ATWATER FOUNDER, DEAN BRADLEY
PAINTS HIS CONFLICT WITH TECHNOLOGY

Text: Daniel Ikaika Ito
Image: Mainframe
Video: Lancifer Visual






Art is proof that beauty can come from pain and suffering. With every new piece of an artist’s angst comes an aficionado’s joy. Take the personal suffering and artwork of Atwater Clothing President, Dean Bradley, for example.

Before Bradley founded the innovative action sport’s brand, the Costa Mesa, Calif. resident was working as an Art Director for Hurley and freelance graphic designer. The tall and burley artist wanted to save money, so the dude became a workaholic, logging 18-hour days on his computer designing logos, ads, business cards and any other side projects. Unfortunately, Bradley’s paper chase proved detrimental to his relationships and social life.

“I was a freelance designer for a long time and I realized that I couldn’t do that anymore,” admits Bradley. “It’s a lonely, weird business because you’re by yourself most of the time.”

According to Dean, his life was way out of balance and he was spending the majority of his day on his Macintosh. Dude was way stressed out and ready to be over it. Then something beautiful happened– the birth of Mainframe, an original character created by Dean as an outlet for his occupational frustration.

“I was always into creating new characters to get messages out,” says Bradley. “Mainframe is a C.P.U. that unplugged itself from the wall, stood up and took on a life of its own. He is based off of old school computers with a 90's style big monitor for a head, tower hard drive for a body, mouse and keyboard hands and plugs for feet.”

Mainframe is a metaphor for Bradley’s conflict with his computer. He describes it as, “a struggle between nature and technology.” Dean observed that while his machine had carved out a lucrative life, it was also ruining his friendships at the same time.

The ensuing artwork that sprung from Bradley’s technological strife is epic. One of the first Mainframe paintings has the character walking alone on a snowy hillside, in a pine tree forest with an ax– conveying a lonely, empty feeling to his audience. Dean showed that piece and a series of Mainframe paintings in an art show organized by Mason Brown of Cardboard Robot called, “Command P,” at Astro Studios. The show was chocked full of other talented artists and became a monumental time in Bradley’s career.

“It was the first time I showed the Mainframe paintings and people were real hyped on it,” he says. “People were staring at it and taking time with it. That’s when I realized I didn’t want to show this character one time only.”

After the art show, Bradley blew up Mainframe, making stickers and posters and slapping them on whatever and wherever he traveled. From that point, Mainframe’s popularity caught fire like a lit cigarette butt in So Cal chaparral during Santa Ana winds. The heat caught on in other areas and Bradley’s character appeared on a Fuel TV Signature Series ID animation spot and a 25 c.m. tall Strange Co. toy. The Mainframe vinyl figure evolved after Bradley help design a toy package for his friend and San Francisco artist, Bigfoot. When Dean presented the work he did for Bigfoot, the toy company wanted more. Next thing you know, Strange Co. and Bradley were collaborating on a Mainframe figure.

“It was always a dream of mine to have Mainframe in a 3-D form,” Bradley says. “In my opinion, Strange Co. are the leaders of the whole urban, vinyl toy thing. The toy came out exactly how I wanted it.”

From a two dimensional, cathartic character to an iconic figurine, Mainframe, like Dean, has come a long way. When Bradley isn’t painting Mainframe, he is busy running Atwater with co-founder, Scott Madison. They both worked at Hurley together and ventured off to do their “dream brand” after Hurley was bought by Nike.

Atwater’s success proves that Bradley and Madison made the right move and Dean’s life is a lot more balanced since Mainframe’s birth. Nowadays, he is still busy with work, “single handedly designing the whole Atwater t-shirt line,” and wearing multiple hats in the daily duties of the emerging action sports brand. Yet, Bradley finds time to get away from his desk when necessary for a skate or surf. The Atwater President knows a break from the keyboard and mouse is essential to keep your sanity because as Bradley admits, “I know we all spend way too much time on our computers.”




