2nd Ensenada Art Walk April 2010

On April 3rd,2010 I had the privilege of participating in the 2nd ever Ensenada Art Walk here in downtown Ensenada. Featuring dance, poetry, photography, sculpture, drawing, and painting.

With a good turnout of people I would have to say the event was enjoyed by all and just happened to land during Semana Santa offering many the opportunity to go out on a week night.

The night finished off with live music by a variety of musicians.

Surf Story Project

The depth of the eclectic and creative culture within the surfing community has never been captured, collected and presented to any significant extent. SURF STORY was conceived, collected, edited by Southern Californian surfer, artist and entrepreneur Robb Havassy for exactly this purpose. SURF STORY is a massive collection of art and stories from 88 of surf culture's most influential artists, writers, photographers and iconic figures. Their art and stories are at the heart of one of the most influential, independent and creative cultures in modern times... one that is solely based on LOVE and PASSION... These are the love stories of surfers reflected in their words, art and photography. The surf story is what the whole culture is built on... we all have our own. It doesn't matter who you are or how well or often you surf... great stories just happen... This project is just one large, multi-media view into the tradition. This book and exhibition features the largest collection of surf art and surf stories ever presented. The 444 page hard-cover coffee table book contains more than 200 pieces of surf art and over 150 surf stories from an incredible list of contributors.

Some of the contributors include: Rick Griffin, John Severson, Aaron Chang, Drew Brophy, Gerry Lopez, Rob Machado, Greg Long, Chris Lundy, Mike Doyle, and many more.

Check out www.surfstoryproject.com

Glas contributing artist Jaime Noia

In October of 2008 my good friend Dave Schauber asked if I wanted to get involved with Glas Apparel and Films as a contributing artist. The first project would be a mural in the Bird Rock Surf Shop in La Jolla, California. Soon to follow in January of 2009 I was asked to travel to Orlando, Florida to paint live in their booth at the Surf Expo tradeshow. Since then I have been involved in various projects including a time lapse painting for the Ripple Effect film as well as multiple art shows in Mexico and Panama promoting the brand as well as the film.

Check out their stuff at http://www.glas.com/

Todos Santos Big Wave Event 2010

In late February I got a email from my friend Dave Schauber (Team Manager for Glas Apparel and Films as well as judge for the Todos event) stating that Gary Linden had asked if I would be willing to contribute two pieces as prizes for the contest. One of the pieces would go to the overall winner of the event and the other piece to the winner of the biggest wave ridden in the event.

Six days later and hours of painting time I was looking at two finished (and nearly identical) canvas'.

The event is scheduled to run Sunday Feb.28th, 2010 and is the final stop on the Big Wave World Tour. After the dust settles the points will be tallied to determine who will be the first ever Big Wave World Champ.

An exciting event to be a part of I must extend a warm thanks to Dave Schauber, Gary Linden, and Juan Guillen as well as all of the participants, sponsors, and contributors.

Muchas Gracias y Dios Les Bendiga

Jaime C. Noia

Ojos Del Mar - Bocas Del Toro 2009

Bocas holds so many memories for me it is hard to describe what an impact the place has had on my life. Good and bad I mean. I mean it was here that in 2005 I contracted Lehmaniasis (the flesh eating parasite). It was here that I got one of the best backside barrels of my life. It is also a place where I have seen fist fights on the downtown street broad daylight two days in a row (2003).
Welcome to the Caribbean of Panama my friend.
I started coming to Panama in 2003 at the urging of my now deceased friend Greg Gund. Greg was a pilot and loved to fly around the world in his single engine Cesna. Greg also had a home on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica near Playa Negra. We became friends as I was housesitting his neighbors house on the hill (Redman) in Negra. Anyways Greg knew of my need to renew my visa and explained that he had an apartment in Bocas Del Toro and I could rent his extra room for 10 bucks a night. I agreed and he dropped me off in Bocas showing me the ropes for a day and then took off back to Costa explaining that he would be back in 3 days and I could reenter Costa Rica legally. Over the next three days I scored insane surf with no crowds, met cool people, and basically fell in love with Bocas. I flew back to Costa with Greg, grabbed all my stuff and flew back to Bocas under the agreement that I would rent the apartment for the next couple months while Greg literally flew around the world. Crossing the Atlantic in his single engine plane.
Over the next three years I would come back annually and stay in the apartment, work at my buddy's restaurant, and surf.
I left Bocas in 2005 after an attempted move down didn't work out. A month later I received the bad news that Greg had crashed his plane off the Tamarindo area of Costa Rica passing away with 5 others.
Bocas chapter closed until 2009...
I was back last year and at the urging of good friend Harmodio "Moyo" Barrios I brought artwork along and did a show at the Hotel Las Brisas. It was a good show with little promotion. People were stoked on my stuff, people bought my stuff and I made good contacts with Fidel Ponce and Kyle Lantier (Fox's east coast rep who purchased two pieces).
This year I came down really focused on a show in the city with the back of mind notion of possibly having art leftover to do a show in Bocas when I got there. What turned out as a back of mind notion turned into a succesful reality. First night on the island my buddy John Griffo takes me to dinner at the Ultimo Refugio restaurant on the water. At dinner he introduces me to the owner and the show is on that quickly for Friday night. The next day in the water I tell my buddy Chris (Aqua Lounge) I am doing an art show on Friday and he tells me his girlfriend does art and that she also happens to be Mexican (I find that cool since I live in Mexico).
I meet Estrella the next day and she had actually been at my show last year so things are clicking for a succesful show. I make flyers and get them out wondering what the results would be like. It worked and we had a pretty good showing that Friday night. I sold one piece at the show and four more before I left the island so all in all it was a huge success.
Special thanks to friends Moyo, Gregory, Jose Bocas Surf, Chino Daniel, Chuleta, and Luis Bertone.
Hope you enjoy the pics

