John Severson

{{Short description|American surfer and artist (1933–2017)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox person | name =John Severson | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = John Hughett Severson, Jr. | birth_date = {{Birth date|1933|12|2}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|12|18|1933|12|2}} | death_place = Maui, Hawaii | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | other_names = | known_for = Founder and editor, ''Surfer'' magazine; Founder, ''Wind Surf'' magazine; author, ''Modern surfing around the world'' (1964); author, ''Surf'' (2014); artist | education = Long Beach State, Art Education | employer = | occupation = | title = | spouse = Louise Stier Severson | children = Jenna Severson Anna Severson | relatives = }}

'''John Severson''' ({{respell|SEA|ver|son}}, 1933–2017) was an American editor, author, filmmaker and artist, widely known as the founder of ''Surfer'', a magazine focused on the sport and culture of surfing.<ref name="SFChron">{{Cite news|url=http://www.sfchronicle.com/nation/article/John-Severson-trailblazer-of-surf-media-and-11180873.php|title=John Severson, trailblazer of surf media and culture, dies|last=Goldstein|first=Richard|date=May 29, 2017|work=San Francisco Chronicle|access-date=May 30, 2017}}</ref><ref name="dates">{{cite book |title=Magazine Publishing|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yf9ydWlErLoC&pg=PA16 |accessdate=November 30, 2015 |publisher=Clinton Gilkie|page=16|id=GGKEY 84J4SXB4BU6}}</ref> Severson also created a diverse body of artwork dedicated to the sport.

Severson won the 1961 Peru International Surf Contest. In 1991, he<ref name="NYT1"/> was inducted into the International Surfing Hall of Fame.<ref name="surfertoday"/> In 2011, he won the Surfer Poll Lifetime Achievement Award.<ref name="simply"/> His artwork and photography have been published globally, in ''Surfer'', ''Sports Illustrated'', ''L'Equipe'', ''The New York Times'', ''The Guardian'', BBC, ''032c'', and Nowness.<ref name="puka"/> In 2008, Fender released two special edition guitars featuring Severson's artwork, the ''Surf Fever'' and ''Woody.''<ref name="fender1">{{cite book |title = The Writers Way, 2010 |publisher = |author = Jack Rawlins, Stephen Metzger |date = January 2011 |isbn = 978-0495911449 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=iZD6rhGXS7EC&q=louise+s.+severson+hawaii&pg=PA229}}</ref>

Drew Kampion, editor of ''Surfer'' 1968-1972, said Severson was "the first to treat surfing as a worthy subject matter for fine art."<ref name="NYT1">{{cite web |title = John Severson, Surfer Who Illustrated Allure of Waves, Dies at 83 |work = The New York Times |author = Richard Goldstein |date = May 28, 2017 |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/28/sports/john-severson-dead-surfer-magazine-artist.html}}</ref> Sam George, editor of ''Surfer'' (1999) said "before John Severson, there was no 'surf media,' no 'surf industry' and no 'surf culture' — at least not in the way we understand it today."<ref name="simply">{{cite web |title = Obituary: John Severson |work = Surf Simply |author = Mat Arney |date = May 28, 2017 |url = https://surfsimply.com/surf-culture/obituary-john-severson/}}</ref>

''The New York Times'' called Severson "a pioneer of modern surf culture;"<ref name="NYT1"/> who created "the surf art genre; joined the earliest ranks of surf filmmakers; developed the "Surf Fever" writing font now synonymous with surfing; and started the first major magazine dedicated to wave riding, ''Surfer'', a holy book of the sport.<ref name="nyt3">{{cite web |title = The Memories Come Back in Waves |work = New York Times |author = Jim Rutenburg |date = August 29, 2014 |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/31/fashion/john-seversons-new-book-on-surf-culture.html}}</ref>

==Background== {{quote box|width=270px|quote= "In this crowded world the surfer can still seek and find the perfect day, the perfect wave, and be alone with the surf and his thoughts." |source=John Severson<ref name="simply"/> the first issue of ''Surfer''<ref name="founder">{{cite web |title = RIP John Severson: 1933-2017 Founder of SURFER Magazine passes away at age 83 |work = Surfer |author = David Jones |date = May 27, 2017 |url = https://www.surfer.com/features/rip-john-severson-1933-2017/}}</ref>}}

Severson was born December 12, 1933, in Los Angeles, California, the son of Hugh and Dorothy Severson. He grew up in North Fair Oaks and Pasadena until his family moved when he was thirteen (1945, variously reported as 1943) to San Clemente<ref name="simply"/> — where his father operated a PDQ gas station at El Camino Real and Avenida Aragon.

