Adaptation and development during COVID 19...

I have been spending time experimenting with my painting and instead of utilizing a tonal background on my black canvases I am now returning to linear colored backgrounds for enhanced texture and realism as well as a return to my original style using patterns, liners, scrollers, and other types of pin stripe brushes.

My photo reference from Feb. 2, 2020, 1/2000 sec@f/20 ; 41mm; ISO 400; EF 24-70 f/2.8L II USM

The initial start where I started with the lights first.

Building up the lighter areas…

The completed 12” x 16” “Blinding Light, Pendleton, February 2, 2020”©05/18/2020

Head banger!...the importance of proper gear!

Yea, it finally happened big time. The Jetty was packed April 24, 2020 and I was in the thick of it. Head on a swivel 24/7 watching it all go off when suddenly at the end of my session this big set came up, several guys on the same peak, shoulder to shoulder and there I was as usual, in the impact zone. Nowhere to go so I duck dived but it was too shallow and then bam! The guy hit me on the had and split my “not for the faint of wallet” Gath helmet in half. I’ve only had this one a few months since the USPS in CA held it for over a month in customs from Australia for whatever reason, but after waiting two months to get it I was finally in possession of the beast. This gear totally saved my life.

If you are even remotely interested in doing surf photography for a hobby or a living, please spend the money or go into debt to get the proper safety equipment. Get a really good helmet from GATH Australia. The Gedi or the SFC works terrific as does the Surf Hat. Fortunately I had two so I just ordered another back up. Also purchase a really good “IMPACT VEST” so you can protect your kidneys, ribs, and other precious body parts for WHEN you get HIT! It’s not a matter of if and I don’t care how good you are at surfing, swimming, lifeguarding, etc. It’s dangerous out there and I am constantly on the lookout for the eventual impact. As they taught me in the military, observe the five P’s, Prior Planning, Prevents, Poor Performance. In this case it clearly paid off.

Ouch!

split in half!

Had that been my head,I would have either died or been permanently disabled. Pretty good investment for a life.

Knocking on heaven’s door…

Virginia Pilot Article on my surf photography

Awesome article on my water photography!

https://www.pilotonline.com/sports/outdoors/vp-sp-ed-obermeyer-surfing-20200414-2epdlkkhdrg4bluf7xbuwtth3y-story.html?fbclid=IwAR0iLLbLBYHfwOcMDB62yQ2rgwFjzvrMNExE_mEZVRpFVFn0NJ54MHodPZ4

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/surf-photographer-catches-waves-of-action-in-virginia-beach-during-coronavirus-pandemic/ar-BB12CyTA?ocid=ientp&fbclid=IwAR2ZeC98_-HSQhOCwD42SFJ4srk8nIFlvWO0GlpYDFPGB1YLAgqCQArfsIQ

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Gearing up…

CMT Housing, Canon 7D Mark II, EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II, trumpet port, GoPro8 on top of housing.

Setting the functions…

Brr…

Pretty much sums up my life…

Paddle out using the rip current on the rocks, drift down about a 1/4 mile, take off fins, walk back, repeat a lot of times…

Just call me bob…

First Award of 2020

Award of Excellence for my painting, Glass Ceiling, 36 x 48, based on the photo I took at the Jetty this winter from the water.

Show poster

Glass Ceiling ©2020, 36” x 48” acrylic on canvas, $2,500.00

Newest Release, Golden Thunder at Pendleton

Golden Thunder At Pendleton © 02/02/2020

1/2000 sec@f/14, ISO 400, 28mm, EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

16” x 20” metal print in stock, $150.00

Matted prints available in 8 x 10 ($20.00), 11 x 14 ($30.00), and 16 x 20 ($55.00)

send email request for payment/shipping to edobermeyer@cox.net

New Waves 2020 and why I keep entering...

...and for those of you who think I am all that...not always, but it is fun trying. Eventually some day I may have the right stuff for this one but not this time and I am totally fine with my annual New Waves Rejection notice. It's all totally good in that my entry fee always goes to a museum of high quality that promotes art education and that's a very good thing to be a part of whether you get into this show or not.

Yes, thank you, I will apply next year and every year to support art education in VB! To my fellow artists that got in, a huge congratulations! To those that did not, congratulations to you as well for your efforts. It's not always about us so please don't take not getting in as a personal matter or some kind of slight about your work. It rarely is, unless of course MOCA New Waves has a show where the theme is water related, then I am totally all over that! Thank you so much Heather and keep up the great work and shows.

Attached are my photographs and paintings I entered, which by the way are ALL FOR SALE! Send me a PM for details if interested.

Dear Ed Obermeyer,

Thank you for applying to New Waves 2020. This year we had a record-setting 459 artists submit over 1800 works to the jurying process. Our juror, Susan Thompson, had broad selection of talented art and artists from which to choose. In the end, she chose 30 engaging artworks for this exhibition.

