5 June, 2018 5 June, 2018

Artists Corner – Alice.D

Many have compared surfing to painting on a canvas, so perhaps there’s a reason a lot of artists surf (or so many surfers are artists). Today we introduce you to Laurence Garrett the current owner and illustrator for Alice.D. A man passionate about capturing moments, creating good energy & sharing the experience.

Alice.D is a celebration of 60’s psychedelic culture. Their Indigenous plant illustrations appear on locally made t-shirts, tote bags, surf fins & skateboards. Alice.D aims to celebrate local plants & create products with passionate people using more sustainable materials and methods for locally made products.
 
We sat down with Laurence and dug a little deeper, enjoy. 
 

(ZAG) Before we get started, tell us where you surf, what you surf and if you’re goofy or natural?

(Laurence) I surf in Cape Town. My closest breaks being Milnerton and Muizenberg. I currently ride a 5’8 swallow tail. 9’1 Pintail and 9’2 square tail with a 9-inch single fin.

If you think back can you remember your the first piece of art you created?

The first art piece was a portrait of the sun, including a smile and eyes titled ‘tambourine’

What are your favourite mediums & what kind of projects do you like working on?

Pen & ink on vellum (transparent) provides a great surface for scanning in crisp illustrations. I enjoy drawing from nature. Plant illustrations and seascapes have been a recent focus.

Do you have a favourite work of Art?

My favourite artwork is ‘Anotherlightup’ by Faith 47 facing the City of Cape Town. The artwork incorporates a social impact. Every evening the artwork lights up to represent the number of street lights that have been funded for Monwabisi Park Khayelitsha informal settlement.

Tell us a little bit more about your work, something we might not know.

My own work starts from sketchbooks in analog form. Using vellum the final outlines are drawn and scanned. Proceeding to the digital realm the illustration is prepared in Photoshop to meet the screen printer’s requirements.

Any exhibitions planned?

I currently have my illustrations available through www.aliced.co.za and in Cape Town at Oh So Retro store 31 Loop street. The website is managed by me and balances the good times in the water with some post-surf coffee shop admin!

From where, or whom, do you draw your inspiration?

I am inspired by the past (old school) & the current creatives who live a lifestyle focused on the sea. Filmmaker Cyrus Sutton comes to mind as a surfer and artist who promotes a nomadic lifestyle.

Why art, why does it interest you?

Art is within us all and the ability to connect us all. It has the power to communicate across boundaries (be it languages or borders). Art has a privileged past but it is currently being used for upliftment projects (such as the Faith 47 ‘Anotherlightup’).

Dream project? 

A dream project would be to create a space to exhibit products & create events close to the ocean. Inspired by the natural ‘Rolling Wood’ in Muizenberg.

Do you have a favourite artist?

Marti Lund is a current favourite. As a trained fine artist his versatile approach and endless froth has inspired me. Marti has created Maak Boards. Literally making boards (With
professional shapers) that feature the work of artists. I joined in a collaborative effort to paint a board involved in the Maak boards Indiegogo campaign.

***

Know someone whose talent deserves a feature in our Artist’s Corner?
Then drop a mail to sean@zigzag.co.za and put us in touch.

***

Click below for interviews with some of the previous artists we’ve featured:

Clint Sutton
Carol Wood
Donald Brink
Kane Bennewith
Andrew Donaghy
Juliette Goddard Morawski
Mook Lion
Andries Dunn
Fouche Hough
Andrew Berthelson
Leigh Tuckniss
Chris Brehem

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *