Painter Combines Love of Surfing with Mesmerizing Patterns from His Indigenous Heritage

Zachary Bennett-Brook from Wollongong, Australia is passionate about pursuing his artistic talent, while staying true to his cultural roots. The young painter has developed a way to successfully combine these two ideals with a style of work that is uniquely his own. Bennett-Brook’s intricate and eye-catching dot paintings merge his indigenous heritage with an artistic flair, simultaneously drawing inspiration from a life spent on the coast. He applies his culturally rich designs on functional objects, including surfboards, skateboards, paddles, and shoes.

Bennett-Brook began painting surfboards a few years back, while working on a commissioned mural for a local primary school. This is essentially what kickstarted his prominent body of work, merging his indigenous background with surf culture. The positive response on social media encouraged the growth of his portfolio, capturing a unique aspect of Australian culture.

Working on multiple projects at once, the time it takes Bennett-Brook to complete each piece ranges from a day to a month. He doesn’t sketch out the design, but prefers to simply envision an end product in his head and go from there, operating with a rough plan and color scheme. You can find a growing collection of the artist’s work on his website, Saltwater Dreamtime.