Ojos Del Mar - Panama City 2009

Back in January of 2009 I was in Bocas Del Toro to visit old friends, surf and put on an art show. It was during that trip that I first Fidel Ponce.
Fidel is a Panamanean who grew up in one of the roughest cities in all of Central America - Colon. Growing up surfing all over Panama Fidel knows this country like nobody I know except maybe Bolivar Andres.
Fidel broke his back surfing solid surf at Isla Caranero years back and during his recovery learned a lot about business, internet marketing, and water photography. When we met last year I asked him if he had ever shown his work and he said "no". So this year as I began to plan a trip down I contacted him and asked if he might be interested in doing a show in Panama City. He said sure and I started making flyers, doing online promotion for the show, making calls to Panama to my good friend Damian Pinzon who found us a sick location.
Moat Chillout Lounge is a two story restaurant/lounge with a pool inside and everything. Legitimate!!!
When I met up with Fidel in Panama City the first thing he said "theres waves in the Caribbean do you wanna go?" Humm? Let me think about that for a milisecond. Yeah!!! So we were off on the Corredor for a two hour drive in the rain to Colon. From there we pulled up to his buddy's house sitting across from Isla Grande and we quickly had a boatman picking us up from his buddy's dock. Fidel had his water camera with a fish eye lense and although the surf was small I was pumped to be where I was at that very moment.
Looking back I can say I had a great time thanks to Fidel. We took turns shooting shots of each other and surfing in a Caribbean paradise. I will post a couple of the shots Fidel got of me that day so you can see how beautiful it was.
The show went off without a hitch. There were maybe 65 people total all night but not bad for a Monday night. I sold three pieces to friends and took the rest over to Bocas Del Toro the following day for a 2nd showing the following Friday night at the Ultimo Refugio waterfront restaurant on Isla Colon.
Once again must say "Muchas Gracias" to my buddy Fidel Ponce for helping me out and for showing his work. Check out some of his stuff on http://www.panamasurfphotos.org/ or look for him on facebook.

Agua - Art Exhibition in Ensenada, Mexico

“Agua” went down in September of 09 at “La Alcoba” lounge on the beautiful bay front of Ensenada, Mexico.
Local surf artists Ricardo Garcia, Werner Meza, and I got together to display our individual techniques in surf art.
We also featured the Mexico premiere of the latest Glas Apparel and films production “The Ripple Effect” which finished to a round of applause by the crowd.
At the last minute a couple friends hit me up to see if they could display their work.No problem..
Naara Nunez is another local surfer chick who makes cool handmade jewelry made out of Baja seashells. The name of her brand is Baja Sunset. Her boyfriend is 2nd generation Ensenada local Nacho Felix. Nacho is experienced in bodyboarding and longboarding and has competed in Oaxaca representing the Baja team in the Nationals. Nacho’s dad was one of the first surfers in Mexico. Nacho Jr. is a talented paint pen artist.
In total around 100 people came by to check it out and I ended up selling a couple of paintings to friends Mike Adnoff (S.E.A.) and Michael Garcia (lifelong friend) who came down for the show.
Special thanks to: La Alcoba, Guara Bikinis and Surf, Ricardo Garcia Surfboards, and all the people who came out to be part of the event.