Clark Hipolito

“Birds of a Feather” Art Exhibition To Open In Wilmington in June

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Featuring hand-crafted and hand-painted surfboards and stringed instruments.

May 17, 2011 (Wilmington, NC) — “Birds of a Feather,” a special exhibition featuring artist Clark Hipolito’s original artwork on handcrafted guitars, ukuleles and surfboards, will open on Friday, June 10, at Deluxe restaurant in downtown Wilmington, NC.

The title of the exhibition, “Birds Of A Feather,” reflects the collaboration between Raleigh, NC-based artist Hipolito, surfboard shaper Will Allison of Wilmington, and luthier Jay Lichty of Tryon – the three North Carolina artists/craftsmen who are creating the surfboards and heirloom quality guitars and ukuleles for the show.

Hipolito, the founder of Art Co Surf in Raleigh, has been well known for several years for his hand-painted, wood-grain surfboards that are inspired by the Polynesian surfing legacy, Asian art, and Hipolito’s love of classic Chris-Craft boats.

In 2008, Hipolito applied his art to a guitar that was subsequently signed by performers at that year’s Bonnaroo Music Festival in Tennessee and auctioned to raise funds for charity. As word of Hipolito’s hand-painted guitar circulated, other musicians commissioned him to paint guitars for them, including Michael Franti of Spearhead and country rock star Mike Gossin of Gloriana.

Through Gossin, Hipolito met Lichty, the 2010 winner of the prestigious Made in the South Award from Garden & Gun magazine who designed and handcrafted Gossin’s custom guitar. After they agreed to collaborate on a show, Hipolito contacted surfboard shaper Will Allison, an East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame inductee (2006) who has hand-shaped boards for clients around the world, including a quiver of surfboards for Jimmy Buffet.

“Will is a legend,” Hipolito said. “He’s been creating surfboards longer than anyone I’ve ever known.”

The three agreed to collaborate on the work that will be seen in the upcoming exhibition.

The opening reception for “Birds Of A Feather” will be held at 8 p.m. on June 10th at Deluxe, 114 Market Street, in downtown Wilmington, with live acoustic music provided by Sai Collins. All three artists will attend. The show will run through the summer.

For more information on the exhibition, go to lichtyguitars.com and click on the “Birds Of A Feather” link. A video on Hipolito’s and Allison’s work is also available on YouTube at http://bit.ly/msT3Q9.

For more information on Clark Hipolito, visit www.artcosurf.com.

About Clark Hipolito

Clark Hipolito is an avid surfer and artist and the founder Art Co Surf, a company and a brand that caters to anyone who has ever loved fine art and the high-energy lifestyle of the surfing culture. Hipolito’s body of art work has been featured on television shows and feature films, including “Sex and the City,” “Dawson’s Creek”, “One Tree Hill,” “Zombieland,” and “The Joneses.” In 2004, the NHL commissioned Hipolito to create a large-scale mixed media installation for the NHL Draft, which was held in Raleigh, NC, that year. Among his many celebrity clients are ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons, Pink, and NFL defensive end Mario Williams. For more information visit www.artcosurf.com.

ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons Buys ArtCo Surf Surfboard

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October 6, 2008 (RALEIGH, NC) – Billy Gibbons, the legendary founder and lead guitarist for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band ZZ Top, recently purchased a hand-painted wood-grain surfboard created by Raleigh, NC-based artist Clark Hipolito of ArtCo Surf.

Gibbons selected “Bullet: Ace In The Hole,” one of ArtCo Surf’s retrofish boards. It features carbon fiber inlay and two glassed-in wooden fins. For the art applied to the hand-shaped board, a playing-card “ace” punctuates a predominately black background, which is dissected by an ArtCo signature wood-grain stripe.

“Originally I was going to keep this board for my personal collection because it was the first board we ever made with carbon fiber inlays,” Hipolito said. “But when I was told Billy Gibbons was interested in it, I pretty much justified in my mind that I had to let him have it. After all, he’s a living legend!”

This isn’t ArtCo Surf’s first celebrity contact for ArtCo Surf. In 2007, Grammy-winning pop star “Pink” (Alecia Moore) commissioned a board for her then-husband Carey Hart’s birthday. This summer, ArtCo Surf’s custom surfboards have caught the eyes of superstar surfers and musicians Donovan Frankenreiter and his surfer bandmates.

ArtCo Surf’s unique wood-grain boards are inspired by Asian art, the Polynesia surfing legacy when all boards were made of wood, and Hipolito’s personal fascination with vintage Chris Craft boards.