In 1949, Severson's father built a gift shop at the street in front of their home where his mother sold California souvenirs and leather items. Located on the Pacific Coast Highway, they added orange juice sales when it became popular with the tourists.<ref name="juice">{{cite web |title = Good 'ol days? |work = Orange County Register |author = |date = October 13, 2005 |quote = In 1949, my dad built a gift shop where and my mom sold California souvenirs and leather items. Since all the tourist traffic went through town, orange juice became a big seller so he added that. |url = https://www.ocregister.com/2005/10/13/good-ol-days-2/}}</ref> Severson, his sister and three brothers each worked creating leathergoods, marketing them to tourists and turning the shop into a restaurant when Interstate 5 arrived nearby. His mother cooked and was widely known for her homemade pies.<ref name="pdq">{{cite web |title = Obituary: James Severson |work = Orange County Register |author = |date = 17 June 2009 |url = https://www.ocregister.com/2009/06/17/obituary-james-severson//}}</ref>

In San Clemente, Severson learned to surf — also painting, photographing and filming the sport.<ref name="lahaina"/> Following the advice of a mentor,<ref name="mentor">{{cite web |title = John Severson, Surf Art Pioneer and Founder of Surfer Magazine, Dies At 83 |work = Men's Journal |author = Drew Kampion |date = |url = https://www.mensjournal.com/adventure/founder-of-surfing-magazine-john-severson-dies-at-83-w485506/}}</ref> he documented his surfing experience "with his Brownie camera, then with cartoons, woodblock prints, and paintings."<ref name="rough"/> When shooting in the ocean, he used a plastic bag to keep his camera dry.<ref name="puka">{{cite web |title = John Severson |publisher = Puka Puka Gallery |author = |date = |url = https://www.pukapuka.tv/art/artists/johnseverson.html}}</ref> He also played trumpet, formed a barbershop quartet, and pitched for his baseball team.<ref name="rough"/>

First studying art at Orange Coast College,<ref name="orange">{{cite web |title = John Severson |publisher = Geneanet |author = |date = |url = https://gw.geneanet.org/wikifrat?lang=en&n=severson&nz=de+riqueti+de+mirabeau&ocz=0&p=john&pz=honore+gabriel}}</ref> he received a B.A. in art education at Chico State College and M.A. in Art Education at Long Beach State. After graduating in 1956 he taught high school art, including ceramics, for one semester before being drafted into the Army. In Oahu, he served as a draftsman and mapmaker, was a member of the Army surf team<ref name="simply"/> and sold his sketches to tourists.<ref name="rough"/> There he made his first film, ''Surf.'' He subsequently made the films ''Surf Safari'' (1959), ''Big Wednesday'' (1961), ''Going My Wave'' (1962),<ref name="surfertoday">{{cite web |title = John Severson, founder of Surfer Magazine, dies at 83 |work = SurferToday |author = |date = May 29, 2017 |url = https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/john-severson-founder-of-surfer-magazine-dies-at-83}}</ref> ''Surf Fever'', ''The Angry Sea'' (1963), ''Surf Classics'' (1964), and ''Pacific Vibrations'' (1970).<ref name="simply"/>

At first a one-man production, Severson developed ''Surfer'' magazine into a vital sport periodical and cultural institution.<ref name="bible">{{cite book |title = Photo/Stoner: The Rise, Fall and Mysterious Disappearance of Surfing's Greatest Photographer, p.42 |publisher = Chronicle Books |author = Matt Warshaw |date = 9 November 2006 |isbn = 9780811855334 |url =https://books.google.com/books?id=PAHRkNqUtgAC&q=%22louise+stier%22+severon&pg=PA42}}</ref> He eloped<ref name="nyt3"/> in 1959 with U.C. Berkeley graduate, Louis Stier.<ref name="bible"/> By 1966, Louise and he and their two daughters were featured in photo essay in ''Life'' magazine.<ref name="life">{{cite web |title = The Surfing Life: John Severson, 1966 |publisher = |author = |date = June 20, 2013 |url =https://quitecontinental.net/2013/06/20/the-surfing-life-john-severson-1966/}}</ref> Ultimately, with the success of ''Surfer'' by the late 1960s he was married, had two daughters, lived in a beachfront gated community (10 minutes from where he had grown up, purchasing an oceanfront property adjacent to what would become the Nixon compound), played golf, drove a Mercedes, and "spent less and less time in the water."<ref name="mentor"/> By this time, he had received the nickname, "Sevo."<ref name="sevo">{{cite web |title = Anna Severson |publisher = |author = |date = |url =https://www.hawaiilife.com/annaseverson}}</ref>

