The Tofino COLLECTIVE

The Collective Presents: A Shoestring Budget Production

Video by Arran Jackson

Tofino Brew Co. Anniversary from Shoestring Budget on Vimeo.

Last weekend Adelaide and I were down at the beach covering the Rip Curl Pro for SBC Surf. I managed to over-dress because the weather was balls when I woke up. I had a difficult time becoming motivated that morning because of my attendance at a kegger the night before. Unfortunately, I had thrown caution to the wind and used a 40oz beer stein (a gift from my sister) as my vessel of choice. Whoops. As you can see, I was wearing a hoody, a jacket, I brought an umbrella, and then I also brought two types of glasses.

It was fun because I got to see a bunch of my friends and I talked to various competitors. This is me looking at Asia Dryden as he heads out to his longboard final. I was hoping Hanna would beat Leah, but alas, it was not to be. Adelaide and I had a long conversation about my headache and why she doesn’t use a camera strap. I said that The Sartorialist uses one and she did her laugh that says you’re being stupid but amusing. True. You can see more of her contest photos here, and watch for our piece in the upcoming issue of SBC Surf.

Photos: Adelaide Utman

Words: db

Tofino Brewing Company Brew-b-q

Two-hundred fifty tickets sold out in something like a single day. My own was tucked in my back pocket as I watched a good man come to the realization that he’d waited a moment too long. You could see the pit of his stomach drop right out in disappointment and it brought a tear to my eye. It was to be the first real party of the summer, a party for the cogs of west coast: the boozers, the resort kids, the restaurant punks, and everyone else whose trembling hands lift Tofino back to its feet each morning.  

Arriving at the gates, I was greeted with piles of bikes in various stages of rusting decrepitude. I hid mine a little apart from the rest, knowing full well that a drunk in search of swift two-wheeled momentum will happily commit theft in lieu of courtesy. It was to be the last sober decision I made before being marshalled into a long gravel parking lot bounded by a rock wall to the right and the Tofino Brewing Company to the left. In my hand was a tiny plastic cup containing two drink tickets. I passed out a few high-fives and joined one of two beer lines. 

                        

While lesser men complained about the diminutive size of the glastic-ware, I doled out some hard-earned knowledge having met these little bastards at Beer-Fest last fall. For me, the sneaky power of the little cup is its ability to fool the mind into believing that becoming drunk is impossible while rapidly feeding the body 1/3 pint shots of beer one after another. And it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to get his hands on two cups (“this one’s for my wife”) and then get back in line so that by the time the beer is gone the glasses are full again. The result speaks for itself.

                        

Boy, was it a party of lines. A short one to get in, two longer ones for beer, and one whose end promised heaping barbequed pork tacos. I’m no symbologist, but I couldn’t help but notice that the configuration of all these queues formed a peace sign if looked down upon from above. Coincidence? I don’t think so. While line-ups generally spawn annoyance and even flashes of unaccountable frustration, these ones brimmed with good cheer as drunks alternated between the food and drink. Even Brewmaster Dave was lining up to pay for little glasses of his beer with drink tickets like the rest of us schmoes, and he didn’t seem to mind a bit.

Something like halfway through it all, Bryan O’Malley stepped up and made a great speech about “how none of this would be possible without all of you”. That was the gist of it anyway; I had waited in line for the outhouse and was otherwise indisposed. The band, Dirt Country, got playing pretty soon after that, and as the dust rose from all the dancing feet I got a good feeling that this day, whatever day it was, would be looked back upon as a distinct moment in Tofino’s storied history. We can only hope that the future will look back on the fading photographs of this celebration with a smile at how wild and unkempt and loaded we managed to get over the success of our very own brewery.