While your talent and creativity were evident, I regret to inform you that your submission was not selected for this year's New Waves.

The work chosen for the exhibition changes significantly from year to year. I hope you will apply again next year. We look forward to seeing you at MOCA. I wish you great success in your artistic endeavors and I look forward to seeing your work again. Again, thank you for applying to New Waves 2020.

Best Regards,

Heather Hakimzadeh

Curator

Drifty Peak, taken during the Boardwalk Art Show in the water 2019

Hurricane Dorian Shorebreak, inspired by the photo I took in the water that day.

My photo that inspired the painting. I thought by entering photos and paintings that were inspired by them, all my own original work at both ends of the creative spectrum might make the cut.

Exploding Right, Pendleonton during Hurricane Humberto

Exploding Right, the painting.

This post response from my dear friend Rob Beedie really warms the heart. Thank you so much my friend.

Rob Beedie Ed Obermeyer by taking the high road sets you apart from most.

Actually it makes you a winner in my mind and the eyes and hearts.

Just being blessed to have the God-given gifts that you share with others is so inspiring.

Also, for what it is worth as a surfer for 58 years see you with a Spirit towards surfing and our community that equal my late dear friend the late Master Surf Photographer Mickey McCarthy.

That alone will be all you will ever need to know because that puts you in the very top of your class win or lose.

It is obvious that money, recognition isn't what drives you but it is your love for surfing, creative art, education, and your community.

Many can draw waves and have never developed a physical, emotional, and spiritual relationship with them.

Many haven't experienced Mother Ocean's many moods and power.

It is obvious that you have and that it carries over into your art, photography and life.

Closing my post I wonder how many of the judges have ever surfed therefore if not than how can they even judge the depth and understanding of what a wave really is because all waves are beautiful in there own way.

Miki Dora taught all of us the beauty of riding waves and your art leaves everyone that views your art with a deeper appreciation not only of the subject or display but of you the artist himself.

Being a small part of your global tribe I found your answer and post to be first class.

A Real Winner !

Wintertime Blues, not!

Totally love this time of year with the amazing pastel colored sunsets and blue water. Evening shots are just incredible whether I am swimming and shooting or surfing. It’s all just amazing visually. So fortunate to be able to do this at my age and have so much stoke!

I also updated my exhibition calendar to reflect where I will be for the shows. Be sure to check that out on my link at my website.

Hope to see you all in the water at some point.

Fun little barrel Dec. 26, 2019 at the VB jetty.

Dec. 25, 2019 Jetty

More true blue from the jetty…

Back door view at the jetty Dec. 26, 2019

Christmas day, Golden Hour

Golden hour too!

Insert Pink Floyd song here…

What cold? Always warm on the inside.

Digging the new Force Fins!

Soul Deep Local Wear and my paintings...

Yep, this is happening and you can buy them at WRV or Freedom Surf Shops as well as directly from me for $35.00 each. I am delivering locally for free and shipping to those that are not local. Just send me an email of the one you want with your address, email and phone no. and I will send you a payPal request. Free shipping. Reach me at edobermeyer@cox.net

Pendleton

1st Street Jetty

More info can be found here: https://souldeeplocalwear.com/product-category/hats/

We here at SoulDeep Localwear are dedicated to the outdoors. Our team is made up of a wide range of adventurers: from surfers to climbers, paddlers to skiers, and even a martial artist and photographer. If there’s a chance to get outside and find a cool hike, surf a new wave, or cast on a river we haven't been to, we're all over it! Though we come from different backgrounds and find our thrills in varied sports, there is one thing that ties us all together: our love of local.

SoulDeep was born from the idea that everyone has their favorite local spots they’re crazy about, their “go to” places. We all know about the big national parks and popular beaches, and don’t get me wrong, we love those too! Heck, some of us even live there. But the places we choose to highlight are those special must-see, must-experience hidden gems that only the locals know about.

The feeling you get taking off on a wave at the break where you first fell in love with surfing; the unknown adventure awaiting you on another’s local waters that you have yet to paddle; the thrill of dropping into that stache of fresh powder that you know is going to be awesome the morning after a big storm.

By partnering with local artists, local shops, and local pros, we strive to capture the aura of those experiences and places that touch your soul, and immortalize them, taking you back to those moments every time you wear our products! We are all about people cherishing, expanding, and supporting their local, wherever that may be.

We here at SoulDeep see the handiwork of a Creator in all the amazing places we get to experience and we want to encourage others to get out and enjoy them too! So go! Get outside, get your feet wet, get your hands dirty, appreciate this beautiful planet we've been entrusted with, and #Findyourlocal!

See You Out There!

Andrew and Duncan

Fall 2019, on with the shows and amazing photo opportunities!

