Volcom‘s brand ambassador Maud Le Car has been competing on the World Qualifying Series for almost four years. But surfing is not all she does. The French girl, very much in love with her fiancé and Word Tour rookie Joan Duru, also professes a passion for art. She spends countless hours painting and customising her surfboards every time she gets new additions to her quiver…
Can you introduce yourself to those who don’t know you?
I’m originally from Saint Martin, a beautiful small island in the French Caribbean (recently devastated by Hurricane Irma, but you can help the surfing community with a donation). I moved to Biarritz when I was in high school and now live near Hossegor with my fiancé Joan Duru. I started surfing at the age of 12 at Le Galion, one of the rare surf spot in Saint Martin, and have been competing on the WQS for the last four years.
What were your goals for 2017?
My main goal every season is to qualify for the World Tour. But I also just want to enjoy and give my best in everything I do and to the people I am surrounded by.
Your fiancé Joan Duru is a rookie this year on the World Tour. How does he support you?
I am so happy and proud that Joan finally earned his qualification! It’s been so exciting and very inspiring for me. I get to watch him compete, travel with him and surf on the sickest waves amongst the best surfers in the world. I also try to make the most of it for myself by watching and analysing the women’s heats. I learnt a lot this year and have been inspired to improve my surfing and strategy in heats, even if I can’t see the results in competition yet. Joan is really supportive and does his best to advise me despite the fact he gets stressed when I’m competing.
“I would put so much spray on the boards that they would end up looking messy and not that artistic at all!”
You are also known for being an artist, how did you start drawing?
In my family, the three generations of women before me were all artistic. My mother, grandmother and great-grandmother are all painters so I guess it just comes from the genes in my artistic family (laughs). I have memories of drawing with my mother from the time I was very little, just playing with colours and different mediums.
You often post your quiver on your social media with your art on it. Have you always customised your boards?
I started when I had my first board but to be honest it was terrible because I wanted to have so many colours. I would put so much spray on the boards that they would end up looking messy and not that artistic at all! (laughs) Plus I wanted to change the colours every two months. That made my boards so heavy and just a bunch of random colours.
What inspires you?
The ocean definitely inspires me a lot. I also love to travel and experience different cultures, landscapes. I like to take the time to search for street art when travelling as that definitely inspires me a lot as well. I also love pop art, drawing the female figure and especially female faces.
“What I appreciate in art is that I can put my feelings and emotions into a creation.”
What does art bring you that surfing doesn’t?
They are both my ways of self-expression and I think surfing and art are quite similar in their own way. What I especially appreciate in art is that I can put my feelings and emotions into a creation. I love being creative and letting my imagination run free. I get excited seeing the results of what I have created.
Have you ever exhibited your work?
Yes, I have already exhibited my creations in art shows. The first was four years ago at an art show in Hossegor. It was awesome seeing how people viewed my work and how it affected them. I absolutely loved the whole experience.