The ArtCo Surf brand has grown to include limited-edition surfboards, skateboards, stretch beach cruisers, and a new line of men’s and women’s apparel.

ArtCo’s surfboards have been has been touted by regional, national, and international media, including NC Signature, the Raleigh News & Observer and Raleigh Downtowner, Line Up, Waterfront Homes & Design, Surfer, Eastern Surf, Global Surf News, Dutton Direct, Grund Genug, a German international magazine on luxurious living, and Khooligan, a Russian art and lifestyle magazine.

For more information and to see the complete collection of surfboards and other products, visit http://www.artcosurf.com.

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Hand-Painted Guitar by Clark Hipolito Signed by Bonnaroo Stars and Auctioned Off For Charity During “Rocksta”

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Clark (left) and comedian Brian Posse (center). founder Chris Crecelius
Clark (left) and comedian Brian Posse (center).

July 7, 2008 (SAN DIEGO, CA) — It took four days of literally running from one backstage area to another, but by the time the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Tennessee was over recently, Line Up Magazine and artist Clark Hipolito had snagged an impressive assortment of performers’ autographs on an acoustic guitar the artist had hand-painted. That guitar was auctioned off on June 26 during San Diego’s “Rocksta” celebration, sponsored by Line Up Magazine to benefit SURFAID International and “The Land of Plenty” (LOP) skateboard foundation.

Ben Folds, Jack Johnson, Sharon Jones, Jessie Baylin, members of Mastadon, Money Mark and Carney, comedians Brian Pose and Louis C.K, and superstar surfer/musician Donovan Frankenreiter were among those who signed the one-of-a-kind guitar Hipolito painted especially for the art exhibit and silent auction portion of “Rocksta.”

“It was insane trying to get to all those guys,” Hipolito said. “Bonnaroo is a huge festival, so we were constantly running from one stage to another. But it was definitely worth it,” Hipolito said.

His company, ArtCo Surf, was one of the sponsors for “Rocksta,” a music, art and fashion event to be held in Hard Rock Hotel’s rooftop Moonstone Lounge. The artist was also on hand to hand-paint one of his signature surfboards right there on the rooftop.

Bands who performed on the rooftop were Sashamon, The B Foundation and The Dirty Heads. La Isla Couture presented swimwear fashions on a catwalk in 10-15 minute intervals along with Surf Prescriptions’ surfboards and clothing by Jeff “Doc” Lausch. The art exhibit and silent auction rounded out the event.

SURFAID (http://www.surfaidinternational.org) is a non-profit humanitarian organization dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of people living in isolated regions connected to through surfing. LOP (http://www.thelandofplenty.org) is a non-profit skateboard company that encourages skateboarding as a creative form of physical education and artistic expression for at-risk youth.

For more information on “Rocksta,” contact Line Up Magazine at 910-509-0572 (http://www.lineupthemag.com)  For more information on Clark Hipolito and ArtCo Surf, visit  http://www.artcosurf.com.

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ArtCo Surf’s Clark Hipolito To Be Featured At “Rocksta” Event, Film in San Diego

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When three rock bands, swimsuit models, magazine editors, film producers, and around 700 party-goers gather on the rooftop of the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego, CA, on June 26th, celebrated Raleigh-based artist Clark Hipolito will be among them, painting a surfboard and helping to sponsor the first “Rocksta” celebration to benefit “The Land of Plenty” skateboard foundation.

The free event, which begins at 4 p.m. and ends at 10, is being held to raise funds and awareness for the non-profit foundation, which encourages skateboarding for underprivileged and at-risk youth as creative physical education, progressive artistic expression and a form of non-violent communication. The benefit will be filmed in full-scale production and in high-definition for distribution to several networks. A reality-TV show will also film Rocksta for distribution.

Clark Hipolito, founder of ArtCo Surf, got involved with Rocksta and “The Land of Plenty” through Line Up The Magazine, a co-sponsoring along with La Isla Couture Swimwear and Surf Prescriptions Boards & Apparel.

For several years, Line Up has followed Hipolito’s creation of hand-painted, wood-grain surfboards inspired by both the Polynesian surfing legacy – when all surfboards used to be made of wood — and Asian art. His work recently evolved to include skateboards, beach cruisers and a line of apparel that features elements of his signature artwork. In partnership with fellow artist Tony Ramsi, he launched ArtCo Surf earlier this year to produce and market their collections.

Clark Hipolito will be on hand to paint a handshaped, one-of-a-kind surfboard during Rocksta within a display of ArtCo Surf’s clothing line, skateboards, and cruisers.