                         

Words: Drew Burke

Photographs: Graeme O

The People We Love

                                                            MALCOLM JOHNSON

Digging back into my memories of the last decade, I can remember the first time I met Malcolm Johnson. I think it was near Incinerator Rock because there were sun-bleached logs and beach grass, and I was checking the surf as he headed out with a shortboard covered rail to rail in handwriting. As a man of letters I took note of this bit of writerly flash. Some years have passed since the two of us officially sat down face-to-face for a civil coffee during that fateful Coldwater Classic when Pete hoisted the flag high. Since then we’ve had a couple surfs, a few beers, and once we even ended up working together in the float-planed wilderness of Clayoquot Lake. So while I do know this man, there’s still a whole bunch of stuff that I’ve been curious about for a while and I decided, “Hey, why not start sending Malcolm emails where I ask him questions?” He kept on answering, Adelaide went over and shot some photos while he was trying to drink his morning coffee, and BAM! it’s an interview. _db

Drew: What kind(s) of writing have you been doing lately? You’re probably best known as the editor of SBC Surf magazine, but what other stuff have you been working on over the past few months?

Malcolm: I’ve been doing few pieces for Coast Mountain Culture, the new magazine that Mike Berard from The Ski Journal is editing, and also a few for The Surfer’s Journal. My work for SBC Surf is an ongoing thing—I don’t write much for it, but a lot of the feel and direction of the magazine comes from Jeremy Koreski and I and how we view surf culture. Aside from that, in the last few years I stepped back from writing, mostly because I felt that my thinking wasn’t really mature enough to produce the level of work that I wanted to be putting out. But I’m feeling a lot more settled lately, and I’ve been really enjoying writing again and feeling like my foundation is a lot stronger now. I’ve been working on a set of short essays that will hopefully end up in some sort of book form. That’s the thing that’s really been pulling at me lately, the need to produce something longer, more substantial and more heartfelt than the work I’ve done in the past.

Do you find yourself drawn towards a longer more cohesive book-length project after working in magazines for so long?

I think it’s just a desire to progress what I’m doing, and to have something out there that represents how I’m seeing the world these days. If I ever see things I wrote a few years ago, or when I first moved to Tofino, it makes me cringe a bit, because my take on things is so different now than it was then. And I also want to do something that’s inspiring and worthy as a piece of art. You can get bits and pieces of that into magazine stories, but to do it well I think you have to develop your work in a deeper and longer way.

I’m interested to hear your take on the current state of affairs in the surf industry as far as media goes. There seems to be a widening gap between quality stuff like The Surfer’s Journal and the other Maxim-esque surf rags.

…

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Oh. Hey.

I know what you’re thinking: “Where did they go? What’s up with this blog? What the fuck is going on around here?”  The short answer is nothing, it was winter. In spite of this, we have been busy and we’ve been working on lots of stuff that you’ll hopefully like. But before just jumping back into it, I feel like we need to do this right. So, hello. How are you? It was awfully shitty for a while, wasn’t it? I hope you found some sunshine or made peace with the rain or snow or whatever. As for us, Adelaide found herself way out east where she tapped some maples, skated some canals, and wrestled the fashion beast from Tribeca on down to the Lower East Side. Now she’s back with plenty of inspiration and ideas for Collective projects to come, and you’ll probably see her taking photos and filming around town as part of Bride Shooter. Jonny held down the fort at Storm, managing to escape the rain for a solo trip to Indonesia and a quick stint in Mexico before coming back to get his Tofino Surf Map ready in time for summer. Aside from being up at the crack of dawn to surf every morning, Jen’s been up to her usual top secret projects. I do have clearance to divulge info that she’s working with Nitro Snowboards as a garment tech and Outdoor Research where she’s been designing an accessory line. Zina the intern was down in Victoria getting straight A’s, playing music, and abusing the Scandinavian movies section at Yo Video in Oak Bay. And as for me, I spent my winter in Tofino except for a balmy sojourn to Indo where I met a guy named Typhoid Fever who tried to kill me. I triumphed, and since then I’ve been writing, working in the shop with Jonny, and doing enough surfing to keep me happy and healthy as the world rolls on towards summer. We’re sorry we left you, but now we’re back so keep an eye on us because we’re in it for the fun of it. No shit. _db

