VEFA Gallery – The Art of Surf: The Inaugural Exhibition of VEFA Gallery November 9, 2024 - January 4, 2025 By Artist, Writer and Contributor Lynne La Fleur

Walking into VEFA Gallery and meeting the Anderson family is to become enfolded into a world of art, their enthusiasm for what they have diligently created and reshaped, and their passion for philanthropic endeavors that serve their community.  I was fortunate to arrive just as Kath Anderson was beginning a tour of the exhibition, so I happily tagged along.

The Art of Surf - each space is an environment in itself, showcasing the works of 9 Artists who bring together an homage to the local surf/skate culture of the past and its evolution today.  And where best to start than with an image of the iconic poster designed by John Van Hamersveld for Bruce Brown’s 1966 film The Endless Summer with a surfboard to match by Dennis Jarvis - we’re drawn into a world of paint, epoxy and resin in search of the Perfect Wave.

Dennis Jarvis is one of the 10 most influential surfboard shapers in the country.  A master of epoxy, Dennis put Redondo, Hermosa and Manhattan Beaches on the map when he started SPYDER surf boards.

Risk (Risky) Rock is a well-known LA-based graffiti artist.  A graduate from USC with a degree in fine art, big surf culture has had a huge influence on his art.  His Buddha boards and Locos Only are an iconic feature of the exhibit.

David Krovblit – is a Canadian visual artist based in Southern California. An award-winning commercial photographer, he now specializing in analog collage, mixed media and resins.

Jud Hogan – a photographer based in Redondo Beach, he uses dye sublimation on aluminum creates the effect of luminosity in each wave.

Debbie Daniels - exquisite oil paintings of the foam and rush of ocean waves of the Pacific Northwest capture movement in time.

HTJ - Polynesian graffiti artist using the totem and cultural symbolism to deconstruct the reefs of Teahupo’o.

Ben Thouard – an award-winning sports photographer, his obsession with surfing and photography propelled him to become the main photographer at the Paris Summer Olympics in Tahiti.

Walter Erra Hubert a classically trained artist based here and in Rome, he specializes in using resin over watercolor on canvas, creating surreal images of both power and contemplation.

JDT (John DeTemple) – The Immersion Room merges time and visual space using lenticular printing for his immersive installations to bring the viewer into another world enveloped by sights and sounds.

Joseph Anderson’s life-long passion for art, culture and community is the driving force that expresses VEFA’s mission and philanthropic endeavors.  His entire family has been involved with bringing the dream to reality - Kath, Gabe, Joey, and George.  Gallery Director Jonathan Anderson reflects on their mission statement: Making the world a better place one wall at a time by using the platform of an art gallery to shine a light on meaningful causes and worthwhile ventures.

To that purpose, in complete harmony with the philosophy at VEFA Gallery, the Anderson Family is thrilled to be the first US partner with Coral Gardeners which is the largest and most successful reforestation of coral reefs in the world – This amazing story begins with Titouan Bernicot, founder and CEO of CG, which he conceived as a young teen in his native Moorea, French Polynesia, with a determination to save the reefs he loves by harvesting healthy baby corals, tending their growth to triple or quadruple their size and replanting them to rehabilitate the reef.  His mission is to revolutionize ocean conservation and to create a global movement to save the world’s coral reefs – www.coralgardeners.com for more information.

December 15th marks the Greg Browning fundraiser and silent auction for selected surfboards on display.  Jonathan explains, “The whole surf community has come together. Dennis Jarvis shaped the boards and each artist did their own treatment.  We’re hoping to gather 3,000 still film frames drawn and colored by our local community during the event.  All the images come from John DeTemple’s documentary film of Greg’s life surfing the Big waves he is known for.  All proceeds go to help with end-of-life care for Greg who was diagnosed with ALS this year.”

VEFA Gallery is a contemporary art gallery bringing global artistic discourse to Southern California.  Our mission is to bring together artists from as wide a range of perspectives as possible around a topic that is relevant today.

VEFA Gallery is located at 21825 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance, CA  90503

Wednesday – Sunday 12 to 6pm and by appointment.



Lynne LaFleur attended Malaga Cove School, Lunada Bay Elementary, and Chadwick School, received her BFA from Pratt Art Institute in Brooklyn and has lived in New York City, Colorado and Northern California before returning to Palos Verdes in the late 1980s.

For more information, please contact Lynne at “lynnelf1@gmail.com”- The Centennial Celebration poster and all the individual illustrations (both as fine art giclée prints and as educational posters) are available for purchase from her website: www.lynnelafleur.com   Facebook: LynneLaFleurArtist   Instagram: “lynnelf1”


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