will continue to pulse! - Gemma, Editor.
I JUST SURF / / STOKE /// / TOES TO THE NOSE // MUNICH RIVER SURFING / THE LONDON SURF/FILM FESTIVAL / AMADO // A LIFE OF SOLID SURF / SLIDESHOW ART PRINT SALE!...ENJOY!
Photo: Hanna Richardson.
Photo: Lizi Rudd.
STOKE::
Lizi Rudd & friends - Bantham, Devon, UK.
www.ruestiic.com www.folksy.com Artwork: Daisy Campbell.
ART::
“Toes to the Nose”. Pencil & ink sketch by Daisy Campbell. On show at the Byron Bay Surf Film Festival’ in October through the Rue Stiic label, and available to buy as a print on their website and on Folksy.
River Surfing It’s a hot summer day in the English Gardens of Munich, where people have flocked from all corners of the city to sunbathe in the nude, go for a lazy dip in the water, and munch on pretzels in the cool shade. As a surfer, this is the last place you would expect to catch the perfect wave. Yet in the middle of this large urban park runs a small river, Eisbach, that creates a perpetual standing curl. This inevitably attracts surfers looking to try their hand at river surfing—me being one of them. I hopped into the line of German city-surfers with my board under my arm, prepared to catch a nonstop ride. Some of the swimmers floating peacefully upstream eventually made it to the surfing area, and I winced at the loud thud and whimper of an unlucky drifter being run over by a clumsy wave-rider. It was complete chaos. Jerks dropped into the waves while others were on it, some inpatient people simply cut the queue, and a little boy stood on the wave for eons. At first people were impressed by the boy’s ninja-like balance, with his toothpick legs spread wide as a sturdy base, but when the boy didn’t make a single movement for three minutes, the surfers became visibly agitated. As the line got shorter, my nerves fired up. I glanced at the huge crowd that conjugated around the shoreline. I braced myself for the ride of a lifetime and felt butterflies fluttering more intensely as I made eye contact with some of the onlookers. Unfortunately, my spot in the limelight lasted only approximately five seconds – barely long enough to stand up – before I wiped out headfirst and drifted into the audience’s oblivion. Chantae Reden, traveling. (chantae.com).
Photos courtesy of Chantae Reden.
Sea & Sew
LONDON SURF /
FILM FESTIVAL 2014 That first shiver of Autumn is in the air and with it comes the promise of a fresh stream of low pressures to awaken the coast and light up the darkening dawns of the British Isles. In celebration of this hallowed season the London Surf / Film Festival, Presented by Reef, is delighted to announce the official selection of International features for 2014. Hitting the capital 9th – 12th October and hosted at the Genesis, E1, The London Surf / Film Festival is a celebration of the cream of international surf culture, bringing to the UK four nights of the very best surf films from around the globe.
Marion Poizeau’s “Into The Sea” busts down barriers as it follows Irish Surf Champion Easkey Britton to Iran as she takes to the water clad in a hijab, becoming the first woman to surf in the country and attempts to encourage the women there into the line up. Ava Warbrick’s fly on the wall documentary, “Stephanie in the Water’, is an intimate portrayal that really gets under the skin of 5X World Champion Stephanie Gilmore, we’re delighted to be hosting the European Premiere of this inspiring film and are thrilled that Steph will be at the screening with Ava to present the film in person”. - Demi Taylor. Accompanied by Q&A’s and talks with waveriding’s most inspiring heroes and icons, workshops, a gallery show, music, art, artisans and more, this saline hit of inspiration is a must for anyone of a salty persuasion. For the full schedule details and ticket information head to: www.londonsurffilmfestival.com
Photos courtesy of London Surf Film Festival.
“It’s great to see such strong representation from women at the London Surf / Film Festival this year – the line up of films we’re screening feels more like the line up at my home break – there’s balance to it. I’m stoked to be hosting the premiere of two groundbreaking documentaries not only made by women, but following the progress of two iconic female surfers.
ART::
Amado Beach, Portugal. A painting by Caroline Wylie.