When Richard Nixon moved in 1969, nextdoor to his home near San Clemente's Cotton's Point, Marines prohibited surfing at Cotton's Point and Trestles, two noted surf spots.<ref name="trestles">{{cite web |title = In Memoriam: 'SURFER Magazine' Founder, John Severson, 83 |work = San Clemente Times |author = |date = June 1, 2017 |url =https://www.sanclementetimes.com/memoriam-surfer-magazine-founder-john-severson-83/https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/john-severson-founder-of-surfer-magazine-dies-at-83}}</ref> Severson contracted with ''Life'' magazine to take telephoto images of Nixon and his family on the beach, and Nixon had a six-foot privacy wall built around his property.<ref name="trestles"/>

In the early 1970s, Severson sold ''Surfer'' and moved with his family to Maui.<ref name="simply"/> In Hawaii, he surfed, painted, and designed an extensive line of Hawaiian surf shirts for the Kahala brand.<ref name="windsurf"/> Severson windsurfed — ultimately launching, publishing and editing ''Wind Surf'' magazine,<ref name="windsurf2">{{cite web |title = In Memory of John Severson (1933-2017) |work = Standup Journal |author = Evelyn O'Doherty - |date = May 30, 2017 |url =https://standupjournal.com/articles/john-severson-surfer-magazine-passes/}}</ref> contributing art and photos.<ref name="windsurf">{{cite web |title = John Severson, 83, founder of Surfer magazine |publisher = LAObserved |author = Kevin Roderick |date = May 29, 2017 |url =http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2017/05/john_severson_83_founder.php}}</ref> For a year, he regularly traveled the Pacific with his family, living for months in Tahiti in a treehouse.<ref name="windsurf"/>

Severson authored books including ''Surfer Cartoons: the best of SURFER cartoons plus great new cartoons'', John Severson Publications, 1963; ''Modern Surfing Around The World,'' Doubleday, 1964; ''Great Surfing'', Doubleday, 1967; ''Surfing Modern Arts'', Surf Art Festival Editions, 2007; ''Surf Fever: Surfer Photography'', Journal Concepts, 2004; and ''Surf'', Damiani Publishing/Puka Puka Gallery, 2014.<ref name="lahaina"/><ref name="books">{{cite web |title = The Encyclopedia of Surfing, 2005, p. 531 |publisher = Harcourt, Inc |author = Matt Warshaw |date = 2 June 2017 |url = https://surfsimply.com/surf-culture/obituary-john-severson/}}</ref>

Describing the act of surfing to the culture magazine, ''032c'', Severson said: {{blockquote|It's like a beautiful sensation of dance with the added dimension of being in nature. There's this whole force of moving water, and as you ride, you harness this water. Then, as your abilities increase, you can go farther and deeper into the wave, and into more radical positions – like off the top, off the bottom – and there are these weightless sensations. It's another dimension.<ref name="lahaina"/>}}

In 2017, he contracted a virulent form of leukemia and died at his home near Lahaina,<ref name="lahaina">{{cite news |title = John Severson, who helped define surf culture as founder of Surfer Magazine, dies at 83 |newspaper = LA Times |author = Steve Marble |date = May 30, 2017 |url = https://surfsimply.com/surf-culture/obituary-john-severson/}}</ref> on Honokeana Cove, in Maui, Hawaii on May 26, 2017, survived by his wife Louise Stier Severson (born 1940); daughters Anna Severson (born 1965) and Jenna Severson de Rosnay (born 1963);<ref name="simply"/> and brother Joel 'Joe' Lee Severson (born 1944). He was pre-deceased by his father John 'Hugh' Hughett Severson (1905–1994); his mother Dorothy May Severson (1906–1983, née Flachman); two of his three brothers James Russell Severson (1936–2009) and Jerry Frank Severson (1935–2009); and sister Jane Gertrude Severson Wing (1931–1993).<ref name="pdq"/>

==Surfer== In 1960, Severson produced a booklet for his film screenings, giving it a landscape format and calling it ''The Surfer.'' He imagined he would produce another to promote his next film, but his first edition proved popular and profitable.<ref name="simply"/> It was briefly called ''The Surfer Quarterly'', printed in portrait format. In 1962, the booklet became ''Surfer,'' which remains in print.<ref name="simply"/> Noted surf historian Matt Warshaw described it "the rough little 36-page booklet that started off as a promo piece for his 1960 movie Surf Fever, and was later grandfathered in as the debut issue of ''Surfer'' magazine."<ref name="rough">{{cite web |title = Obituary: "The Surfer" John Severson (1933-2017) |work = Outside Magazine |author = Matt Warshaw |date = May 30, 2017 |url = https://www.outsideonline.com/2189176/surfer-john-severson-dies}}</ref>

Severson was inspired to create ''Surfer,'' specifically to counter the depiction of the sport and surf culture in the 1959 film ''Gidget.'' In his 2014 book ''John Severson Surf,'' he wrote "surfers hated those Hollywood surf films, and I could see that ''Surfer'' could create a truer image of the sport."<ref name="SFChron" /> Severson's photography, art and humor set the tone for the future of ''Surfer'', which quickly grew to reflect the sport and the culture, as well as become a voice for surfers and environmental activism.

