Billabong art of shaping 2010

The Billabong art of shaping happened over the weekend. Its a really interesting concept and was located in Orange County this year:




"Billabong USA is proud to announce the third annual “Billabong Art of Shaping Orange County Edition Event” August 13th at the ASR Action Sports Retailer Trade Show and August 14th at the Sacred Craft consumer surfboard expo which both run concurrently at the San Diego Convention Center.

This years’ “Billabong Art of Shaping: Orange County Edition” event will feature many of the top shapers from the hotbed of the Orange county surfing community. The finalized list of invitees includes Robert August, Matt Biolos, Steve Boehne, Bob “The Greek” Bolen, Lance Collins, Richard Harbour, Roger Hinds, Bob Hurley, Bruce Jones, Jeff “Doc” Lausch, Terry Martin, Mickey Munoz, Timmy Patterson, Ed Sakal, Peter Schroff, Terry Senate, Cole Simler, Tim Stamps, Bill Stewart, Shawn Stussy, Jeff Timpone and Barry Vandermeulen.

Orange County is well known for forward thinking creative shapers with a long heritage from the likes of Dale Velzy and Hobie Alter in the 50’s and 60’s through the radical 70’s, punk rock 80’s and into the present. Names like Rich Harbour, Robert August, Bob “The Greek” Bolen, Terry Martin, Mickey Munoz, Billy Stewart and Steve Boehne paved the way for Shawn Stussy, Lance Collins, Peter Schroff, Jeff Timpone, Bob Hurley and “Doc” in HB while Matt Biolas, Cole Simler, Timmy Patterson and Terry Senate hold court in south county. Meanwhile craftsmen like Roger Hinds, Bruce Jones, Ed Sakal, Tim Stamps and Barry V have stealthily done their thing.

The intention of Billabong’s 2010 Art of Shaping Orange County Edition Event is to showcase and pay tribute to Orange County shapers and their invaluable accomplishments and contributions to the art of surfboard building over the last five decades. Close examination of the list of invitees will reveal shapers from each decade that collectively have established the reputation of Orange County as a “hotbed of innovative surfboard design, development and forward thinking.” 

The Concept
The concept of the “Billabong Art of Shaping Event” is simple; it is a venue to showcase the talent of Orange County surfboard shapers and craftsmen by allowing them to build boards that highlight their particular contribution or influence on the evolution of the surfboard over a particular span in time. Shapers are invited and encouraged “to create a board representing the era, style, or shape they are best known for or relate to”; whatever best motivates their creativity and talent.

The shapers entry is then placed on display at the ASR trade show and the Sacred Craft consumer surfboard expo along with full sized images of the shaper himself and a profile that includes information on the board he chose to build, his company or label, and his shaping history or career.


How it Works
All invited shapers receive a check from Billabong for $600 to be used towards materials. The shapers are then free to submit whatever type of board they choose; knowing they will be in friendly competition with their peers to win bragging rights of winning the “Billabong Art of Shaping Event”, along with a check from Billabong for $2,000. The first runner up will receive a free full page ads in SURFING Magazine’s “Board Builder’s Issue” featuring his boards and label. The second runner up will receive a free full page ad in SURFER Magazine’s “Board Builder’s Issue” featuring his boards and label.

As the “Billabong Art of Shaping Event” is a charity event, the winner of the competition is the shaper of the board that brings in the highest auction price and thus becomes the largest single donor to the Billabong Art of Shaping Beneficiary; The SIMA Humanitarian Fund Grant Recipients which includes Keep a Breast, Boarding for Breast Cancer, Surfer’s Healing, Jimmy Miller Foundation, AccesSurf Hawaii, Mauli Ola Foundation, Best Day Foundation, Outdoor Outreach, Stoked Mentoring, Life Rolls On, Project Wipeout, Surf Aid International and Sumba Foundation.