In the studio with Scott Richards

In the salty, industrial boat sheds of Newport Beach, CA you will find the work of Scott Richards, also known as Slightly Choppy. A painter, collector, designer and surfer. Scott’s work is a culmination of these activities that come to life through his artistic process. He currently lives with his wife and kids in Newport Beach, California, but his story was very different than it is now.

Growing up just outside of Detroit, Scott was an early surfer on the Great Lakes and his exposure to the surrounding industrial elements - factories, barges, gritty crust and miles of rocky shorelines - inspired his intrigue for pure rawness.

"I try to create my flags as souvenirs—old, vintage-inspired modern relics, if you will."

By disregarding newness, Slightly Choppy artifacts are perfectly imperfect an undeniable trait that makes each piece beautifully unique. With his hand-crafted, painterly process of art and design, Scott creates timeless pieces that honor surf culture’s past, present and future.

A huge thank you to filmmaker Robbie McInerny from WillBo in Laguna Beach, California.