#CreativeSpace Winners | Wooden Wave

Checking in with last week's #CreativeSpace contest winners, @wooden_wave.

Hey Matt & Roxy, can you tell us a bit about what you do?

We’re a husband and wife art team based on the island of Oahu, in Hawaii. We work under the name Wooden Wave, and specialize in hand-drawn illustration, painting, and lettering. We also love to participate in art shows and to paint murals. Much of our work is surf and skate related; our most recent series depicts treehouse skateparks. We call it “Off the Grid and Off the Ground,” as the work usually has a sustainability theme to it.

How many years have you guys been creating?

We met in a painting class 9 years ago, in college. While separately we have different styles, we work well together and have developed an aesthetic that draws on each other's strengths. Matt is the draftsman, who likes to draw architecture and portraits. Roxy loves to paint and work with color. That, combined with a sense of humor and long hours in the studio, has really pushed us to take on projects that we may not have had separately.

Where is your creative space located?

We built out our studio from scratch in a warehouse in Honolulu. Although it’s an old industrial district, it’s alive with galleries, murals, and community events. Our studio is part of a larger collective of artists called Lana Lane Studios.

Tell us a bit about your creative space and what it means to you.

We spend more time in our studio than at home! It’s comfortable and the creative energy here is addicting. There are boards hanging from the ceiling and art supplies in every drawer. Working within a community of artists also has its perks. You can always tell there’s a swell in town because everyone drops what they’re doing and takes a surf break. It’s a rad little hive of artists and we thrive off the inspiration and encouragement we give each other.

What is your favorite part of your creative space?

We built the studio using recycled materials and furnished it with vintage finds that we’ve collected over the years. If we had to pick out a favorite item it would probably be our 1930’s Vandercook letterpress, affectionately named “Tank.” Our best curbside find is a pair of Eames shell chairs. We like to surround ourselves with tools, furniture, and other objects that have character and seem to tell a story. It also doesn’t hurt that the ocean is simply a five-minute stroll away!

Do you surf? If so, where do you usually go to surf?

Yes, we keep a healthy quiver in the studio. In the summer we’ll surf Kewalo’s or Straight-outs because it’s right across the street. In the Winter it’s Chuns for logging and Laniakea for shortboarding.

Any last words?

Mahalo to VISSLA for including us in this series. We love seeing how and where other creatives operate! Also a shout out to fellow Lana Lane Artists, Vincent Ricafort and Willy Branlund for the photos! Aloha.

To enter #CreativeSpace, post a photo of your creative space on Instagram, follow @visslasurf @surfline and tag #CreativeSpace.