John Severson (SEA-ver-son, 1933–2017) was an American editor, author, filmmaker and artist, widely known as the founder of Surfer, a magazine focused on the sport and culture of surfing.
[5] His artwork and photography have been published globally, in Surfer, Sports Illustrated, L'Equipe, The New York Times, The Guardian, BBC, 032c, and Nowness.
[7] Drew Kampion, editor of Surfer 1968-1972, said Severson was "the first to treat surfing as a worthy subject matter for fine art.
"[3] Sam George, editor of Surfer (1999) said "before John Severson, there was no 'surf media,' no 'surf industry' and no 'surf culture' — at least not in the way we understand it today.
He grew up in North Fair Oaks and Pasadena until his family moved when he was thirteen (1945, variously reported as 1943) to San Clemente[5] — where his father operated a PDQ gas station at El Camino Real and Avenida Aragon.
In 1949, Severson's father built a gift shop at the street in front of their home where his mother sold California souvenirs and leather items.
[10] Severson, his sister and three brothers each worked creating leathergoods, marketing them to tourists and turning the shop into a restaurant when Interstate 5 arrived nearby.
[17] Ultimately, with the success of Surfer by the late 1960s he was married, had two daughters, lived in a beachfront gated community (10 minutes from where he'd grown up, purchasing an oceanfront property adjacent to what would become the Nixon compound), played golf, drove a Mercedes, and "spent less and less time in the water.
[20] Severson windsurfed — ultimately launching, publishing and editing Wind Surf magazine,[21] contributing art and photos.
[12][22] Describing the act of surfing to the culture magazine, 032c, Severson said: It's like a beautiful sensation of dance with the added dimension of being in nature.
"[14] Severson was inspired to create Surfer, specifically to counter the depiction of the sport and surf culture in the 1959 film Gidget.
[14] Toward the end of the 1960s, Severson led the magazine in a less predictable direction, more sympathetic with the counterculture movement, introducing poetry and long form essays.
[27] At the time, the magazine was produced by Surfer Publications, a subsidiary of For Better Living and by the late 1990s, was based in San Juan Capistrano.
[28] The magazine changed ownership and management numerous times over its history and is currently (2020) published by American Media (AMI), owner of the National Enquirer.