2023 Surf Art Calendar
February
“Garopaba”
By: Tom Veiga
STORY BEHIND THE IMAGE
From the artist: My inspiration was Garapabinha itself, the central beach of Garopaba, with the little church on the hill, the artisanal fishing boat, the waves crashing and the whale in the sea, the blue sky and the sun shining. I love Garopaba!
PERSONAL CONNECTION
After graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the Spring of 1999, I traveled to Koln, Germany to work for a Management Consulting firm to complete a six-month project. While I was there, I worked alongside a group of students and graduates from all over the world, but my closest friend there was Marcelo Pedo, who was from Brazil. As a group we were having a blast, working hard and playing hard. Fast forward six months and we’ve all returned home to our respective countries, but still keep in touch. In February of 2000 I take a surf trip to Chile with my friend Ryan Osborne, but get convinced that I need to stay in South America to meet my friend Marcelo in Brazil to spend Carnival and his birthday in Garopaba. What originally started as a one-week trip to Punta Lobos in Chile, ended up being a two-month trip to South America with one month being spent in Brazil and one of the best weeks of my life in Garopaba for the Carnival celebration.
Let me tell you about Garopaba… it is the primary surf destination in Southern Brazil with great waves and beautiful beaches. We were all students and didn’t have a ton of money, so ended up renting a mid-sized house and crammed in 20 kids (girls/guys) with people sleeping everywhere. I remember playing pick-up soccer games in the yard, drinking Caipirinha (Brazil’s national cocktail) on the beach, and surfing till the sun went down. Having the time of my life! So, aside from the vibrant colors and vivid images, I chose this picture of Garopaba for the 2023 Surf Art Calendar because it reminded me of this incredible trip. Fortunately, Tom Veiga who is a well-known artist in the surfing community has been gracious enough to share this image with us, so please take a moment to explore more of his work at www.seriewaves.com
ARTIST BIO
Brazilian designer and artist who is inspired by summer, beaches, nature and surf to create my work with lots of colors and curves. My style is tropical and conveys our Brazilian-ness, with a lot of color, movement and few strokes. I have done many exhibitions in Brazil, Argentina, France, Spain, USA and Japan. I also do exhibitions, live painting, painting giant murals and have signature projects with brands such as Billabong, Reef, Globe, HD, Banco do Brazil, Canal OFF and Havaianas.
IG: @tomveiga
