Tyler Spangler

How is designer, collager and bonafide California surfer Tyler Spangler waiting out quarantine? Dutifully wrangling a four-year-old, painting with pixels and creating colorful artworks reminiscent of a clown car dipped in acid-tinged Kool-aid. Though his artwork first catches your eye for its bold and flashy appearance, it’s also unexpectedly supportive and encouraging, featuring phrases like, “You Have All The Power You Need” and “Trust What You Are Doing.”

A punk rock enthusiast since he was learning how to catch his first waves, he even managed to score his own interview with Poly Styrene of the X-Ray Spex as a kid. He was kind enough to answer our interview questions while sheltering in place, talking 90’s flannel, confusing music and baby dinosaurs.

Q: What was your latest binge-watch?

We always go back to The Office as background noise.

Q: What genre of music most confuses you?

Melodic hardcore. I like the idea of it, but there are a lot of bands and songs that are so bad, it’s very hit or miss. I was going to say rap-metal – like Limp Bizkit style – but that’s very stereotypical.

Q: Beavis or Butthead?

Probably Beavis, because of Cornholio. Perfect for the quarantine.

Q: Do you remember the first time you caught a wave?

Yes, my dad surfed a lot when I was really little and he taught me. I started on a boogie board – we used to live in Huntington Beach. I remember catching whitewash right on the shore and I thought it was the coolest thing in the world, being carried by water. I was like, “Everybody better watch out! I’m gonna kill you!”

Q: The Ramones or The Clash?

The Ramones – it’s more to the point. I like how their whole catalogue is more cohesive. More energetic!

Q: What is one skill that you possess that most people don’t know about you?

I’m always the baby dinosaur when my son and I are playing with his dinosaur toys. I do the baby voice and my wife cringes when I do it, like, “That’s the worst noise I’ve ever heard in my life!”

Q: Would you rather live in the 20’s or the 60’s?

Definitely the ‘60’s. I’m always jealous of my dad growing up in the 60’s in Huntington and having less pollution in the air and fewer restrictions on what you can do as far as sleeping on the beach. And such good music!

Q: What’s your favorite smell?

Salt. Beach salt air. The smell of the ocean.

Q: If you were a dinosaur, what kind of dinosaur would you be?

I’m actually so knowledgeable of dinosaur species right now! I would be a parasaurolophus. They have a horn on the back of their heads that they make loud noises with, and according to my son, that’s what they do for danger. I don’t know what that means – I think it scares predators away. It has a short mouth, like half the length of an alligator, but it doesn’t have teeth because it’s a plant-eater. It stands on its back two feet. They [dinosaurs] are all so weird.

Q: Caption this photo?

“Party on, Wayne! Party on, Garth!”

But wait, there's more....
The Complete Series of Interviews