Bands scheduled for performances on the rooftop Moonstone Lounge are Sashamon, The B Foundation and The Dirty Heads. La Isla Coutour will present swimwear fashions on a catwalk in 10-15 minute intervals throughout the event. Other art exhibits and a silent auction will round out the event, with proceeds going to The Land of Plenty (www.thelandofplenty.org).

For more information on Rocksta, contact Line Up Magazine at 910-509-0572. For more information on ArtCo Surf, visit http://www.artcosurf.com.

ABOUT CLARK HIPOLITO

Born in 1970 in Connecticut, Clark Hipolito grew up in southern New Jersey. Always interested in art and design, he attended Seton Hall University where he studied both design and business administration. During those years, he worked as a freelance artist and completed several design internships. After graduating, he began working at MTV networks in New York where he acquired a broader scope of art and design talents. In 1994, he moved to Raleigh, NC, and founded The Art Company, Inc., an interdisciplinary firm specializing in various phases of interior design including original murals and specialty finishes. His mural commissions range from residential to major commercial applications, including a large mural at the RBC Center in Raleigh for the Carolina Hurricane’s hockey team. His fine art has appeared on television shows such as HBO’s “Sex & The City” and Warner Brother’s “Dawson’s Creek” and “One Tree Hill.” Clark’s collection of original hand-painted, wood-grain surfboards have been featured in gallery exhibitions and numerous magazines and on-line journals, including in Waterfront Homes & Design, the Raleigh News & Observer, Line Up, NC Signature, Eastern Surf News, The Independent Weekly, and GlobalSurf.com. In 2007, he launched Artco Surf with friend and fellow artist Tony Ramsi to add original photography on signed, limited-edition surfboards to their offerings. The new company also includes limited-edition skateboards, beach cruisers, and an apparel line.

 

 

ArtCo Surf Presents “The Pursuit of Happiness: A Collection of Classic Modes of Coastal Transportation”

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May 14, 2008 (WILMINGTON, NC) – ArtCo Surf, a new Raleigh, NC-based company that creates and produces one-of-a-kind and limited edition surfboards, skateboards, beach cruiser bicycles, and its own apparel line, will unveil its third annual exhibit entitled “The Pursuit of Happiness: A Collection of Classic Modes of Coastal Transportation” on Friday, May 23, at 8 p.m. at Deluxe restaurant in downtown Wilmington, NC.

However, this summer’s show “promises to be a big leap from our past shows,” said ArtCo artist and principal Clark Hipolito. They will not only introduce their newest hand-painted and limited-edition signed and numbered surfboards, but this time they will also debut a new line of ArtCo long-board skateboards, beach cruiser bicycles, and offer a limited preview of the company’s new select apparel line.

Opening night of the exhibit will also offer guests a look at “perhaps one of the coolest things we’ve ever worked on,”
said Hipolito: the Kona Chameleon Mobile Coffee Van, commissioned by Erik Anderson.

Hipolito and Tony Ramsi have become well known over the past two years for their “Against The Grain” collections of hand-painted, wood-grain surfboards, which also debuted at Deluxe and have been featured in numerous national magazines. Hand-shaped by Brian Wynn of Wynn Surfboards in New Jersey, those boards fetched prices in the thousands. As commissions rolled in, the artists expanded their work to include original photography on signed, limited-edition boards shaped by various surfboard shapers.

At the opening reception for “The Pursuit of Happiness,” food and beverages will be available and the evening will include music provided by DJ Jason Johns. Deluxe is located at 114 Market Street in Wilmington. For directions, go to http://www.deluxenc.com.

The exhibit of boards and bikes will run through the summer months. To see ArtCo Surf’s complete line of surfboards, and for more information, visit http://www.artcosurf.com.

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ArtCo Surf Participates in the First Annual Surf Artisan Exhibit

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April 16, 2008 (WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC) – “Ace in the Hole,” “Coi” and a couple of “Muses” offered a tip-of-the-iceberg glimpse at the one-of-a-kind and limited edition surfboards created by artists Clark Hipolito of ArtCo Surf during the First Annual Surf Artisan Exhibit. The exhibit was held at Bluewater Grill in Wrightsville Beach, NC, on Sunday, April 13th, with proceeds going to Surfers Healing, a free surf camp for children with autism.

Hipolito and longtime friend Tony Ramsi have been creating their one-of-a-kind, hand-painted, wood-grain surfboards since 2006. “Ace” and “Coi” are part of that collection. This year they launched their company, ArtCo Surf, and added the “Muse” series – featuring signed and numbered original nude photography on limited-edition surfboards.