Severson used $3000 to print the initial copies for $1.00 each, selling them for $2.00 each.<ref name="rough"/> He and his brother delivered them to surf shops, where they immediately sold.<ref name="rough"/> For free, Severson would produce advertising artwork for prospective advertisers, soon employing a staff, notably photographer Ron Stoner, cartoonist Rick Griffin, Pat McNoley and writers Bev Morgan, Drew Kampion and Steve Pezman — and later Matt Warshaw.<ref name="simply"/> Severn's painting of two surfers on the beach appeared on ''Surfer''{{'s}} cover and was named the best cover illustrations of 1963 by ''Communication Arts'' magazine.<ref name="rough"/> Toward the end of the 1960s, Severson led the magazine in a less predictable direction, more sympathetic with the counterculture movement, introducing poetry and long form essays.<ref name="poetry">{{cite web |title = History Of Surfing: Surfer's New Wave |publisher = Surfer |work = Matt Warshaw |date = May 28, 2017 |url = https://www.surfer.com/features/history-of-surfing-surfers-new-wave/}}</ref>

The magazine opened the sport so surfers could learn what was happening in their sport locally and globally, including new places to surf, ways to ride, and new personalities shaping the sport.<ref name="league">{{cite web |title = RIP - Thanks for the Ride, John Severson |publisher = World Surfer League |author = Chris Mauro |date = May 28, 2017 |url =https://www.worldsurfleague.com/posts/254813/thanks-for-the-ride-john-severson}}</ref> Within only a few years, competitors included ''Surf Guide,'' ''Surfing,'' and ''Australian Surfer,'' which copied ''Surfer''{{'s}} layout so heavily, Severson considered outright plagiarism.<ref name="competitors">{{cite web |title = Interview: John Severson |work = The Surfer's Journal (TSJ) |author = |date = |url = https://www.surfersjournal.com/feature/interview-john-severson/}}</ref> He remained editor of the magazine until 1968.<ref name="NYT1"/>

Severson sold ''Surfer,'' the date reported variously as 1970;<ref name="dates"/> alternately as 1971, directly to Steve Pezman;<ref name="dictates">{{cite web |title = Warshaw on Slow Death of SURFER: "Surf media is always 95% crap and 5% great!" |publisher = Beach Grit |author = Derek Reilly |date = February 2019 |url = https://beachgrit.com/2019/02/warshaw-on-slow-death-of-surfer-surf-media-is-always-95-crap-and-5-great/}}</ref> and also alternately as "the late 1960s" to For Better Living, an Auburn, California-based company founded by F.G. 'Bud' Fabian.<ref name="capistrano"/> Bud Fabian had retired from For Better Living in 1996, a company whose primary business was precast concrete.<ref name="capistrano"/> At the time, the magazine was produced by Surfer Publications, a subsidiary of For Better Living and by the late 1990s, was based in San Juan Capistrano.<ref name="capistrano">{{cite web |title = Surfer Magazine Owners Are Considering a Sale |work = Los Angeles Times |author = Rose Apodaca Jones |date = June 30, 1998 |url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jul-30-fi-8459-story.html}}</ref>

Drew Kampion was editor of the magazine from 1968 to 1972<ref name="SFChron"/> and noted writer and surf historian Matt Warshaw, became a writer for ''Surfer,'' beginning in 1984, becoming the publication's editor in 1990.<ref name="break">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/sports/jenkins/article/Surfer-found-his-big-break-in-S-F-2595738.php|title=Surfer found his big break in S.F.|website=SFGate|date=13 November 2005 |access-date=May 10, 2016}}</ref>

The magazine changed ownership and management numerous times over its history and is currently (2020) published by American Media (AMI), owner of the ''National Enquirer''. By the time of Severson's passing in 2017, ''Surfer'' was reduced to eight issues annually, and ''Surfing'' magazine and ''Surfer's Path'' as well as many other international surf magazines had folded.<ref name="folded">{{cite web |title = RIP John Severson: Surf Media Loses Its Founding Father |publisher = Magic Seaweed |author = Matt Rode |date = May 30, 2017 |url = https://magicseaweed.com/news/rip-john-severson-surf-media-loses-its-founding-father/10296/?fb_comment_id=1219740618151659_1221020144690373}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Severson, John}} Category:American surfers Category:1933 births Category:2017 deaths Category:American modern painters Category:People from Los Angeles Category:People from Maui