Today we’d like to introduce you to Drew Brophy.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I’ve been a professional artist my entire life. I started my career as a surfboard painter and I traveled the world painting surfboards. That led into my being commissioned to create illustrations for other action sports companies for their boards and clothing. And that led me into creating paintings that people started to collect.
Then, I started getting commissions from bands for their album covers and posters (Eddie Vedder, Common Sense, Sublime with Rome, etc.) and from large companies for their spaces (Hard Rock Casino, Google, 3M, Western Digital, etc.) In my early 20’s I made the decision to create a lifestyle of traveling to surf the world’s best waves, while creating art. That has been my main focus since the early 1990’s and I’m happy to say that I made it all happen because I didn’t have a plan B.
When I met my wife Maria, she wanted the same lifestyle that I wanted, so she left the corporate world to be my manager. For the past 20 years we’ve traveled the world with our kids and have had awesome adventures, all funded by my art
Our home base is in San Clemente, CA, where I also have a gallery and studio. I have set up my business so that I can be as mobile as I want to and take off anytime.
Below is my official BIO, which tells more about it.
Here’s my bio:
Drew Brophy’s surf inspired art is best known for its bright colors and an ability to capture the energy and joy of the beach lifestyle. His distinct style has become well recognized and often imitated.
For over thirty years Brophy has worked as a professional artist, while exploring the world painting his iconic waves and suns. This immersion in nature, in some of the most beautiful places on the planet, ignited his imagination where everything is alive and full of energy.
Brophy first became well known in the 1990’s, when he created a new technique to paint his surfboards using Uni Posca Paint Pens. This technique allowed for more creativity and it changed the way surfboards were painted forever. The popularity of this new style exploded overnight. Brophy painted thousands of surfboards in surf towns all over the world. Brophy would share his techniques and always left a supply of paint pens with a local artist who could carry on the stoke.
This explosion of art led to opportunities for more detailed illustrations for emerging products such as skateboards, wakeboards, boogie boards and apparel. Brophy’s art become synonymous with the beach lifestyle, and it became his job to make things look cool.
Brophy’s career continued to grow exponentially, and his custom surfboards refined into fine art masterpieces of foam, fiberglass, and paint. They are commissioned and collected globally. Brophy’s illustration work grew in complexity and expanded into the music, science and tech industries. His work has been featured on magazines covers, in television shows and books, exposing him to an ever-broadening market.
In the past ten years Brophy’s style and medium has taken him into the fine art realm.
His lifelong love of surfing and nature required a deep understanding of meteorology and hydrodynamics. This, paired with new clients in science and tech, birthed a new style in geometry, ancient symbols, and technology. Brophy’s new works examines ideas in physics, mathematics, and energy, celebrating the Universe’s divine design.
Drew Brophy wants to share the message that everything is energy and we are all connected. He strives through his art to remind us that it is a gift to be here in this amazing life. Experience is everything; enjoy every moment. Life is Good.
“Feeling the heartbeat of the planet, the wind, the waves, the heat of the sun; all makes me feel connected to the Universe.” Drew Brophy
Please tell us about your art.
When I’m in the ocean, I can feel the heartbeat of the planet, the wind, the waves, and the heat of the sun, and that makes me feel connected to the Universe. This feeling is what I strive to communicate through my art.
For many years, my love for surf inspired all of my work. But, in the past decade, my study of the waves and weather and energy has led me down a path of studying ancient knowledge. That curiosity has led me to travel to ancient sites all over the world, and the things that I’ve learned have influenced my art significantly. My newer works incorporate sacred geometry, which is a language that describes how everything works in the Universe and how we are all connected.
Before starting a new painting, I first visualize the finished piece in my mind. Then I begin my ideas with loose sketches, and that’s where I discover the best composition and design. I can see it finished before paint even hits the canvas.
My creations move quickly through me, so I enjoy working with a variety of mediums that allow me to paint fast. I get various effects using different tools, brushes and paints. Using many mediums in one painting enables me to get desired colors, light and energy that I strive for in each piece. The medium I use for most of my surf inspired paintings is Uni Posca water-based paint pens and sometimes I will combine that with acrylics.
People are drawn to my vibrant colors and the powerful life force in my paintings. I strive to create movement and positive feelings in my art, because that’s what makes people happy. Through my art, I want to share the message that everything is energy and we are all connected. I want to inspire others to get out into nature and live in the moment, enjoying all that life has to offer.
Given everything that is going on in the world today, do you think the role of artists has changed? How do local, national or international events and issues affect your art?
I don’t get into politics with my art; I choose to paint the things that I love, like surfing and travel. It’s what makes me feel good, and my intention is for people to look at my art and feel happy.
My job as an artist is to articulate how I see the world, and I want to focus on the good stuff. Artists see the world differently. Most people only see what is right in front of them, while artists see everything. It’s our role to show the things that most people would never notice.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
My work can be viewed online at www.drewbrophy.com and store.drewbrophy.com or in person at my gallery:
Brophy Art Gallery & Design Studio, 139 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, CA 92672 (Call for an appointment 949-678-8133)
I have a new book coming out fall 2018 – it tells the story of my first 30 years as an artist, with photos of sketches, paintings and products that I have designed. It can be pre-ordered here: http://store.drewbrophy.com/pre-order-making-waves-a-scrapbook-retrospective-by-drew-brophy/.
Contact Info:
- Address: 139 Avenida Granada
San Clemente, CA 92672 - Website: http://www.drewbrophy.com
- Phone: 949-678-8133
- Email: info@drewbrophy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drewbrophy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrewBrophyArt/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrewBrophy
- Other: http://store.drewbrophy.com/
Image Credit:
The image credits are indicated in the name of each image.
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