If Matisse or Picasso had grown up surfing, golfing and living in Southern California, they may likely have turned out a lot like Robb Havassy.

A native of Southern California, artist, designer and author, Havassy is best known as one of the surf cultures more prolific and prominent creative forces. His paintings and design collaborations with many of the surf and skate culture's most iconic brands, along with his own signature apparel and sandal line have solidified his reputation as both artist and entrepreneur. His creation, curation and production of the "Surf Story Project," a massive multimedia showcase of surf art and stories, is is largely responsible for collecting, connecting and celebrating the vast population of creatives in the surf culture and amplifying their collective "voice" in the broader world of art and culture.

Next Magazine Cover & story, 2001

In Indo with painted board

First Havassy Collection. spring 2012

Barreled at HT's in Indo

 
Robb painting NY Kiss board

RH test driving his "artist model"
5' 8" at home in Newport Beach
 

Havassy's art is as eclectic as his tastes and his fan base is subsequently equally as broad. A deep passion for nature, people, beauty, food, sport and life in general, show in his larger body of work and are a direct reflection of those interests. Highly regarded not only for his surf inspired art, Havassy's the acclaim for Havassy's figurative work, abstracts, landscapes, portraits and murals is also extensive. His love of food and cooking has also created a following of foodies who await new recipes on his Facebook blog and website. An avid golfer as well, Havassy's is renown for a series of iconic golf paintings featuring legends Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer as well as the famed Pebble Beach for the AT&T Pro AM, La Quinta Resort and various courses around the world.

RH and Daughter Marin, Fall 2010

Havassy with Vol.1 of the legendary
"SURF STORY" book

Setting up for the Evolution Art show

In 2011 Havassy's own signature apparel and sandal line blossomed into an opportunity to take his vision International. It was at that time that Havassy was invited to China to showcase an art and surf inspired men's and women's apparel line at the Spring Fashion shows. "It was a neat opportunity that I couldn't turn down. It was also n awakening of sorts because I realized what was at stake. I didn't want to limit myself to role of designer, which would have happened if I decided to launch an entire line men's and women's line. I would have had to give up so much of my own art and projects. I decided to approach it more as an exhibition of sorts, to introduce my art and the surf culture to the people of China. They ate it up and I had a great time, but the role of designer is a full time job and I had too many things on my plate to go 'all in' and go into full production."

Surfing while CA burns
 

Havassy Eco/Art sandal line

RH hand painted surfboards

As curator, author and publisher of "SURF STORY," a multi-media, grass-roots movement of creative and iconic surfer/artists, he responsible for bringing together and producing the largest collection of surf art and surf stories ever assembled." Surf Story brings together and features the creativity, art and surf stories of over 200 iconic and celebrated surfers and artists from the culture of surfing, celebrating a vast array of the eclectic culture that is surfing. It Includes not only fine artists, but also writers, film makers, entrepreneurs, architects, musicians, shapers and photographers. Havassy published SURF STORY Vol. 1 in 2008, an enormous and incomparable 440 page coffee table book as the first installment of the project. Vol.2 and possibly Vol.3 will follow, which will bring an additional 115 or more creatives into the fold. The Surf Story Project includes not only books, but video interviews, installations, and blogs which Havassy hopes will continue to evolve and connect the broad base of creatives within the surf culture, giving greater resonance and significance to their voice in the years to come.
 

Havassy featured in OC mag, 2009

Since beginning his art career in the late 90's he has created and shown more than 2000 paintings and drawings at exhibitions all over the world and has worked with dozens of amazing philanthropies and commercial brands worldwide. "I have lived an amazing life and feel very blessed with all I've accomplished. I grew up in a world of opportunity that just doesn't exist today, so one of my greatest passions is to give back and try to make the world a better place for our children to grow up in. I want to leave them a world in which they will thrive like we did and help perpetuate art in their lives." Part of that philosophy includes philanthropy and he has balanced his commercial success with a devotion to social and environmental concerns. Over the past two decades Havassy has helped raise more than $200,000 in philanthropic contributions with his continuing support of and collaboration with the Surfrider Foundation, Heal the Bay, Surf Aid International, numerous wildlife preservation groups as well as dozens of other domestic and international non-profit organizations.

In 2013, Havassy and his wife, daughter and two wolves moved from Southern California to Costa Rica. In addition to making art and building a cafe, art gallery and art school in Costa Rica, he is currently furthering the development of the "SURF STORY Project," which includes more books, a motion TV series and feature film. Havassy spends his days balancing his family and personal life with life as an artist, author and producer. When not painting, designing, teaching art, or cooking, Havassy can be found spending time with family and friends, surfing, golfing , listening to music, eating great food and just plain living the "Pura vida."