Jul 24
July 24, 2007 (WILMINGTON, NC) - Original artwork on handcrafted surfboards returned to Deluxe restaurant in downtown Wilmington this summer when artist Clark Hipolito unveiled his newest summer art/surf series in June in an exhibition entitled "Surf du Jour," which runs through September. Hipolito, who owns The Art Company in Raleigh, introduced his hand-painted, wood-grain boards last summer for the "Against the Grain" exhibit and auction at Deluxe. That show was a huge success: All of the boards sold, most for well above the asking price, and they were subsequently featured in Waterfront Homes & Design magazine, as well as Line Up Magazine. "Surf du Jour" features artwork and hand-painted woodgrains by Hipolito and his longtime friend and fellow artist Tony Tamsi. The surfboards are shaped by Brian Wynn of Wynn Surfboards in New Jersey, as well as Adam Price and Hunter Ford of Momentum Surfboards with locations on the east and west coasts. Shortly after the show opened in Wilmington, Global Surf News.com featured the one-of-a-kind boards on its website. Since then, Grund Genug, a German international magazine on luxurious living, and Khooligan, a Russian art and lifestyle magazine, have scheduled publication of the boards in upcoming editions. Hipolito, 36, is of Filipino descent and finds inspiration for his boards in both the Polynesian surfing legacy and Asian art. As he told Waterfront Homes & Design, "There's a fine line I'm dancing between invoking classical elements and keeping the design hip." A portion of the proceeds from "Surf du Jour" will go to the Surfrider Foundation, a grassroots, non-profit, environmental organization that works to protect the world's oceans, waves, and beaches through conservation activism, research and education. Deluxe is locate at 114 Market Street, Wilmington, NC. The boards will remain on display through September. For more information on Clark Hipolito, visit www.art-company.com. For directions and more information on Deluxe, visit www.deluxenc.com or call 910- 251-0333.