A li fe of Solid surf Born and raised in the northeast of the US, Allison Kendro is very familiar with the constant cold water and weather and battling just to get a few waves during a swell that quickly comes and goes. In a recent email to The Slideshow, Allison said “it was fun to look through your magazine and see that you guys deal with similar conditions I was used to”. Here’s Allison’s story of leaving the corporate world to start her company which gives her the luxury of offshore wind 250+ days per year, waist to overhead surf year-round.
I was a good student, played sports, stayed out of trouble, went to college, got a job, moved to the big city, worked the corporate ladder and finally made it to a management level position. I did everything the “right way,” but at 28 years old, I was miserable. My job was unsatisfying, my living quarters - pathetic, a savings account – non-existent and all I could think about was the day I would make enough money to “live the way I wanted.” I realised I was doing it all wrong. In 2012, I ventured to El Transito, Nicaragua and in a country so poor, people were so happy. I started to ask myself what I was doing wrong and why I was so unhappy? I wondered where I’d be in the years to come and, if I kept the same path, the answer was right in front of me – sitting in my bosses chair –a place that would give me an amazing salary but leave me with the same feeling of emptiness. I realised that somewhere along the way I had begun to do what was expected of me rather than what I believed in. I’ve never been one to take life for granted ever since I dealt with death at the age of 7 when my brother (age 9) passed away. I learned quickly there’s no guarantee of
a future or in life, but somehow 20 years later I had forgotten that and found myself waiting for life to happen to me. It was my second trip to Nicaragua when I stopped waiting and took an opportunity that would get me back on track - and I haven’t looked back since. When I searched to visit Nicaragua the first time, my ideal trip included surfing and volunteering. What I found, however, was that I had to choose between the two. So I had an idea; what if there was a place you could go to not only do both but also allowed you to choose the way you did it; a personalised experience that would mix surf and adventure with volunteering in your specific profession or expertise.
Photos courtesy of Allison Kendro/SOLID.
Having had the idea, I was lucky enough to meet the right partner, Jonathan Ocanto, an American-Venezuelan and former EMT/ Firefighter and surfer from Florida who was working at the surf camp I was visiting. Unsatisfied with his job, he too was looking for
A l i fe of Solid surf more, and the two of us together had the perfect skill set to create a company we both believed in. In less than 3 months I packed up everything to move to a new country, learn a new language, and to create SOLID Surf & Adventure. While fueled by surf, SOLID also provides opportunities for people to learn, inspire and make a difference in the communities they visit – which essentially means you don’t have to choose between a surf, adventure or volunteer trip anymore. You could say that we are a “voluntourism” company that enables adventurists to explore new countries, experience new cultures and volunteer in less fortunate towns. The best part is that our clients themselves end up being just as impacted from the experience as the locals are. Our expertise is in the knowledge of the towns we operate in, and our ability to gain the respect of the local community. It’s been almost a year since I packed my bags and left for this adventure and can honestly say I feel more fulfilled than I have ever in my life. While I don’t have a guaranteed salary or a ton of money, every day I am making someone’s life richer through experiences and support (including my own), which is more rewarding than a sixfigure salary any day. All it took was a little bit of reflection and an urge to break the mold to create a life I believed in. Because in reality, the things we dreamed for as a kid are possible, we just can’t let anyone else tell us differently. If you fancy a Nicaraguan adventure this year, mention this article to gain 10% off SOLID tours! Find out more... info@solidsurfadventure.com www.solidsurfadventure.com
Photos courtesy of Allison Kendro/SOLID.
: : LIMITED EDITION ART PRINTS : :
Limited Edition art prints
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SPECIAL
OFFER!
As this is the ‘Art issue’ we want to give The Slideshow readers an arty TREAT! So from now until Christmas you can buy
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Each signed & numbered print is uniquely hand-finished by The Slideshow’s artist/editor, Gemma Chalmers, based in Cornwall UK. printed on 170gsm matte paper | approx 30X30cm
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