Cover of the Portland Mercury

I guess posting stuff on a blog and facebook does reach out. Thanks to art director, friend, and one of my favorite artists Justin "Scrappers" Morrison. Check his art out at scrapperstown.com 

A surf moment

Johnny dropped into a head high wave, however his home break was in weird form.- abnormally shaped. He rode the funky water blob into the inside section where better form took shape. The lip through over his head fast and he was inside a barrel in an instant. He crouched down low and caught a clear aqua blue view of the guts of the wave, a small 3 foot hole at the end. It was beyond movies and any man-made playground. The wave closed out and took Johnny for a tumble- man and nature horsing around. Johnny was stoked and paddled out for more.

That was me today on my thruster.

-Manny Aloha

Thruster

This morning I finally got to surf. It's been about a week but it feels like a month.  Last month was tough getting on my feet finding work to pay the rent. But it turned out perfect because all last month it was rainy and windy and now that I've caught up financially, somewhat, a swell arrives.

I rode my twin fin and surfed with my homeboy Kevin Whitton, aka K Double. He rips. I watched him get shacked. I usually do while paddling back to the line up. I like surfing with him because he cracks me up. I think he witnessed a few of my waves too while paddling back to the line-up It's always good when your homies witness you catching a good wave. Anyways, my second wave, the wave was so spacious and long that I didn't know what to do with myself. I was like, time to rip Manny. Instead of just carve down the line, It was time to slash the lip. So I am riding the above board tomorrow, in hopes of slashing waves a little more.  Its a gamble though because it is a little more narrow than the board I was riding today which is a little more slutty.... it catch waves real easy and slides across waves like an oil slick. The above board cuts into the wave and slashes it like a knife. Decisions decisions.

Another side note, this board was given to me by my friend Troy. Days after he gave it to me I rode it into dry reef and put at least 5 deep gashes in it. It sat on my rack for a year until I found time to fix it.
But now it's back in business. I painted it two years ago as a practice run for a commissioned board painting. I basically painted the same thing on a new board. Damn time flies.

Sometimes I think what a lame-o I can be when there are real problems going on around the world like the war and the destruction in Japan.
Maybe it's time to do something more meaningful. I see my job as an artist is to remind people that life is worth living. I feel extremely lucky and privileged.

Also I'm probably going to have to hang this board as one of my art pieces. I'm supposed to hang an art show on Friday and I don't got shit right now. I'm basically gonna strip my walls of all the art in my home and bring it to the gallery. If I'm lucky I'll get to make one new painting.

till tomorrow.
-Manny Aloha

Waikiki Beach

Father and Son Collab

by  Baby Hayden and Papa Manny Aloha

Surf Life

Bananas and Beer

My bro told me he ate bananas for dinner then went to drink beer at Anna Bananas (a local bar in Honolulu) after a few beers he was like I don't think this was the best idea. It's funny because he is one of the best cooks I know.

NYC 2001

Bad Ass Brother Bob and Manny Aloha

Apparently this photo was taken by our dad who was moving to California that day.

The good thing about it is that we would spend the summers with him and he bought us skateboards to keep up with him while he jogged the Redondo Beach bike path. I think they were Logan skateboards. I remember I had to push on my knee. I'd watch my brother ride standing and I couldn't understand how he did it. He later grew up to be the best skater on the block, and probably in the county.

He used to do 360 methods super high, then switch grabs three quarters of the way and do an indy nosebone and land solid. That was like in 1987 or 88. To this day I can't do things he did back then.

He was one of the first kids on the East coast to slide and grind hand rails. He always did the highest and most tweaked out airs. The best skaters flocked to our crew because of him. We became friends with those skaters and it made for the adventurous skate life that I live today. He would also do the meanest Ho Ho's. Thanks for the inspiration Bob. Below is a photo of me when I lived on Grand St. Williamsburg Brooklyn.

