CONCRETE TO SALTWATER
Book Review by Marty Liboff

Brian Averill is our new President of the Venice Neighborhood Council. Many don’t know he is an excellent photographer and surfing and skateboarding enthusiast. Brian has lived here by the beach for 21 years. During much of that time he has tried to capture images of skateboarders and surfers in his 2019 book, CONCRETE TO SALTWATER. His book is a beautiful celebration of the sea and sun with surfers and skateboarders. Most of his photos are by our skatepark near Windward Ave. and the seas by Venice.

I grew up here by the beach and remember all our local Dogtown surfers and skateboarders. In the morning they surfed the ‘saltwater’ and in the afternoon they took their surfing techniques to the ‘cement’ and shaped the sport of skateboarding. Back in the day there were no skateparks like we have near Windward Ave. They invented the art of skateboarding in empty swimming pools or any walls or driveways they found. Brian shows our history of local skateboarding is still happening here at our beach. He documents the new age of skateboarding at our skatepark.

Brian captures the action at our skatepark and in the nearby ocean in a collection of colorful photos. If you surf or skateboard I’m sure you will recognize some of the stars in his book. He shows the twist and turns of skateboarding and surfing in an amazing array of forms and color. In many of his photos the gorgeous sunlight and clouds frame his pictures. We wish Brian good luck as our new VNC President and with his pretty new book.
You can find CONCRETE TO SALTWATER it is at local bookstores like Small World Books on the Ocean Front Walk.