Caleb Sees The Bigger Picture

By Duncan Horscroft on March 28, 2011 in Arts

You only have to look at the regular Aquabumps and Frothers website postings to see how young Caleb Reid-Boquist has turned surfing into an art form.

He was ranked as one of the top juniors in the country and was once a member of the Australian team that competed in the ISA World Junior Championships, but decided the competition scene was not for him.

“I got sick of surfing the way other people wanted me to surf and was not enjoying it at all,” Caleb said. “But I’m happy now just being able to free-surf and do my own thing.”

His own thing has paid dividends with the 22-year-old winning the Jim Beam Boardriders’ Cup, a gathering of the 36 individual club champions from Australia’s top boardriding clubs who compete against each other to decide the individual Australian Club Champion, which was held at Avalon in February.

His individuality is also paying off in another field with Caleb last month being accepted into the National Art School in Darlinghurst.

Caleb said he has always had a passion for art and it was the only thing that interested him when he was a student at Waverley College.

“Yeah, I wasn’t really interested in school and dropped out in Year 10 and basically went my own way for a while,” Caleb said.

“I was not sure about a career in art but I realised I had to start doing something and being accepted into art school has been a massive boost and I’m loving it.

“I’ve learned a lot in the short time I have been there. I’ve been doing things like illustrating as well as painting and every week I learn something new.”

“It’s been a big change of life for me and it’s definitely been a change for the better.”

On completion of his three-year course, Caleb will receive his Bachelor Of Fine Arts.

Until then Caleb says he is ‘available’ if anyone needs any work.

If you are unsure about the talent of this young man pop into his brother’s Bronte café, Three Blue Ducks, or take a trip to the Friend In Hand Hotel in Glebe to see some of his handiwork.

Caleb was commissioned by Bronte local Peter Byrne to do a mural for the pub’s new dining area called the Fork In Hand.

An award-winning artist himself and part owner of the family-run business, ‘Byrnsy’ said he had heard about Caleb’s talent and signed him up to do the mural.

He said he was amazed by Caleb’s abilities and couldn’t believe how quickly he finished the job.

“It was incredible,” Byrne said. “Caleb did the job in two days when I reckon it would have taken me two months!”

“I roughed the job out and Caleb came back with a few changes and away he went. He is a very clever guy.”