“It was great turn-out,” Hipolito said. “It was great to see the positive feedback from all the locals, and it was blast getting to know all the talented artists who participated in the event. I was impressed to see not only talent on a local level, but on a national level. There were artists from both east and west coasts and even surf art from world-renowned aquatic artist Wyland on display. Overall the event was a great success and I’ll look forward to working with this organization in the future ”

According to event organizer Robert Parker of WbLiveSurf.com, the purpose of the First Annual Surf Artisan Exhibit was “to elevate the art of surfboard shaping, surf paintings and surf photography in the consciousness of both the surfing and general public.” His ultimate goal is “to create a better awareness of the ‘art of surfing” to generate a more solid and cohesive local surfing industrial complex, thereby providing an economic and cultural base for surf artisans for years to come.”

ArtCo Surf has scheduled several exhibits this spring and summer. The complete collection can be seen on the company website: http://www.artcosurf.com.

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“Muse” Meets Fashion For Hot Summer Nights

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April 4, 2008 (WILMINGTON, NC) – When the models for “Hot Summer Nights” fashion show in Wilmington, NC, recently strutted down the runway, they were showing off more than the hip couture from Oliver, an upscale clothing boutique in the same city. They were also helping to introduce the latest collection of limited edition surfboards from ArtCo Surf, a new company launched by artist Clark Hipolito.

“Hot Summer Nights” was held in Mayfaire Town Center earlier this month to benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The spotlight was on Oliver’s hot new fashions, and incorporated the “Muse” series surfboards – which feature stylized photographs of shapely nudes. The boards electrified the crowd as the beautiful swim wear models carried them along the runway. ArtCo Surf also helped to sponsor the event by creating all of the promotional posters, advertising and postcards.

“It;s always great to work with Ken and Kelly Oliver (owners of Oliver Boutique). They are some of my closest friends and when they approached me with the idea to do the show to benefit breast cancer – I was honored to help contribute in any way possible.”

ArtCo Surf, headquartered in Raleigh, NC, is perhaps best known for its hand-painted, woodgrain surfboards. The “Muse” series is a collection hand shaped surf boards adorned with limited edition original photography images.

For these boards, Hipolito turned to his “muses” – or, as he puts it, “my gorgeous friends who keep me inspired” – who pose for photos that are then printed on rice paper and laminated onto the boards.

“I’ve always been fascinated with figurative art,” he said, “and I’ve always wanted to take it beyond paints on canvas. Since surfboards became a medium, I decided to experiment with it on them. So far, they’ve turned out great. And this way, we can keep the cost down while still offering signed, original art on quality boards.” They intend to produce between 300 and 500 of these boards a year, with prices set between $1200 and $1800 each.

ArtCo Surf will show the “Muse” collection during a special exhibit at DeLuxe restaurant in downtown Wilmington beginning May 23. For more information on the company and its custom surfboard collections, visit. http://www.artcosurf.com.

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ArtCo Surf Launches New Website with E-commerce Capability

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artcosurfpostcard.jpg
March 13, 2008 (RALEIGH, NC) – ArtCo Surf, a new Raleigh-based company that creates and produces one-of-a-kind and limited edition surfboards, skateboards and its own apparel line, has launched http://www.artcosurf.com, which will allow customers to order directly from the company on-line.

ArtCo Surf’s products are created by a collaboration of three artists — Clark Hipolito, Brian Wynn and Tony Ramsi. – who have become well-known over the past two years for their “Against The Grain” collections of hand-painted, wood-grain surfboards. Those boards fetch prices in the thousands. As commissions have rolled in, along with a demand for slightly less expensive yet still one-of-a-kind boards, the partners have expanded their work to include original photography on signed, limited-edition boards. That idea grew to include skateboards as well an apparel line, which they are currently developing for production.

The new website features all the surfboards currently available (prices range from $1500 to $5000), ArtCo Surf T-shirts, in-depth information on the company and the boards, and a list of up-coming events where the boards will be on display. The website also offers visitors a chance to win a free ArtCo Surf board.

Clark Hipolito and ArtCo Surf’s newest products will be featured in upcoming editions of Line Up Magazine, Waterfront Homes & Design, Eastern Surf News, North Carolina Signature magazine, and North Carolina Boating Lifestyle.

For more information visit http://www.artcosurf.com.

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ArtCo Surf: New Company to Produce One-of-a-Kind Surfboards, Skateboards, Apparel Line

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artcosurfboardsfig08.jpgjulie2asm.jpg
February 12, 2008 (RALEIGH, NC) – What started as a whim between a couple of friends is about to become big business as Raleigh artists Clark Hipolito and Tony Ramsi, along with attorney Steve Gugenheim and marketing expert Ryan Hedspeth, launch ArtCo Surf, a new company offering one-of-a-kind and limited edition surfboards, plus skateboards and apparel.

