Island Native

Kerry Schwartz at Island Native Surf House

surfs through COVID wave

Photos & Words by David Lopez

Anyone who has seen a popular surf movie like Point Break and Blue Crush has momentarily envisioned themselves riding those blue waves, basking in the sun. So when you find yourself at the beach again, wondering if that could be you, make sure to call Kerry Schwartz.

Schwartz owns and runs Island Native Surf House located on 700 Padre Boulevard. Since 2002, the shop has been offering quality products at a fair price and quality customer service. Even better, the shop provides surf lessons that have proven to be extremely popular.

“We’ve been at this for so long that we have techniques that work from years of experience, and if somebody comes to us, we’re not teaching them for entertainment; our goal is to create a surfer,” said Schwartz.

Schwartz no longer provides the surf lessons himself, but it is his close friend, Bo Hollingsworth, who has worked for Schwartz for 15 years, that gives one-onone individualized attention.

Beach and surf have long been part of Kerry Schwartz’s life. During the 1960s, he owned a surf shop with a childhood friend in Brownsville.

Following his college career, Schwartz pursued his professional life, once working for a big corporation and hating it. He has been working for himself ever since.

Schwartz was fortunate enough to semi-retire early at 55, so in 2002, he decided to begin his shop at the Island, given his attachment to the area (he had family there) and the sport.

“It’s always been my sport, and I knew eventually I’d come back into it with a lot more knowledge,” he said.

Schwartz has surfed worldwide, from the east to the west coast, Hawaii, Costa Rica, and Southern Mexico. However, his favorite place for surf remains the Island.

“Every trip, it’s hit or miss, he said. “I would go to California, for instance, and surf every September, and in the last four years, I got no surf. I’ve had good surf in a lot of places, but I’ve had extremely good surf here. The difference is it’s not as consistent.”

According to Schwartz, the Island is a hidden gem for surfing. He said

September through June are the best months for surf at the Island, which almost proved an upsetting challenge when the pandemic hit in March, as the City of SPI canceled major Spring Break events.

“Typically, Island businesses make their money from March to August after the school year is over. If you’re not disciplined, you won’t make it through the slower months,” Schwartz said. However, despite the pandemic’s challenges, a combination of people’s cabin fever and the authorities’ travel restrictions led tourists from across Texas to flock to the Island, leading to Schwartz’s sales increasing and turning out solid numbers.

Schwartz has more than personal and professional ties to the Island at this point: he has served on several City committees and now sits on the city council. His wife is involved in animal rescue while his daughter and her group, the Skaty Cats, raised money to build a new skate park.

“I’ve always enjoyed being involved in the community,” Schwartz said. “Everybody should have a commitment to their community in some way, whether it’s a religious community or city community; in some way, you should give back.”

Lastly, Schwartz told of a granite piece from the jetties he had on his office desk during his 9-to-5 days. “I would tell myself, ‘One day…this is what I’m busting my ass for: a piece of home.”

ABI creates amid pandemic

by Gaige Davila • Photos by ABISPI

A global, viral pandemic did nothing to stop South Padre Island’s art scene from flourishing, almost a year after South Padre Island’s Art Business Incubator (ABISPI, pronounced “abbey”) opened its doors.

The city’s Economic Development Corporation created the art gallery, studio and retail space at 6801 Padre Blvd to establish South Padre Island’s art scene, helping selected artists launch their art businesses and sustain them. To South Padre Island, establishing an art scene can attract visitors year round, in a city whose tourism slows after Labor Day.

Nearly a year since their opening in November, ABISPI’s current class of resident artists are still creating, even after the COVID-19 pandemic closed the gallery’s doors between March and August.

ABISPI Executive Director Alexa Ray says, even with opening just before COVID-19 reached the States, business is good, and it’s a sign that South Padre Island, its city government and residents, is embracing its artists.

“With any new business it’s going to take a while for people to realize that we’re here, especially with the tourists and the visitors,” Ray said. “In the very least, the fact that we’re offering this opportunity to aspiring artists is (showing) the Island’s doing something.”

ABISPI’s artists — Chelsea Fedigan, Kathy Schwarz, Sarah Truman and Andres Aceves — are continuing to create, as ABISPI’s walls and shelves continue filling with their works. On any day, you can find Aceves molding ceramics just beyond the front window, or Fedigan putting the finishing touches on her signature dog portraits.

This accessibility to the artists was intentional, Ray said, for artists to develop relationships with potential clients within the same space their art is created. ABISPI, as a space, provides artists barrierless marketing, as artists can accompany potential clients from inception to

purchase of commissioned or already-made works.

But ABISPI’s accessibility doesn’t end with its artists. Visitors can create art of their own through ABISPI’s open painting table, where guests can purchase small and medium sized canvases to paint on with all supplies provided by ABISPI.

Ray’s role, like many administrators in COVID-19, has shifted more to the guiding she was already doing, focusing on the artists’ having a good experience during their residency as COVID-19 disrupts life locally.

The artists are encouraged to create art at every price range as another aspect of their business model, whether that’s original canvases, prints, sculptures or stickers. Artists experiment with different mediums and themes while also making art that is selling regularly, Ray said, speaking on her role as a guide for the resident artists, encouraging them to create what sells.

The future is still ahead for ABISPI. For their anniversary in November, a gathering is planned, depending on COVID-19’s presence in the area and creating a logistically safe way to do so. Their new class is set to hold residency by March 2021, with some already applying for next year’s spots.

ABISPI is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 2500 Padre Blvd. Suite 1.

Previous page from left, top: Artwork by Chelsea Fedigan, Andres Aceves, Sarah Truman, & Kathy Schwarz

Previous page from side: Chelsea Fedigan, Andres Aceves, & Sarah Truman

Clockwise from top: Kathy Schwarz, Alexa Ray, Andres Aceves’ artwork