The Jeffreys Bay neighborhood is in mourning following the sudden passing of Stephen Bibb, a cherished native artist and surfer, who died on Friday morning whereas browsing – an act that encapsulated his deep bond with the ocean and the artistic spirit it gave him.
Stephen Bibb wasn’t only a painter; he was a visible poet of the ocean, a storyteller whose brush captured the soul of surf tradition and the transformative energy of water.
His vibrant artworks – many depicting the long-lasting Supertubes – made him a family identify in J-Bay and much past.
A life immersed within the ocean
Bibb lived only some blocks from the shoreline, his studio ceaselessly infused with the scent of sea spray and the soundtrack of waves breaking.
His each day surf classes had been sacred, shaping each his life and inventive imaginative and prescient.
Works like “Ocean Desires” and “Carpark Part JBay” turned beloved native landmarks in paint – capturing moments of serenity and surf stoke with vivid, flowing vitality.
From private struggles to artistic awakening
His artwork was born from private darkness. Bibb usually spoke of a interval in his life marked by grief and melancholy.
A life-altering second occurred throughout a surf session when a pod of dolphins surrounded him. He described the expertise as a “ball of glowing white vitality” rising inside him – an awakening that catalysed his religious and inventive rebirth.
From that second ahead, dolphins turned a recurring image in his work – representing pleasure, therapeutic, and connection.
A legacy in color, canvas and neighborhood
Bibb’s fashion was unmistakable: glowing line-ups, barreling waves, retro kombis, and soulful ocean moments.
His work, as soon as bought in native surf retailers and co-ops, gained worldwide reputation by platforms like Displate, making his artwork accessible to a worldwide viewers.
Mediums ranged from oils and acrylics to digital artwork and etched metallic. But irrespective of the format, each bit carried his unmistakable reverence for the ocean.
A beneficiant coronary heart
Bibb wasn’t only a painter – he was a mentor, a neighborhood supporter, and a quiet power of excellent. He donated artwork to anti-crime initiatives, labored with native colleges and surf golf equipment, and impressed numerous younger artists who discovered braveness in his story.
Locals keep in mind him as mild, humble, and all the time smiling – particularly when the swell was up.
A farewell becoming of his spirit
Bibb handed away doing what he cherished most: browsing the waves that gave him life and voice.
Although his loss of life is a heartbreaking loss, many really feel peace figuring out he left this world embraced by the ocean that so deeply formed him.
He’s survived by his household, associates, fellow surfers, and a world neighborhood of artwork lovers who noticed the ocean by his eyes.Plans are underway for a neighborhood paddle-out ceremony and a memorial exhibition of his work in Jeffreys Bay.
In his personal phrases:
“The ocean has a spirit of its personal. It teaches, it heals, and in the event you hear intently, it paints by you,” – Stephen Bibb.
Did you ever meet Stephen Bibb or see his art work?
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