I have always been curious as to who did the airbrush work on the boards in this well known photo. I am pretty certain they are Rainbow Surfboards, as I believe that Rainbow had a direct connection with the Brotherhood.
Can anyone say for certain who the airbrush artist was? There is often conjecture that Rick Griffin did them, but anyone who really know’s RG’s work can see it was not him.
Starman.
Or me.
Kidding, too young.
But I have painted a bunch for Hynson.
John Ryerson Bredin. I recognize his stencil work. He also did artwork for me at Surfboards Hawaii, and at Surf Systems. In a word, John is Gifted.
Thanks, Bill. Is he the guy who did all those beautiful fish and such on the Surfboards Hawaii transition boards?
Such as, these boards from 1969?
As I recall, both John Bredin, and Gary Brummett were working at SBH, under John Price. Bredin was doing airbrush art, and color sprays on boards. Brummett was renouned for his resin work, pin lines and color panels. The above photo’s are examples of resin work by Gary Brummett. One of his favorite design motifs was the fish form, that appear on two of the boards in the ad. In Oct. 1970, John Price sold SBH to Surf Systems, and we produced both labels through 1971. Bredin came on board with me, and Brummett was part of MTB Surfboards.
EDIT: Google up John Bredin, artist. It will take you to his website.
There is a guy in Florida with the ultimate Brummet surfboards hawaii resin fish on it. I offered him a lot of $$$$ but he wont sell. I tried to get a job in the factory back then but no luck. I was shaping for Brummett’s Brother who had a factory’.
Those were the good old days and I survived hanging out with insane Sid Madden.
this batch of boards were done at the Bahne factory on Westlake, “The Hill”
Barry, I know Johnny Gail was commissioning the Rainbows, did he also do some of the art also ?
The Hill to me was like a place of worship. I almost begged for a job but left with my head hanging low.
I guess it is still the temple of stoke.
Wasn’t the Bahne shop formerly Surfboards Hawaii? Bill did you work there in 69-70?
Yes, SBH was on ‘‘The Hill’’ in those years. No, I did not work there. In 1969/1970 I was operating Surf Systems, where the Belly Up Tavern, is now. Our showroom was where the Kraken Restaurant is, in Cardiff by the Sea.
I love all the history. Thanks!
Going back 9 years on this thread but I am searching for much of the same info as the OP. I was hoping to see if Curtis Hesslegrave was known to do any of the art on Hynson’s designs and/or his Rainbow brand. In '72 and ‘73 I worked with Curtis at what’s now the Belly Up; then it was a silk screen shop called Snick Quicker, and from what I see Bill has indicated it was Surf Systems before that. Anyway, I printed shirts and Curtis would come in often and do airbrushing on some garments. Curtis and I chatted about me getting a new board (I was barely learning on a 9’ Jacobs - that I still have) and he said he would have one made for me; I guess 3 weeks later he comes in with a shaped blank and we figured out colors for him to airbrush on it. I never thought to ask him who shaped it and he never told me but decades later I was in Bahne’s and mentioned Curtis to Bob and Bill. They said that Mike Hynson must have shaped the board, and I about fell over with that news. Of course I had long ago sold the board knowing nothing about it other than I had a very tough time learning on a 7’2 down-railed semi-gun; such a shame I didn’t know who had shaped it. (Sorry for this lengthy post, btw.) But recently I dug through old slides to find a few shots of Curtis airbrushing it in order to have a print made to possibly be included in the current exhibit in LJ Historical Society curated by John Durant, but too late. Anyway, would be interested to know if Curtis was involved in that. Rambling on, I’ll mention that I was friends with Mark Livingston who owned SNI and Surfboards Hawaii after John Price, I suppose, and I still have a 9’0 that Donald shaped with the SBH label; even though the rails of the Walker blank are disintegrated I’ll hang on to it just for the memories of good days long gone. Thanks for listening, happy paddling.
