Stab Magazine | A Nostalgic Photo Exhibit From Two Iconic Surf Documentarians

'Vacation Presented By Monster Energy' Is Live Now

153 Views

A Nostalgic Photo Exhibit From Two Iconic Surf Documentarians

Art Brewer and Jeff Divine reveal their favorite surf+cultural moments in an LA showcase.

style // Oct 4, 2019
Words by Stab
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Art Brewer and Jeff Divine. The two were the premiere documentarians during arguably the most interesting and most hazy time in surfing. With non-digital cameras they brought the culture to life on the pages of Surfer Magazine from the ‘70s onward. 

When Surfer’s original photo editor and savant, Ron Stoner, went walkabout and literally fell off the map, publisher/editor John Severson called in Art to fill the void. (Stoner began to struggle with mental health issues in the early ‘70s, was filed as a ‘missing person’ in 1977 and finally declared dead in 1996…but that’s another story.) Art was shooting bits and pieces of surfy stuff in Laguna Beach at the time and was lured in by Severson’s promise of a steady paycheck. Divine began his surfing and shooting careers in La Jolla before landing at Surfer.

They’re a bit like the odd couple of surf photography. Art is a big, grizzly bear kind of guy whose photo assistant once printed tee shirts that read, “Art Brewer hates me.” Very apropos for those who have ever been late on an invoice. Jeff has more of an “aw shucks” way about him and goes more with the flow. 

Their respective archives are vast and deep. From Lightning Bolts to Bunker, Laird to Kelly, not only have they shot everybody everywhere, but they got the nitty gritty stories to go with the images. 

“Landing in London, Bunker knew that Steve Miller and his band was over there,” recalled Art when Stab sat down with him to talk all things Bunker Spreckels. “Steve was a friend of his from L.A., and Pink Floyd was playing with him out in the countryside at this music festival. So, we took a limo out there and visited with Steve as he was doing his sound check. The guys from Pink Floyd were hanging around. It was a good start to the trip, but also a good indication that things might get weird.”

Get weird indeed. Art’s trip to South Africa with Bunker was soon to become the stuff of legend.

Jeff didn’t get quite as lost in the gonzo surf travel, but he did his time. He’s spent nearly 40 winters on the North Shore. Spanning decades and generations, after he left Surfer he served time as the Photo Editor for The Surfer’s Journal.

One time, somewhere around 2012, a big-wave rider from Hawaii rang him and had some shots he wanted to run in the mag. The photos of were of the surfer going left at Waimea. He wanted to get two or three spreads out of the shots. Somewhat unimpressed, Divine was willing to give him a spread, so the surfer decided to shop the photos around to other publications. 

“I’ve got shots of Booby Jones going left at Waimea from ’78, that’s nothing new,” he chided. 

The point of this ramble is that Brewer and Divine have a photography show together at Alchemy Works in Los Angeles. The show’s opening and reception is on October 3rd at 7pm. If you’re in the area, you should go. The photos won’t fail to inspire and wish you were a surfer in the ’70s…and you can probably ply a story or two out of the two old GOATS.

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

6:33

A Six-Minute Look At Shipstern’s Dangers And Delights

16-year-old Ned Hart begins his painful internship.

Apr 1, 2023

Authentic Brands Group Buys Boardriders For An Estimated $1.3 Billion 

Quiksilver, Billabong, and RVCA join Volcom under the same umbrella. What does that mean for…

Mar 31, 2023

6:57

There’s No Such Thing As An Unremarkable Hawaiian Winter

Allow the O'Neill team to explain.

Mar 31, 2023

24:37

Watch: ‘Vacation’ Presented By Monster Energy

Stab Highway winners visit Kandui Resort.

Mar 30, 2023

The Stab Interview: Shaun Manners

On signing with Former, landing the cover of Surfing World and TSJ, his Cult of…

Mar 30, 2023

6:59

Why You Should Never Not Paddle Out

How an impromptu 30 minute session made a Jamaican surfer $1,000 richer.

Mar 30, 2023

9:38

“I’ve Had Two Concussions Surfing Here”

Chronicles of a Newport shore-hound.

Mar 29, 2023

Rio Waida Has Been Surfing Onshore, Oversized Bells Alone

...and he might not go home all year.

Mar 29, 2023

18:19

John Florence Releases Long-Form Piece On The 243km Great Ocean Squiggle

Tourism Victoria going, ‘he just did our job for us’.

Mar 29, 2023

7:01

Japanese Rice Farmer Enjoys Frightening Sumatran West Bowls

Kaito Ohashi is on his best behavior.

Mar 28, 2023

Watch: When People Like This Speak, We Listen

Raw, extended conversations with Clyde Aikau and Eddie Aikau winner Luke Shepardson.

Mar 28, 2023

6:20

Diamond Tail = Diamond Hands?

We'll explain everything in the Rusty D-Min Joyride.

Mar 27, 2023

Behold Australia’s Nine & NZ’s Two Challenger Series Qualifiers*

May the Southern Cross smile upon you at Snapper.

Mar 27, 2023

An Unordinary Life Structured Around A Tidal Bore

Long Read: The life and times of Pete Beachy.

Mar 26, 2023

17:08

Watch: ‘Haiku’

Scenes From a Remote Reality, by Vans & Karina Rozunko

Mar 25, 2023

Sun Room: The Overnight Success Of A Young Surf Band

What's it like touring the world and living off of McDonald's?

Mar 25, 2023

How Surfers Get Paid, Episode 6

An instructional manual for the modern professional surfer

Mar 23, 2023

7:03

Caity Simmers — Extreme Competitive Surf Vlogger

Cool is chemical.

Mar 23, 2023
Advertisement