Behind the Shaper with Shyama Buttonshaw

Behind the Shaper is a new Lipped series presented by Surf Visuals and Urbnsurf. Our last episode for this series features Shyama Buttonshaw. Shyama was born and raised just around the corner from Bells Beach and his surfing and shaping lineage is deeply woven into the iconic break.  His surfing mentors include Simon Anderson, Maurice Cole, Corey Graham, Wayne Lynch and Greg Brown.  All of whom have created, innovated and made famous statements upon the hallowed walls of the Bells Bowl. More than just a surfer shaper, Shyama blends art, surfing and shaping into a fluid and unique mix and recently this has led to his inclusion in the Stab Electric Acid Surfboard Test. In this episode we explore his origins, his relationships with his mentors and how a 18 month injury lay off has revitalised his surfing. The first instalment of Behind The Shaper features well-known and underground shapers from Victoria’s iconic Surf Coast, a birthplace of surfing culture, industry and craftsmanship regarded around the world. What started out as a small project quickly ballooned into a 80 page magazine with photography by Ed Sloane and the construction of custom surfboards to be ridden by the shapers in URBNSURF Melbourne’s lagoon later in 2019.    To pre-order a copy of Behind The Shaper, for more info on the series, to score tickets to the gallery exhibition and for your chance to win a ‘Golden Ticket’ to surf with the 12 shapers at URBNSURF Melbourne later this year check out www.behindtheshaper.com