THE PEOPLE WE LOVE

                                                         KAYLEY-RAE SMITH

Recently Adelaide put Kayley-Rae Smith into a 1950s Royal Spartanette trailer for this fashion meets mid-century modern project affectionately dubbed the TEXAS shoot. Originally from Salt Spring Island, Kayley-Rae is the kind of girl that we love here at The COLLECTIVE. Just in case these photos give you the impression that she’s just another pretty face, I can assure you that this girls got grit, and her artistic chops and captivating personality set her well apart. Word on the street is that she’s down visiting the ‘Merica these days, but as with most mysterious women, we’re not entirely sure where she is. A few years back, she appeared in The Roundabout alongside photo’s of her Posca pen brillance, and surfboards remain an integral part of her artistry. But the “Cut ‘n Paste Queen” doesn’t confine herself to a single canvas, and I suggest that you zero in on her blog n-v-n-c.blogspot.com for a look at the creativity firing the mind of Ms. Smith.

_db

The TEASER by Adelaide

                   

TEXAS from Adelaide Utman on Vimeo.

The PHOTOS by Adelaide

Photo: adelaideutman.com

Styling: Jen Thorpe

Hair: Tanya Berger [Studio One]

Apparel: Storm Surf Shop (special thanks Jen and Allister Fernie)

Hanna Scott: 2011 Queen of the Peak

This past weekend Tofino was host to the 2nd Annual Queen of the Peak women’s surf contest. The conditions were ideal and Hanna won both the shortboard and longboard events! Not only does she rip, but she’s humble. We’re proud of you Hanna, way to go! Check out her photos, interview, and music below if you haven’t already.

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The COLLECTIVE Is

It’s hard to define something at such an early stage, so what if we just talk about what we’re up to instead of getting right down to what we are. This week Jen’s been busy with garment sketches and technical specs for some Vancouver clients, and her Seen: On the Village Green stylepost is up today. Jonny’s been playing lots of music lately, and last weekend he interviewed musician and late-night fixture Jesse Deslippe over a few Sunday Caesars. Adelaide is putting the polish on a photo shoot featuring Kayley-Rae Smith, and is preparing a jewellery shoot with Lisa Fletcher. And myself? Plenty of loose ends and a backburner loaded with simmering pots. Just in case we’re getting a little fashionable for you, I’m working on a toaster-oven-and-hotplate cooking show to help dirtbag things up a bit. Bryan’s Bold Flavours promises to bring you après-Legion recipes that are BIG on flavour.

As ever, we love hearing from you so keep the emails coming. Introduce yourself, point us to an artist, tell us what you think, and help us keep this wee project going: tofinocollective@gmail.com

_db

Seen: On the Village Green

This section will act as a platform for all things visually enticing, capturing images that inspire us in our day-to-day lives.  From what people are wearing on the beach to how they live at home, Seen celebrates true west coast style.

Remember when you reluctantly let Jen and Adelaide take your photo for the blog hoping it would never be posted?  Well here they are!  Deemed the cream of the crop, you’re part of our Summer Weekend Seen post!

_Jen

Photos: Adelaide Utman

Zina Live @ The Well

                                    

Hey dudes (and dudettes too), plan on being in Victoria next Thursday? Zina’s going to be playing a show alongside some other awesome talent at The Well. It’s only 6 bucks (a bargain , really). She comes highly recommended, so head over if you’re in her neck of the (not) woods. Check out her music a few posts down.

The Well. Thursday, October 20. 7:00pm.

Photo by Nora Boileau-Morrison

OUR BIG IDEA

Tofino is a place that gets into the marrow of your very bones, and the positive creativity gathered in this little enclave has resulted in a community of motivated and uniquely-talented people. The Tofino COLLECTIVE is a group of like-minded friends who are dead set on doing what we love and bringing the myriad imaginations of this place together. We’re all independent upstarts working on the fringe and trying to make a fulltime go of it, and we envision the COLLECTIVE as a malleable forum for showcasing our abilities and bringing multiple artists together to work on projects that transcend singular creative mediums. The concept? To produce pieces that unite artistic forms in provocative and inspiring ways, and to have a hell of a good time doing it. Find us, we’ll be here: thetofinocollective.com

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THE THINGS WE DO

                   

Studio One from Adelaide Utman on Vimeo.

