California surf culture and art meet in this Mike Shine original. House paint on wood panel. 16" x 20". In Mike's words:

"I paint mostly on found objects, a lot of which do come from the beach. I use a painting treatment that 'weathers' the colors, so that probably adds to that feeling. I like the idea that my pieces have been out drifting around living prior lives before I found them, and I try to keep their character intact, scars and all. The more worn out they look, the better."

Mike Shine remains at the heart of that old school group of extremely talented yet laid back surf/skate artists who have been keeping it real for decades. Mike fashions his highly stylized pieces of artwork on driftwood, found objects, and (of course) his surf shack- the original is in Bolinas, California (approx 30 minutes North of San Francisco) which is not only a handmade, customized environment, but also a site of community activity.

One name on the shingle of famed ad shop, Butler Shine Stern & Partners, Mike Shine is also "a painter who mixes driftwood, reclaimed house paint, Nordic mythology, insomnia, 1970's pop culture, absinthe, Teutonic philosophy, his wife, and woodworking skills leftover from a previous life—to make art that is one part uplifting and two parts disturbing. He lives with his wife and three sons (who are all artists), in a cabin that is an art project in itself, in a small coastal town in Northern California."

 Mike has done installations of his work at venerable institutions like the Museum of Craft and Folk Art, SFMOMA, and Laguna Art Museum.

To learn a little bit more about Mike's artistry and recent projects, visit:

http://www.fecalface.com/SF/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1449&Itemid=99999999

http://www.shinelounge.com/