From the artist…
After creating my Art Surfboards and my Rideable “Functional Art” surfboards, I decided to just do something playful with the boards. Often people wanted to gift me throwaway boards. These boards had history!
They were ridden and the dings and repairs showed all the thrashing. I decided to repair the boards the best I could and make them into a piece of art, to also repurpose a board that would end up in the landfill. I started with just a basic LOVE theme. Coating a board with an easy black, white or red and adding real neon tube lights.
After drilling and destroying boards and breaking various neon letters, I finally got it down and made my first neon LOVE line. It was an instant success. I then branched out into different words that were popular like dream, sweet and fuck!...
I decided to take a jump and add neon to very expensive vintage rare surfboards. These are expensive pieces that range from $5500-$10.5k and it worked! Art collectors and surfers got it.
I began the hunt, developing relationships with serious surfboard collectors, mainly in their late 70’s and early 80’s who were willing to let go of some of their amazing surfboard collection. They liked what I was doing to the boards, and that it gave them a life that ended up in beautiful places. Each board has a history that the client loves.
So once again surf and art culture have meshed!
Thom and Andrea bought a love board, and since Andrea’s Flair Play line conveys Love of Sport, she commissioned me to do a tennis racket. Once again the hunt began, searching for vintage wood rackets that could accommodate the neon, and look awesome! And sure enough, Prince made the Prince Woodie in the 80’s.
So here we go… with the NEW Love Racket line!
Bobbi Bennett - artist
The Prince Woodie with neon “Love”
Each racket is unique. It’s a 1980’s oversized laminated wood tennis racquet strung with clear (yellowed) synthetic strings. Racquet is natural wood with black overlay on front and back faces, with details in gold and green. Racquet has an open throat. Brown leather grip cover, and black plastic like butt plate. Neon “Love” is attached to the strings. The piece can be professionally installed with no electrical box showing or be placed leaning against a wall and plugged in. Both will bring magic to any room or wall.
production time 3-4 weeks
shipping charges vary