Shot this one during the Humberto swell and nearly lost my camera a couple of times during that hurricane swell. Had the death grip on it in the impact zone but the power was relentless. Got some of my best shots ever in photography and will have tons of material to draw from for future paintings!

Local boy down the line

Empty lines at Pendleton during Hurricane Humberto

Looking forward to the Neptune show this weekend at booth 2929C, then the following weekend of October 5 & 6 at An Occassion For the Arts In Williamsburg, Booth G23; October 12 & 13 the Port Warwick Show in Newport News, then October 19 & 20, Stockley Gardens in Norfolk by the tree in the B section,

Down The Line, 30 x 40, acrylic on canvas

On With The Show, This Is It!

Here we are into May and the shows have finally begun. This year I have added a new level of interest by entering both Photography and Painting categories at some of my outdoor art shows. So far the response has been amazingly positive and I look forward to sharing with all of you my passion for the ocean and the magical experiences I have had out there all winter while swimming in ice cold water with my 35mm in the CMT water housing without any floatation for hours on end! The physical and mental challenges have been overwhelming but I feel confident they will continue for a long time, regardless of my age. Thank you all for your support!

My photography booth shot for 2019. I spent an entire day on my front lawn setting up the ideal setting for both painting and photography booth shots.

Painting booth shot for 2019

A Little Island Magic in May!

Amazing barrel coming in at the Little Island Pier in Sandbridge with only two surfers out.

LIP

The gift that kept on giving…

A Young Grom in his element.

Loving my new Cannon 7D Mark II and the CMT water housing! wow!

Jetty Jewel

Classy Lip

Evening Glass No. 1

Evening Glass 2

Emerald Crystals In Winter

Jetty

Mountain

Ken Hunt

Ken Hunt

Water mountain

Water mountain 2

plantpop.com video

Laura Christian and Leo followed me around for months last year to create this beautiful video about my work and passion for plants. So many know me for my surf art but my love of plants goes way back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUgOtU11Big&fbclid=IwAR2YObr22ka87n7dJ9iICcD_Na4LHaZPmeMYRTJRbG78J7CHOUaXzTKkdWY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUgOtU11Big&fbclid=IwAR2YObr22ka87n7dJ9iICcD_Na4LHaZPmeMYRTJRbG78J7CHOUaXzTKkdWY

Ed Obermeyer: The Patterns of Painted Plants

Some people can look at a flower and see simply a plant, a living organism that has no practical use. But for those with a more heightened sensitivity to nature, the flower is a muse. Virginia Beach artist Ed Obermeyer takes hours to perfect his hyperrealistic paintings of ocean waves and garden flora. Through the intricate placement of dots and lines, he brings nature to life.

“I try to look for the unusual. I try to make people look at plants in a way that they don’t normally see them, so I paint them with patterns.” Viewing Ed’s works from afar makes it seem like they’re gorgeous photographs from his travels, but upon closer inspection the painstaking work of brushstrokes is evident. His whole motivation is to be different than any other artist painting landscapes or plants. He hopes his works showcase his own feelings about the natural world. “I find great peace in nature.”

Ed finds immense enjoyment being outside and even occasionally does plein air painting, meaning he’s outside working in nature, with the sights and smells all around him. It seems the artist could never tire of his natural muse. “I love plants, I don’t know how to put that in words…it’s not why. It just is.”

To learn more about Ed Obermeyer and to order some of his work, visit his website

here. http://www.edobermeyer.com/

Just Another Day At The Office

Getting ready for show season and the upcoming swells!

Most folks have very little idea about the research and development artists put into their work so I thought I would share this will everyone.

December 2018, Camera Ready!

This year I have totally immersed myself in my water photography and with the purchase of a new Cannon 7D MarkII camera, multiple super wide angle lenses, and a custom carbon fiber housing from CMT Housings, it is a whole new world! The pure joy of being in the water and getting these shots will make my painting come full circle in terms of the inspiration for my work, and the visual narratives that will result after the photo shoots. It’s also pretty cool to be able to give those in the water shots of themselves surfing in addition to offering them those very same shots for sale in terms of prints on paper/canvas or whatever form they take.

I can picture myself down the road in the near future with a double booth that will not only feature my paintings, but the photography that has inspired them. Not everyone can afford an original work of art but a photograph will make it more obtainable for everyone!

An amazing capture at Camp Pendleton in Va. Bch. this summer. Over 3000 pics were taken on this day and only two made the cut.

The Jetty this fall.

The Jetty and Camp Pendleton have been my go to places for shooting this year. I want to show others that we actually do have waves of quality here on the east coast.

A silver barrel at the jetty this winter December 3, 2018.

Here is my new CMT Housing, Ports for each lens, and the new Cannon 7D MarkII.