Influences

Early
Born and raised in Southern California, Dean Bradley grew up in a very creative environment thanks to his mom. Dean’s mother taught summer art clinics that helped guide him down an artistic avenue.

“From a real early age I was always into [art]. My mom’s a fine artist, growing up I was always drawing and painting. My mom taught a free art class called, Kids Can Draw,” says Bradley. “Basically, she would get a classroom at an elementary school and all the kids would come out for a couple of hours everyday. She would teach them basic drawing lessons.”

Besides watching his mother create art throughout childhood, the next major influence in Dean’s development came from some kick and push. During third grade, Bradley began skating and his artwork reflected his new four-wheeled passion. From skating ditches and pools, Dean was exposed to various graffiti art and the vibrant graphics on skate decks eventually led him to his current career.

“Growing up it was skate graphics, surf wear graphics and a lot of graffiti,” reflects Bradley. “It influenced me to want to draw and create my own style, create my own graphics and graphic design.”

Musical
Dean Bradley isn’t Jamaican, but his all-time favorite genre of music is reggae. From dancehall to dub, from rock steady to roots, Bradley loves all types of reggae music any time of day. Depending on what Bradley is working on he also enjoys various other types of music like hip-hop and punk rock.

“If I’m doing some Mainframe pieces for an art show I’ll be playing dancehall or hip-hop; a good mix tape to feed off,” explains Bradley. “Around here [at the Atwater headquarters] we love a lot of rock-n-roll, old-school punk stuff. The Clash is probably on once a day here.”

Dean naturally gravitates to bands that incorporate reggae, punk and hip-hop in their music, like Slightly Stoopid. Currently, Atwater sponsors the San Diego band and the clothes and music compliment each other well.

“We listen to a lot of music like anybody else,” says Bradley. “But we like to play it loud and obnoxious.”

Hawaiian
Despite Dean’s Cali roots, Bradley has a lot of good friends in Hawai‘I, especially the bruddahs from In4mation. When he’s in the islands he may go for a surf with Jun Jo in the morning. Skate a bowl with Rhandy Tambio in the afternoon. And, have a green bottled barbecue with Todd Shimabuku in the evening. Dean isn’t just cruising when he’s in the 50th State, he’s also doing research and development for Atwater’s clothing lines. Perhaps, you may see Dean rummaging through thrift shops or the swap meet looking for inspiration.

“This latest season we wanted to do an old school, Hawaiian button-up shirt, like a Reyn Spooner style, but, we wanted to make it fun and obnoxious with battle ships, big hibiscuses and the Hawaiian Islands,” says Dean. “When [Atwater] is doing something Hawai‘i-specific I like to dig real deep because of all of tight friendships down there. I love to go to Hawai‘i and look for real rootsy things that matter to the local people.”

When Bradley needs to bounce an artistic idea off a ‘local boy’ and good friend he can always count on Aaron Martin. Martin, aka Angry Woebots, is best known for his paintings of rabid, roaring panda bears. The two artists met through mutual friends, Jun Jo and Todd Shimabuku of In4mation, and are kindred spirits in the art world. Dean and Aaron exhibit a lot of their artwork together with Pocket Full Of Monsters– a crew of artists organized by Martin.

“Aaron is a rad guy,” states Bradley. ”He’s one of the most talented guys I’ve ever met and I’m blessed to have a friend like him.”


ディーンブラッドリー
文　ダニエルイトウ

アットウォータークロージングの社長、ディーンブラッドリーはコスタメサ、カリフォルニア出身のマルチメディアアーティスト。アットウォーターの前、彼は長い間ハーレークロージングのフリーランスデザイナーをやっていた。その仕事の中で長い間コンピュターばっかりと接触する事から生まれたのが彼のシグネチャーキャラ“Ｍａｉｎfｒａｍｅ”。Ｍａｉｎfｒａｍｅのコンセプトは自分でコンセントを抜き生きたコンピューターに生まれ変わったロボットだ。ディーンはボードスポーツが大好きで仕事をしてない時は海かスケートパークでよく見かけることが出来る。