Brian Bent

Interview by Glenn Sakamoto

Pulling into the San Onofre State Beach parking lot with his 1920s hot rod, sailor hat, striped pants and kookbox surfboard – California artist Brian Bent is one of the most unique and colorful characters in contemporary surf culture you’ll ever meet. We had a chat with him to learn more.

What was your childhood like? Where did you grow up?

I was born in Inglewood, California and moved to Hermosa Beach until I was about seven. My childhood was a blessing after my mom met my stepdad as I got a really cool neighborhood to grow up in. My life was full and I went skateboarding, hunting and fishing. 

Being artistic and an only child, I had a lot of time to be creative. I was always at my grandparent’s house and they had a lot of antiques and guitars and just about anything you would want to look at or play. I loved looking at the black and white photos of our family from the ‘40s. I pretty much had free expression and a lot of love from my family during that time. 

What influenced you to start surfing?

I used to skateboard down a hill that would lead me to a 7-Eleven in my neighborhood – I kept thinking my windbreaker would slow me down. I got really good at carving and I always liked looking at surf magazines. My Uncle Rocky (Sabo) surfed on the pro tour for Jacobs and Weber and when he would return, he would bring me stickers from different places around the world. 

Who/What inspires your art?

The inspiration for my art comes from the past and what it might’ve been like back then. When I was young, I would go to garage sales and collect Mad magazines and draw Don Martin characters. My grandmother thought I traced them. I would say I didn’t and she would say “Then draw them bigger,” so I would draw everything bigger. I still do that very same thing. Looking at photographs of architecture, surf photos or fashion inspires my paintings.

You received fame as the designer of retail display at the many Becker Surf and Sport locations. Can you tell us more?

I began working at Becker in 1985 with my Uncle Rocky. He hired me to build skateboards during Christmas. Later he came down from the South Bay to open two additional Becker stores. I left for a year and then met my girlfriend. I needed a job so we could get married, so I went back to work at Becker. I started working in display – just pinning stuff to the wall. Then I started applying art to it. Eventually I took it a step further and started adding woodworking to the designs. 

Dave Hollander gave me a lot of freedom to do the design and build out the stores. But it was actually a team effort with Hollander, Steve Mangiagli and Phil Becker, along with all the managers and employees. It was a great time. I can’t tell you how many screws I put into the flanges and how many paintings and how many knickknacks and how many screw guns I went through.

Around that same time, I got into welding and I started building hot rods when I was ministering at a pizza bar that was owned by my friend and his dad. We built our first hot rod as a mascot for our non denominational church called the Hot Rod Church for Sinners. Whatever I learned from welding I would apply to the Becker stores. For 20 years I pretty much had a three-dimensional canvas!

What do you love about creating art?

I love showing my artwork after I’ve experienced it. It’s a huge rad blessing when people like it. I like to show the expression of really going for something. I like the fluid-spindly action and rich atmosphere of color and expression. And I like getting a point across of what I’m trying to paint – whether it be elegance, going for it, or something real rugged or vintage. 

Where do you get your inspiration?

Most of my inspiration comes through surfing and skateboarding. I’ll play with outside interests like fashion from the ‘50s and ‘60s into my art and music. For years I was really into the ‘30s and ‘40s and then I would kinda go back to the ‘60s again. The 60s seemed like the perfect time for hot rodders and hot dogging. 

Tell us about your work with the Hermosa Beach Hotdogger Championship...

Eddie Solt looked me up to do be the poster designer and featured artist for the Hotdogger Championships. This would be my second year. It’s a total blessing as my family is originally from the South Bay. Recently I’ve been listening to a lot of Lighthouse (a historic club in Redondo Beach) jazz, musicians like Bud Shank, Bob Cooper, Lionel Hampton and Stan Getz. I’m also getting back into hotdoggin’ with my 1960-61 Bing Pig. Coincidentally, they have the event on the same side of the pier that my mom used to hang out with me when I was little – right where the Taco Bell was up on The Strand.

What brings you the most happiness?

The thing that brings me the most happiness is knowing that whatever I go through, or what attacks my brain or tries to slip in to my thoughts, I know the Lord is there to help me through all of it. I am blessed to have my wife and my family – and the family that are no longer here. After my son left this earth, it seems like I’m making people smile. I know I’ll see him again, so every day I ask the Lord, “What would you have me do?” My wife and I are best friends and we’ve always been into the same things and I’m thankful that I can still serve and be an artist. 

What “Golden Rule” do you live by?

It’s all about the Golden Rule! It’s cool when everybody’s getting along. But when there’s somebody that provokes me, it’s really hard to love them back and not get upset when they are being disrespectful. We’re all saved by grace and the Lord loves mercy, so I try to remember “Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy.” It’s in Matthew 5. The Beatitudes in the Bible are what keep me right, along with the Holy Spirit that confirms that in my heart. 

Which surfboard shapers do you feel are contributing to surf culture today?

I actually like so many boards from the past. For shaping today, I think of shapers like Tyler Warren or Todd Pinder in Hawaii and my good friend Kim Francis that lives right here in California. 

What is your favorite food?

My favorite thing to eat is probably macaroni and cheese, hotdogs and pork and beans. I drink a lot of milk, too. I also like chocolate – and celery with peanut butter! 

What kind of music are you into?

I have an eclectic taste in music. I listen to a lot of mid ‘50s jazz. And rock, like The Clash, The Hill, The Lively Ones and some Link Wray. I even have an eight track player with a bunch of ‘70s music. I love gospel music from the ‘70s all the way back to the early 1900s. There is a gospel song from the movie “Amazing Grace” from a session in the ‘70s that features Aretha Franklin called “Wholy Holy” that totally melts my heart 

What’s next for Brian Bent?

I think I’ll just go with my inspirations. I’m probably gonna build a couple more Hot Curl surfboards and maybe another Kook Box, too. I would just like to do a lot more art and be able to live the life that I get to live now.

To learn more about Brian Bent and his art, check out his website and follow him @brian_bent on Instagram. Follow Brian and his daughter Esther of“The Bent Duo Band” to find when they are playing in a city near you.