ERIN MILLER WRAY'S HAND-PAINTED DESIGNS FOR THREAD SURFBOARDS
“I was given a custom magenta Thread surfboard years ago, and one day while surfing, I noticed all the black wetsuits and boards around me," says Erin. "It got me wondering, what did people learn about me by seeing my magenta board? What if we all had boards that reflected our personalities or who we are—what would we learn from each other? How would we be inspired by each other?
Surfboards are a unique canvas because they live in people’s homes—leaning against walls, mounted in rooms—as well as in the ocean. I was excited to create a piece that doubles as both art and sports gear."
"I reached out to Frankie Cuda, the owner of Thread surfboards, and told him my idea. He responded immediately, said yes without ever having met me, and invited me down to see how he shapes boards. He was so kind and welcoming, and gave me incredible guidance on how to successfully create art on an insanely delicate foam canvas. Spoiler alert: YOU CAN’T MAKE ANY MISTAKES!
Frankie shaped the boards, and I painted them over the course of a few days, and then the boards were glassed at Pure Glass in Costa Mesa. Within a month, I had designed my first set of boards, and they double as art for your home and surfboards for the water. They’re all completely hand made from start to finish, and each is unique.”
