Northern suburbs-based artist Devin ‘Devo’ Howard started surfing at age seven in the late 60s and has gone on to become a well-known international artist with collectable art pieces all over the world.
Devo attributes his innate artistic confidence to his care-free surfing background. He now lives in Byron Bay NSW.
This is Devo’s story…
Devo. “Phil Usher gave me the name ‘DEVO’ in the early 80s when I first started spraying new wave & punk artwork on boards which became well known and collectable art pieces all over the world, a recent New York collector paid US $10,000 for a 1984 Hot Brewz Devo design for his beach house in Mexico! I created the name Hot Brewz after a young Dave Macaulay continually burnt the resin whilst doing ding repairs at Murray Smith’s factory circa 1983/84.
Ben Smith & Connie from Murray Smith Warehouse own a classic Devo board that you should get an image of for your website…see images below. I went on to spray boards with Cordingley, GL, Colin Earle , Odyssey, Santosha & Mick Manolas before moving to the east coast to carve out a successful life as an avant-garde edgy artist creating in many mediums, I also designed the popular Perth nightclubs The HIPE Club and the LIMBO Club which were infamous for lots of West Oz party people!!!. My out there artwork also featured on clothing with a DEVO Shop in Hay St Perth in 1989, Flex Designs’ a leisure wear label way ahead of its time!
I started life in the surf industry in the Gest Skateboard Team who made TV ads in the mid-1970s. I first worked with Len Dibben making surf wax, then at Perth’s first surf shop OCEANS with ol’ school legend Bill Girdwood. I started at Odyssey with Phil Usher and John ‘Gus’ Simpson at the Newcastle St factory silk-screening decals by hand! A surf trip to the 1979 Stubbies Contest at Burleigh Qld got me some experience at NEV’s factory where I was shown how to spray boards by Ben Aipa the Hawaiian legend of the STINGER design. ….a few years later Simon Anderson created the thruster. And I enjoyed many years working with Phil Usher and Murray Smith churning out thousands of boards, two very inspirational people in my creative life!
I miss those carefree 1980s, surfing trips Down South & up North, the ol’ Bears track in summer, Surfside at Yalls, the vego burgers at Margs Country Kitchen Cafe run byBob & Di Conneeley…our Golden Breed t-shirts and Platts boardies (Remember them!???) seems like every one surfs these days eh, so when you see those vintage boards still cruisin, they contain great memories of a golden time. I see a logo I designed for Al & Jacqi Bean is still making magic! A great logo goes a long way Hey!!!!!! anyway keep surfing …and being positive in these uncertain times we live in!
ALOHA TO ALL MY OL’ FRIENDS.
DEVO,
BYRON BAY 2022.
1984 Devo with surfboard sprays Hotbrewz factory Churchlands. Image from Murray Smith collection, photo credit Unknown.1984 Devo spray Hotbrewz Surfboard. Image from Murray Smith collection, photo credit Unknown.1984 Devo with surfboard spray Hotbrewz factory Churchlands. Image from Murray Smith collection, photo credit Unknown.1984 Devo with surfboard spray Hotbrewz factory Churchlands. Image from Murray Smith collection, photo credit Unknown.1984 Devo with surfboard spray Hotbrewz factory Churchlands. Image from Murray Smith collection, photo credit Unknown.1984 Devo surfboard sprays Hotbrewz factory Churchlands. Images from Murray Smith collection, photo credit Unknown.1984 Devo surfboard sprays Hotbrewz factory Churchlands. Images from Murray Smith collection, photo credit Unknown.
Scott Ozolins (Vintage Surfboards Swap Meet). “My original Hotbrewz Devo spray from the 80’s. Photo taken circa 1985 in my bedroom when I was a grommet!”
1985 Scott Ozolin’s Hotbrewz Devo spray surfboard. Photo Scott Ozolins.1986 Artist Darin ‘Devo’ Howard article courtesy Wanneroo Stirling Weekly Dec 23, 1986. Page 1 of 4.1986 Artist Darin ‘Devo’ Howard article courtesy Wanneroo Stirling Weekly Dec 23, 1986. Page 2 of 4.1986 Artist Darin ‘Devo’ Howard article courtesy Wanneroo Stirling Weekly Dec 23, 1986. Page 3 of 4.1986 Artist Darin ‘Devo’ Howard article courtesy Wanneroo Stirling Weekly Dec 23, 1986. Page 4 of 4.1980s Dave MacAullay’s Hotbrewz Devo spraysurfboard on display at WA Surf Gallery Aravina Estate Yallingup.
Devo is keen to come to WA for the Vintage Surfboard Swap Meet next year.
Many thanks to Devo, Scott Ozolins and Ben Smith for their contributions.
Northern suburbs-based artist Devin ‘Devo’ Howard started surfing at age seven in the late 60s and has gone on to become a well-known international artist with collectable art pieces all over the world.
Devo attributes his innate artistic confidence to his care-free surfing background. He now lives in Byron Bay NSW.
This is Devo’s story…
Devo. “Phil Usher gave me the name ‘DEVO’ in the early 80s when I first started spraying new wave & punk artwork on boards which became well known and collectable art pieces all over the world, a recent New York collector paid US $10,000 for a 1984 Hot Brewz Devo design for his beach house in Mexico! I created the name Hot Brewz after a young Dave Macaulay continually burnt the resin whilst doing ding repairs at Murray Smith’s factory circa 1983/84.
Ben Smith & Connie from Murray Smith Warehouse own a classic Devo board that you should get an image of for your website…see images below. I went on to spray boards with Cordingley, GL, Colin Earle , Odyssey, Santosha & Mick Manolas before moving to the east coast to carve out a successful life as an avant-garde edgy artist creating in many mediums, I also designed the popular Perth nightclubs The HIPE Club and the LIMBO Club which were infamous for lots of West Oz party people!!!. My out there artwork also featured on clothing with a DEVO Shop in Hay St Perth in 1989, Flex Designs’ a leisure wear label way ahead of its time!
I started life in the surf industry in the Gest Skateboard Team who made TV ads in the mid-1970s. I first worked with Len Dibben making surf wax, then at Perth’s first surf shop OCEANS with ol’ school legend Bill Girdwood. I started at Odyssey with Phil Usher and John ‘Gus’ Simpson at the Newcastle St factory silk-screening decals by hand! A surf trip to the 1979 Stubbies Contest at Burleigh Qld got me some experience at NEV’s factory where I was shown how to spray boards by Ben Aipa the Hawaiian legend of the STINGER design. ….a few years later Simon Anderson created the thruster. And I enjoyed many years working with Phil Usher and Murray Smith churning out thousands of boards, two very inspirational people in my creative life!
I miss those carefree 1980s, surfing trips Down South & up North, the ol’ Bears track in summer, Surfside at Yalls, the vego burgers at Margs Country Kitchen Cafe run by Bob & Di Conneeley…our Golden Breed t-shirts and Platts boardies (Remember them!???) seems like every one surfs these days eh, so when you see those vintage boards still cruisin, they contain great memories of a golden time. I see a logo I designed for Al & Jacqi Bean is still making magic! A great logo goes a long way Hey!!!!!! anyway keep surfing …and being positive in these uncertain times we live in!
ALOHA TO ALL MY OL’ FRIENDS.
DEVO,
BYRON BAY 2022.
Scott Ozolins (Vintage Surfboards Swap Meet). “My original Hotbrewz Devo spray from the 80’s. Photo taken circa 1985 in my bedroom when I was a grommet!”
Devo is keen to come to WA for the Vintage Surfboard Swap Meet next year.
Many thanks to Devo, Scott Ozolins and Ben Smith for their contributions.
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