Once upon a Pool

Surfing 101

Haiku Version 2

Golden Dakine

Black Wave Red Sun

Surfer Dude (Portrait of Rob Machado)

11" x 11", Acrylic on Wood

Donated to Black Wave Red Sun, a Benefit Art Show to help Japan

 http://grasshutcorp.com/blog/shop/

Magic Moments

After a hard days work, I roll down to the local skatepark, the sun is already down and the only one there is Hartsel. We were so stoked laughin' that it was just us two. He says, well, "Lets get our skate on" and we just went off  line for line for like 20 minutes. Its weird. It was the best I've ever skated that park ever.  I landed every trick I know and it felt so good. My board was sticking to my feet so hard. I like skating with Jeff cause he does different stuff I never see and he makes it look so much fun. Last time I skated with him at Aala we both learned how to do backside floaters off the over vert. He just had a baby too so we can relate father stories. I like skating with him too because he actually skates, not just cools out in nice clothes. Yeah Jeff! Good times. Aloha nui.

Flashback

Painting with Dave Ellis and Espo.

 "No Condition is Permanent" at Smack Mellon Gallery 2001. Brooklyn NY.

Each artist had the floor for one day and the work was photographed into a time-lapse video.

I shared the floor with brother UFO. The side walls could be painted over every day as well.

This was the first day I walked into the gallery after a usual fight with my ex-girlfriend. Dave said, you want to paint? Grab a brush and pick a wall. You're be in a few days. This was the biggest piece I ever painted in the shortest amount of time- about 6-8 hours.

After work Haiku

Brothers rendezvous
down the cliff in the ocean
for a sunset surf.

Surf Signs

5"x 6 1/8" wood

Griptape Patterns - Roll Skateboards

Tsunami Warning

Let's hope this tsunami doesn't hit.
Last tsunami I went down to the grocery store Foodland to load up on supplies.
Waited on a 45 minute line around the store and spent $175 on a false alarm.
Friends came over and ended up BBQin' and drinkin' beers at my apt.

Not gonna go this time. but am currently filling up almost every large vessel I own with water.
About to go to sleep and get as much rest as I can in case it turns pandemonium out there tonight.

Aloha oe friends and fam.
Talk tomorrow.
Manny

Surf Haiku: Night Waves

Under bright moonlight

Waves crash illuminated.

Dare to paddle out.

                         -Manny Aloha

Maybe I'll become a teacher

Art of the Day #1

"Urchins" Original painting. 

Acrylic on up-cycled wood table top. 47 1/2 in. x 29 3/4 in.

Starting bid: $600 (Shipping not included) 

Last bid:12:00 am Wed. March 9, 2011 Hawaiian Standard Time

mannyaloha@gmail.com

Once upon a time in Brooklyn

Tales of a Honolulu Homeboy- Waimea Bay 3/06/11

First Pulled Kickflip for Volcom Contest

Controversial Cabinet Drawings

Vandalism or art? These are the cabinet drawings of Hayden Jackson- son of Manny Aloha. Mom thinks  its sloppy yet he takes after the artist he was named after. Dad is stoked and disagrees with mom thinking the work is closer to the likes of Cy Twombly, and understands a buffing will happen at some point. Even the best graffiti gets buffed. Especially when you break graf rule number one, don't tag too close to home let alone in your home.  But we'll cut Hayden some slack. He is after all only 18 months old.

Upon asking Hayden what he had to say, he put his head down and gave us his Danzig impersonation and taped his mouth exercising his right to remain silent, however we know there was some serious contemplation going on in that brain.

Dad decided to go on top of the nearest mountain to gain new perspective. Photos by Marisa Star of the Sea.

Manny Aloha Signing off til tomorrow.

Artist Check Out: Eric Lindveit

http://elindveit.wordpress.com/

Check this link: http://ps1.org/studio-visit/artist/eric-lindveit

This is the work of my friend and past boss, Eric Lindveit. Usually when you think of a boss, you think, A-hole or something negative. With E.L. this was not the case. He taught me how to work with precision, and the concept of being hyper-aware. But more importantly the man is an inspiration. If the digital documentation doesn't do his work justice, all I have to say is I hope you get to see this work in person. It is truly phenomenal. His work in short are enlarged tree zoom-ins made with materials such as acrylic, burlap, paper, sawdust... And no matter how close you get, the realness gets more real. 

This work is in its own realm.

Look for the photo of his studio and you can get an idea of the size of most of these pieces (about the size of a bed mattress)

Investigate this guy, and if you live in New York, track his work down if you want to have your mind blown.

Wednesday Whale Watchin' Haiku and other creations

Watching whales blow mist.
Waves are small, better go work
and spend time with the wife.

Tikis

Surf Life