The ladies of Studio One Aveda Concept Salon are a treat. Not only are they true masters of their craft, but they smell incredible and make delicious tea too. In a moment of divine inspiration, we decided to merge what they do with where they do it, and *voila* we had ourselves a photo shoot. This is a behind-the-scenes flick from our day at the beach. We think you’re going to love these girls as much as we do.

_db

Video by jeremykoreski.com Editing by adelaideutman.com.

THE PEOPLE WE LOVE

                                                                   HANNA SCOTT

When we first ran into Hanna Scott it was evident that she’s a spirited creature who radiates…well, merriment. The girl smiles, she laughs, she’s fun, and she’s charming. Having grown up on the west coast of Canada, Hanna is a lover of the ocean and of all things surf and sandy. Her talents in the water have landed her sponsorships with Storm Surf Shop, Vans, Roxy, and Dakine - and she’s a surf instructor to boot. Back when our little peninsula was still shivering with the chills of early spring, Hanna agreed to take to the beach for a sunshine photo shoot.

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 The TEASER by Adelaide          

1992 from Adelaide Utman on Vimeo.

The PHOTOS by Adelaide

Photos: adelaideutman.com

Hair: Tanya Berger [Studio One]

Styling: Jen Thorpe

Apparel: Storm Surf Shop

                          

The INTERVIEW by Zina

Zina: So first off, tell me about your haircut.

Hanna:  What’s that supposed to mean! [laughs] That’s a good one. Oh my god it’s recording…Well, I have a LOT of hair, so I went somewhere warm and it was too hot so I cut it off. [more laughs] And then I went somewhere warm again, so I cut it off again. And here we are (holds out a short bit), it’s only about an inch long in certain places…

Z: Where’d you go?

H: I went to Central America, mostly in El Salvador.  I was going to an art school there, and it was really fun, but I only went for about four months of it ‘cause then I went off to Mexico to surf, and had to leave school. Then I went to Indonesia, and it was really hot there as well, so I had to cut my hair again…but we’re not talking about my hair anymore anyway.

Z: Can you describe the best and most memorable year of your life in five words?

H: 2010, so much water in my brain. [laughs] No, that doesn’t work: Water, coffee, Spanish, surfboards, skateboards.

Z: Tell me about your tattoos.

H: Oh my gosh. Well, I have an eyeball right there [points at her ankle] and that was the first tattoo I got. I just think eyes are very, very cool. Everyone’s eyes. And I have “Beans” written on my foot. I think beans are pretty important. Definitely to eat: Lots of protein in them and there’s lots of fibre. And also, your beans are like your friends and family. I have an elephant on my leg and his name is Hedus and he’s a wanderer. And I have a carrot on my arm. Also highly nutritious, just as nutritious as beans. Some say, if you eat too many carrots, you turn orange. I don’t know if I believe that, but this carrot happened in 2010.

Z: What’s it like working at Surf Sister?

H: It’s very fun, and it’s very funny. Also full of coffee. Surf Sister is really cool because all the girls who work there are really great and we have a lot of fun. Also, you’re in the water, which I love.  It’s also very tiring, but very fun.

Z: If you could hang out with anybody in the world, dead or alive, for a day, who would it be?

H: Maybe David Bowie? Maybe a dinosaur or something…or maybe my dog.

The MUSIC by Hanna

Hanna Scott “Lost at Sea” by TofinoCOLLECTIVE

PINT SIZED ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS

DJ Jonny Jenkins is the COLLECTIVE`s very own music guru and the DJ behind up-and-coming Pint Sized Entertainment. Life is better set to music, and it sounds pretty good with Jonny behind the wheels. This is the first of many recommendations to come:

“Lately I have been really digging this new style of slow tempo house music… this is one of the best in the past year.”

                - Jonny Jenkins

Nicolas Jaar • Time For Us by thefaktory