Former 5x Surfing Champ, Mark Richards & Jay (©photo:Rosenblatt)
On July 20th I got a call from my good friend & local surf icon, Vince Troniec from Spellbinders Surf Shop in Allenhurst, NJ. Vince told me of a last minute visit by former World Champion Surfer, Mark Richard, AKA: “M.R.” scheduled in the shop and he wanted to make sure I didn’t miss it…Thanks Vince!!
M.R. is an icon in surfing, helping to break down doors and pave the wave for what surfing has become today. He’s one of the my favorite old school surfers with a style that has stood the test of time and still inspires me.
Some of the guys in the shop told Mark about my art and I gave him one of my postcards to check out. He paused for a bit to examine it and gave me some really genuine and kind compliments. He proceeded to ask me about my techniques and preferred mediums and signed a classic MR surf poster for me.
I am sure I acted like a total goofball fan despite my attempts to act ‘cool’…but that’s ok, he’s freakin’ M.R! I asked for his blessing for me to do a painting inspired by him, I hope to hear back soon…Fingers crossed! 🙂