The disassembled housing. I have to take it apart after every use and lubricate all the parts.

Back view of the housing. I went with limited access to the camera controls to keep it simple. I am after all in a very fluid, dynamic, moving environment with all kinds of stuff coming at me really fast so there is not a whole lot of time to mess with the controls anyway while in the water.

This is the 4/3 mutant which I used up until the middle of December. I’m now in a 5/4 o’neil full suit, 5 mill fin socks, boots, and gloves. The helmet is necessary because not everyone can see ya in the water and it also makes duck diving into the cold waves a lot more tolerable.

2018 Show Season Reflections and Thoughts....

This weekend I wrapped up my final outdoor show for the season and it has certainly been a very busy and interesting year with no shortage of ups and downs. I keep a very accurate ledger of items sold at every show and totals of what was spent and taken in during each event. This helps me a lot to better understand how I am doing in my business and what things I need to work on to achieve a more successful work model as a professional artist. Much to my surprise, I did not even make booth at this show which traditionally according to my records has been one of the top 3 or 4 in sales for the year every year, spring and fall, and I was not alone. This trend has been ongoing for this entire later part of the season for 2018 for me. Others had fantastic sales and many were feeling the same results I was at many of these events.

There are certainly reasons for the demise of sales but it all seems to boil down to pure luck and good fortune a lot of the time. That chance encounter you have with a new or former client who just has to have your latest piece, or one that completely speaks to them in a very special way. That kind of stuff just happens and can make sales at your show huge…or not, and you can’t always win so ya gotta roll with it. The more shows you do the more you improve the odds of that wonderful chance encounter.

Of all the shows I did this year, it rained on all but two!….there’s yer sign! The rain can have an impact and often times it does, but the one show with the most perfect weather was a total goose egg for me! My best sales came at a show where it rained all weekend yet I managed to lay a golden egg and sell a couple really big paintings! Pure chance!

Another thing that impacts sales is your geographic area and how heavily you have saturated it with your art. I believe that this one area is the key to my demise this year because I have sold so many originals here at home on my own turf. Even some of the out of town shows where I did well I have saturated those areas also.

I believe that I will make fewer paintings in 2019, but better ones, with greater detail and clarity. I plan on shooting tons of shots in the water this winter to find the right inspiration for my works of art so that I have true and compelling narratives to go with each piece that are all based on my very own personal experiences in the dynamic and ever changing ocean environment where I live and travel. My style will continue to evolve in complexity and subject matter with an emphasis on the bubbles I see in and under the water and whatever creatures that are in them, be they real or imagined. I am just fascinated by those glistening bubbles that are all around me while shooting from the water and the many ways that I can incorporate them into my patterns.

Another amazing journey....

We just got back from our annual sojourn to Playa Venao, Panama during the "green season" and green it was.  The surf did not deliver as it usually does but there were some very fun waist to chest high waves the first few days and plenty of ridable surf each day after that.

Getting into the surf shore break was interesting!

FooFoo, the owner of the only surf shop at El Site was shredding as usual.

The abundance of Rufous hummingbirds was a real treat right outside our door.

another one!

rainbow winged beauty.

After countless hours in the water shooting with my goPro, the results were an abysmal failure due to the lack of off shore winds and sediment washing into the ocean from the river.

Picture yourself here....no stress...no worries...

Fun's over, now back to work.  August is going to be jamming with shows!

Emerging Patterns, Solo Exhibition

Emerging Patterns, Solo Exhibition

Sandler Center For the Performing Arts, July 6-Auguts 20, 2018

Reception: Monday, July 9, 2018, 6-8pm

Looking forward to this amazing opportunity to showcase how my unique pattern paintings have evolved over time to where they are now.  My portrait of Rusty and Raven are merged with my Monterey wave painting for the poster which clearly illustrates the transition my work has taken over the years.

Spring Swell at the Jetty

Got some sweet little barrels at the Jetty today.  Spring has sprung.  Got lucky with the GoPro.

2018 Shows are rolling along!

Been a long time since I wrote in my blog!  Been pretty busy all winter selling and creating new work to a variety of sources.  Had the pleasure of one of my art works featured at the Dare County Arts council for a fund raiser for the Chicamacomico Life Saving Station in NC.

I have spent several months preparing for my biggest show yet with over 62 very large paintings. This body of work emphasizes my passion for all things regarding the Ocean and the Earth and how connected they are.  Opening is April 12, 2018.  Six floors of art!  Wow!

Ocean and Earth Exhibition

There are far too many shows coming up to mention them all here so please check my exhibition page to find out my schedule of events for the 2018 show circuit.  A huge thanks to all of you out there who continue to support my work through your positive comments and purchases.  I am so fortunate to be living my dream and thanks to everyone who has made this possible, especially my wife Kris!