Shawn Dollar: Artist, Big Wave Surfer, Survivor
- elizabeth winfrey
- Jul 23, 2018
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 10
I discovered Shawn Dollar in 2008 while wandering along the shoreline in Santa Cruz, CA on vacation with my daughter. We were exploring Pleasure Point, a small surfer community wrapped around the banks of the Pacific Ocean. On a walk the first evening, we immediately noticed people streaming through the neighborhood from every direction; navigating the winding streets on just about every type of transportation. Surfboards were strapped to cars, trucks, bikes... even mopeds. There seemed to be a mad rush to park, disrobe, don a wetsuit, grab a board and dive into the ocean from a trail of steps leading off a cliff.
We were captivated by all the surfers. It was breathtaking to watch them surf the white-capped peaks then drop down just as the waves crashed against the rocks below. We watched, transfixed, until the last surfer emerged from the water. That night, we scoured vintage surfer books and Youtubed old surfer movies, filling our heads with images of Golden Gods speeding through big waves on their longboards. The next morning, we ordered breakfast from a tiny neighborhood market and excitedly watched the surfers again. They glided easily through the water, their shiny black wetsuits flashing in the sun as they paddled for position. It was almost otherworldly; watching them joust their boards as they tackled the mountainous waves.
We were mesmerized. Of course we had seen the movie Mavericks, a romantic comedy loosely based on big wave surfers. But even as we watched, it was impossible to imagine the strength and stamina it took to surf the waves of Northern California. One evening we came across a huge wall of street art depicting the Sea God Neptune holding his triad pointed toward two young lovers among the waves. I snapped the picture, wondering about the back story. It was signed Shawn Dollar, circa 2004. I looked him up, figuring it would be a local street artist. It turns out, Shawn Dollar, the artist, is actually the real-life badass surfer they used to shoot all the dangerous surfing scenes in Mavericks.
Now that's a back story. In 2012, he surfed a 61' wave at Cortez Bank in San Diego to set a world record for Highest Wave. In 2015, Dollar was surfing with friends in a remote, area off the coast of Big Sur, CA., a particularly hazardous stretch of coastline with signature large swells and jagged rocks. This killer combination of the ocean's mighty power was almost too much for him.
A massive wave threw Dollar into the rocks. He sustained a massive concussion and broke his neck in 4 places. Miraculously, he wasn't paralyzed and still had brain function. He shared in the documentary Lucky To Be Alive: The Survival Story of Big Wave Surfer Shawn Dollar, "I had a ton of brain damage. I was no longer functioning mentally anywhere near where I was before". Dollar attributes specific exercise, meditation, nutrition, and hyperbaric oxygen treatments to helping him regain his life. Through it all, Shawn Dollar still loves to surf and create art. The soft tones in Dollar's abstracts convey a soft, dreamlike quality, with a calm wisdom inspired by the ocean. Dollar shared on his website, "The ocean has been my joy and surfing my lifeblood since I was a child. I love the symmetry a wave makes, the lines it draws, the way it bends." The natural elements in the color palette have a peaceful stillness that allow subjective interpretation.
Shawn Dollar's art can be found at Zen Island and Agency in Santa Cruz, CA. Commissioned pieces can be ordered on his website.
All photos not credited to me are the property of Shawn Dollar and they are sourced from his website for viewing purposes for this article only. Story sources see below.
Resources:
Visit Shawn Dollar online at: shawndollar.com
See Shawn Dollar surfing the World Record 61' ride at Cortez Bank: https://youtu.be/FITBgDNo5QY
Shawn Dollar's amazing survival story: https://youtu.be/NrOjtA93RHk
Hyperbaric Oxygen Clinics: https://youtu.be/gIK1X6av3rA
Amen Clinics:https://youtu.be/NrOjtA93RHk
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