Hipolito and Ramsi have become well-known over the past two years for their “Against The Grain” collections of hand-painted, wood-grain surfboards. Hand-shaped by Brian Wynn of Wynn Surfboards in New Jersey, those boards fetch prices in the thousands. As commissions have rolled in, along with a demand for slightly less expensive yet still one-of-a-kind boards, the two have expanded their work to include original photography on signed, limited-edition boards. That idea grew to include skateboards as well an apparel line, which they hope to have ready for the market by this summer.

Hipolito also owns The Art Company, an interdisciplinary design firm specializing in interior design and hand-painted faux finishes. He chuckles when he recalls how he and Ramsi began the ascent to ArtCo Surf down in his basement where, on a whim, they painted some old surfboards, coated them with resin, and took them out to the beach to see if they would work. The experiment was so successful that they thought if they kicked it up notch – with new, hand-shaped boards, rather than old throw-aways – there might be a market waiting out there.

They debuted their first collection in Wilmington, NC, at Deluxe, an upscale downtown eatery. When all the boards sold after an ongoing auction format, some for more than asking price, they knew they were on to something. A subsequent show in Raleigh at the former April & George wine bar and multiple articles in national publications including Waterfront Homes & Design and Line up Magazine, brought commissions from around the country.

The artistic inspiration for the wood-grain boards is both the Polynesian surfing legacy – when all surfboards used to be made of wood — and Asian art. “There’s a fine line we’re dancing between invoking classical elements and keeping the design hip,” says Hipoito, 37, of Filipino descent. “The point is to focus on the artwork in conjunction with the application of timeless wood grains.”

For the limited-edition boards, Hipolito has turned to his “muses” – or, as he puts it, “my gorgeous friends who keep me inspired” – who pose for photos that are then printed on rice paper and laminated onto the boards.

“I’ve always been fascinated with figurative art,” he said, “and I’ve always wanted to take it beyond paints on canvas. Since surfboards became a medium, I decided to experiment with it on them. So far, they’ve turned out great. And this way, we can keep the cost down while still offering signed, original art on quality boards.” They intend to produce between 300 and 500 of these boards a year, with prices set between $1200 and $1800 each.

Steve Gugenheim of Raleigh is handling the financial end of ArtCo Surf. Ryan Hedspeth, director of client services at FWV Distilled in Raleigh (a collaborative advertising agency between French West Vaughn and Distill) is in charge of marketing. Artist Dawn Capron, of Anderson Capron Ltd. in Wrightsville Beach, is helping with the printing and laminating process.

ArtCo Surf is also gearing up for trade shows and other opportunities to introduce the their work, including the Washington Boat Show to be held February 14-19 in Washington, DC.

Their website http://www.artcosurf.com is scheduled to go live February 14, but for now more information is available by emailing Clark Hipolito at clarkhipolito@mac.com.

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Artist Creates Cool Interior For Hip New Boutique in Raleigh’s Trendy Glenwood South District

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Catch 22 interior
January 30, 2008 (RALEIGH, NC) — Clark Hipolito, the Raleigh artist who originally honed his skills at MTV, has created a hip ambience for Catch 22, a new clothing boutique on Raleigh’s trendy Glenwood South district, through his signature specialty painting effects.

Located at 322 Glenwood Avenue, Catch 22 features a turquoise wall emblazoned with gold script and eggplant walls where Hipolito free-handed scrollwork that pops behind the store’s collection of hand-picked collections from up-and-coming designers around the world.

The boutique is owned and operated by Heather Long who sees Catch 22 as “bridging the gap between Raleighwood and Hollywood.” The store carries some of her favorite styles for men and women as well as her own line of “super glam cocktail dresses.”

“I had some great inspiration working with Heather,” Hipolito said. “She has incredible design sense, so it was easy to bounce ideas back and forth and make things happen on the fly. She was so much fun to work with, and extremely easy going throughout the entire process.“

Catch 22 is also displaying some of Hipolito’s hand-painted woodgrain surfboards from his “Against The Grain” and “Surf du Jour” collections, which he creates through his new company ArtCo Surf.

Clark Hipolito is the principal of The Art Company, an interdisciplinary design firm specializing in various phases of interior design. The company has been consulting with private and commercial clients since 1994, and has both designed and decorated some of the trendiest destinations in Raleigh, including The Rat Pack, Ess Lounge at the Depot, Mosaic, and Five Star, Evoo and Margeaux’s. For more information, visit http://www.art-company.com.

For more information on Catch 22, visit http://www.shopcatch22.com.

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