With increased people traffic in the South West region and crowding on the waves, The Surfriders Code of Ethics: Tribal Law was envisioned after a couple of wines by Robert Conneeley with help from Peter Cumin and Wayne Murphy. Drawn to life by WA surf artist Roscoe Kermode, the gentlemen’s ‘rules’ of surfing gives local and international surfing communities guidelines to getting along in the water.
RoscoeKermode. I was working for Australia Surfing Life and drawing cartoons for the local Mail Newspaper. Rob Conneeley saw the potential of using the illustrated work to tie in with the list of rules to help make it universal and create its meaning. The illustration broke down language limitations by creating a visual context.
I like the sense that it was a health-based initiative with a community focus. After sitting down with Rob, I drafted a template that night and what I drew that night was close to the finished product. Usually when I’m working., if something grabs me I can normally get it right off that first run. If it feels nice out of hand its pretty much there. The Tribal Law poster came together easily like that.
I added in the ‘Respect the beach, the ocean and others’, to ensure the environment was included in people’s awareness.
The cartoon side of my work has always been a good way to celebrate the humour and humility that you get from surfing. It feels really good to create art that works on a lot of levels by sharing humour, inspiring or encouraging people and just capturing the simple way the elements and surfing lifestyle are so important to us. There’s a message in the art. Extract Surfing Down South book.
Many West Oz Shire Councils support the concept and Tribal Law posters are now on display at all major surf breaks.
Tribal Law poster by Roscoe Kermode1996. Image courtesy of Soulwater Designs & Surfing Down South book.
In 2013 Roscoe was working in the Western Desert and inland Pilbara alongside Indigenous communities while keeping his creative juices flowing with his iconic illustrations of surfing life.
He was commissioned to create a Surfing Down South mud map for the inside cover of the Surfing Down South book published 2014.
Surfing Down South mud map by Roscoe Kermode 2013. Image courtesy of Roscoe and Surfing Down South book.
Thanks Roscoe, for sharing your artwork.
Note: The two prints of Surfing Down South book sold out in 2014 and it is now only available in Public Libraries and second hand book sales.
With increased people traffic in the South West region and crowding on the waves, The Surfriders Code of Ethics: Tribal Law was envisioned after a couple of wines by Robert Conneeley with help from Peter Cumin and Wayne Murphy. Drawn to life by WA surf artist Roscoe Kermode, the gentlemen’s ‘rules’ of surfing gives local and international surfing communities guidelines to getting along in the water.
Roscoe Kermode. I was working for Australia Surfing Life and drawing cartoons for the local Mail Newspaper. Rob Conneeley saw the potential of using the illustrated work to tie in with the list of rules to help make it universal and create its meaning. The illustration broke down language limitations by creating a visual context.
I like the sense that it was a health-based initiative with a community focus. After sitting down with Rob, I drafted a template that night and what I drew that night was close to the finished product. Usually when I’m working., if something grabs me I can normally get it right off that first run. If it feels nice out of hand its pretty much there. The Tribal Law poster came together easily like that.
I added in the ‘Respect the beach, the ocean and others’, to ensure the environment was included in people’s awareness.
The cartoon side of my work has always been a good way to celebrate the humour and humility that you get from surfing. It feels really good to create art that works on a lot of levels by sharing humour, inspiring or encouraging people and just capturing the simple way the elements and surfing lifestyle are so important to us. There’s a message in the art. Extract Surfing Down South book.
Many West Oz Shire Councils support the concept and Tribal Law posters are now on display at all major surf breaks.
In 2013 Roscoe was working in the Western Desert and inland Pilbara alongside Indigenous communities while keeping his creative juices flowing with his iconic illustrations of surfing life.
He was commissioned to create a Surfing Down South mud map for the inside cover of the Surfing Down South book published 2014.
Thanks Roscoe, for sharing your artwork.
Note: The two prints of Surfing Down South book sold out in 2014 and it is now only available in Public Libraries and second hand book sales.
———————
Share this:
Like this: