15 minutes with Paul McNeil

With Single Fin Mingle just around the corner, we caught up with Paul McNeil for a yarn on art, surfing, music and, of course, coffee.

Paul is this year’s Mingle guest artist, and we’ve been lucky enough to collaborate with him on a limited SFM Stacker Mug. Residing in Byron Bay, he’s the co-founder of The Art Park, one of Australia’s most celebrated artist residency programs, an original Mambo artist, and a true legend of the surf and art worlds.

His work spans multiple solo exhibitions, alongside tour posters and record sleeves for the likes of Beck, Pavement, and The Rolling Stones. Witty, irreverent, and full of heart, his work captures coastal life in a way that feels right at home at The Mingle — especially in Sumner, the beach where he first learnt to surf.

A longtime part of the festival’s fabric since first exhibiting back in 2018, it’s safe to say this year’s Mingle is in very good hands.

Running from March 26–29 in the seaside village of Sumner, Ōtautahi, Single Fin Mingle is a world-class surf event with plenty more on offer. The weekend is packed with music, film, and art, alongside a stacked lineup of top-notch surfing.

We’re stoked to be back, parked up on the Sumner Esplanade with our trusty Supreme caravan, serving the good stuff to competitors and festival-goers alike.

Q. Hey Paul, for anyone not already familiar, tell us a bit about yourself. Where did it all start, and what does life look like now?
A: 15 minutes ain't quite going to cover this, I was born in Rangiora, and learned to surf at Waikuku, Sumner and Taylors Mistake. Then music and bands came along, and I faded on surfing for a bit. I left school and worked as a graphic designer in CHCH before heading to Sydney, where I started all over again.  I got more passionate about my work and thought, “This is fun!” I continue with that attitude to this day.

Q. You’ve spent over four decades shaping the crossover between art, surf, skate and music. Was that ever a conscious path, or did it just happen by being in the right places with the right people?
A: I decided at some point to try to combine my hobbies or interests into my work. Blur it all together, so to speak. If you are passionate and hang around scenes enough, you’ll find yourself doing a job. I guess that’s how it all kicked off.  Working 9-5 at a boring company just seemed awful to me, so I made my world about all the things I genuinely loved — ie, art, music, surfing, skateboarding and beer.

Q. Mambo really captured the zeitgeist. How do you look back on that era now, and do parts of it still show up in your work today?
A: Mambo was indeed revolutionary. In fact, I moved to Australia in the hope of working there! Sure enough, that happened, and I did art for them on and off for 20 years. It was insanely creative and so loved in Australia. Not many weeks go by without people talking to me about their favourite T-shirts or whatnot. It's cool, and I look back with pride.

Q. This year, you're the featured artist for Single Fin Mingle, with your artwork featuring on a pretty nice Coffee Supreme stacker mug and bag. What was your inspiration for the artwork this year?
A: My Mingle art this year is mainly me trying to add some of my pop, colour and emotion into the branding without too much fuss around it. I try to convey an idea as economically as possible. Everyone understands a wave.

Q. You’ve worked with everyone from The Rolling Stones and Beastie Boys to Beck, Pavement, Sonic Youth, and Dinosaur Jr. Is this something you still dabble in?
A: I try to be a ‘fine’ artist more these days, but that said, I’m always churning out rock posters and logos and all sorts of cool things for people (I have to remind myself how lucky I am in this regard).

Q. Artists like Raymond Pettibon, David Carson, Jean Jullien and yourself seem to have a rare ability to translate the feeling of surfing into visual form. Where do you find inspiration in both surfing and the art world, and how do they continue to inform and co-evolve with each other?
A: Once you have ‘the bug’ for surfing, that’s pretty much all you need, right?  I’m more addicted to riding waves and being near the ocean than ever. I just look around and see the beauty and all the feelings, and try to turn that emotion into a simple piece of art. See a wave, paint a wave, see a tree, paint a tree.

Q. You’ve exhibited everywhere from Tokyo to San Francisco to Hobart and Bali. Which places have had the biggest impact on your work, and how have they shaped your approach to art?
A: As a kid, I dreamed of being able to travel for my work and in the last couple of decades, I’ve been able to do that. It's a privilege and a thrill!  There is nowhere that’s not interesting to me. That said, I definitely start morphing into whatever environment I’m living in. I try to take the simple elements of a place and turn them into a work.  Simplicity is my goal.

Q. What does a good day in Byron Bay look like for you?
A: A bad day in Byron is paradise.  A good day is when you get beautiful waves AND achieve a bunch of work, plus hang out with friends. Maybe pat some dogs.

Q. What’s your coffee setup at home or in the studio?
A: Coffee makes my life function. Thankfully, these days there’s always an excellent cafe nearby (I do always ask around for the best one!). I have a coffee grinder (that's the key) and an espresso machine, but am also quite happy with a stove-top or plunger. Can I just add that I have recently been drinking the new trendy “cold foam” coffees! Jeez, next level.

Q. Vinyl or digital?
A: Vinyl, AND digital, CDs, and Cassettes, I have thousands of them all.  But if you’re asking which I prefer, it's records every time. I also love record covers!

Q. Favourite post-surf feed or snack?
A: Post surf snack. Depends on the time of day and how much energy I used. Scrambled eggs are pretty great, or if I’m in NZ, scones of course!

Q. Looking ahead, what’s in the pipeline for the rest of the year? New shows, new projects, or just more waves?
A: Always good things ahead. Another surf fest in California. A current group show in Sydney that’s pretty great for me. Fun projects with some mates in Oz (golf, pizza, music). More music! More shows. Got to get down to the Catlins to fulfil a surf dream. More laughing. 

Thanks for the chat, Paul. We’ll see you at the Mingle for plenty of brews.

Keep up to date with Paul @paulmcneilart