ABOUT A GIRL – CATHERINE CLARK

catherine clark is brimful of life. she is blessed with talents like surfing, singing and playing guitar and would never call them her own.  for us catherine has a very impressive and beautiful attitude towards life. listen to the wise words of this 17-year-old girl from ventura and get inspired by her pulsating creative vein.

where are you at the moment and what are you up these days?

right now I am at home. I have been traveling around the world here and there, making music and really getting to know myself. since my injury, I have found such a new way of life. I am becoming more and more immersed in the power of positive energy. there is such a flow to the world that most people have yet to awaken to. since I have acknowledged this energy of the world, this essence of being that truly connects us all, I have been opened up to an entirely different way of life.

you travel a lot and many girls would say you live a dream. do you feel the same?
I feel like I live a life that even I couldn't have dreamt. it is such a blessing, and every moment I am grateful for this path. it's amazing to be able to meet people all over the world. I have met so many people that I'll be friends with for the rest of my life.

you must have been a real good person in your previous life. you are endued with music, you surf like a goddess and you are a natural beauty. do you believe in karma?

thank you! I do not just believe in karma, I live it. every positive you put in comes positive back, every negative comes back negative. I work incredibly hard for everything I do, and I put my soul in to it. that's why things fall together for me, because I have the right intentions and I have a vision. I know I have a divine path, because I have realized how valuable life really is. we all have the ability to be the best we can be. I want to be the best I can be so others can see it in themselves. we are all equal, but often separated by our own insecurities. this false reality keeps people in negative and ungrateful places, but we often forget that situations can be turned 180 degrees just by changing our thought patterns. negative thinking is as simple as a habit, it must be broken in order to come to a new state of being. as an individual, I have realized my potential is infinite. and when we realize this as a collective, our impact will be absolutely profound.

you have a great blog called cateatscake. we can see you singing, playing piano and guitar, surfing, painting and writing poems. is there anything you are not good at? 

the thing is, I have been granted these gifts, they are not my own. most of my music and poetry is straight through me. it is a message I am supposed to give the world, not a message that is MY own. I am here simply for the reason of embracing and celebrating life. I shape my life to be the one I want to live. if we all followed our passions, we would live in a completely different world. I could tell you this, no matter what job I did, I could find a positive in it, and that's just how it would be, because I know I have the choice to look at things in the light. we all forget that life IS a choice, always. we are dealt situations that are insane at times, but it is completely our choice to how we will let that situation effect us. I have had blessings fall in to my lap my whole life, but I know it is not just because I got lucky, it is because I have embraced my path as an entity on its own. a beautiful flow of life that I must surrender to and let be. I cannot force anything, it all falls together when we decide to let it go.

besides being in the US surf team of billabong catherine is also the face of sol-ette.

your heart beats for surfing as well as for music. which part in you is more touched by music and which one more by surfing?

surfing is such a beautiful way to set yourself free. it is just a matter of complete connection to the ocean, it's purely a form of meditation for me. before my injury, I was getting selfish in the water, I was getting egotistical and greedy. I think that was part of the reason I got injured, I needed to look at that situation as a whole and ask, is what I am doing the right thing? music is a whole different realm of existence really. music to me is the catalyst from which you can truly express yourself. it is such a beautiful thing when an artist truly reaches my heart, that feeling of being immersed in a song. and it is only when they are letting their spirit drift out in the open, that's when it reaches yours.

on your blog we also saw you went to coachella. how was it? and which bands impressed you the most?
coachella was amazing. it was so fun but really hot! I was absolutely entranced by Mumford and Sons. their whole combined energy is absolutely riveting. they are the rock stars of this generation for sure. I also really enjoyed the Black Keys, and I was captivated by the Lucent Dossier Experience, which is kind of like a musical, dance, circus, play all wrapped up into one.

do you have any rituals you do before going to water or before big contests?

no, and that's why I wasn't doing well. if I was to do a contest now, I would meditate on catching the right waves and being able to do the turns I know I can do. it is all about confidence. I often went into heats with no confidence, and found myself systematically falling a part. the most important thing in success is having a vision, and going at it with everything you have built up to make your vision a reality. on another note, surfing is so special because you are connecting with the ocean. I think water is so much more alive than we give credit. if you put the right energy in, it will come out to your advantage, always. one thing I used to do was give love and gratitude towards the ocean and a set would always come. it was when I surfed in vain that things didn't work out. your intention must always be the right one for things to work the way they are supposed to. our limitations come solely from our own manifestations.

 

please tell us about your biggest moment in surfing.

my biggest moment in surfing has definitely been my current process of getting back in the water. it has taken on a whole new meaning. it is no longer about how many hits I did on that wave, or if my spray was bigger than that other girls. it is about me getting to be in the ocean. I feel so incredibly blessed to be able to have this connection, and to live in a place where I get to do something I love so much.

is there any sea creature you are fascinated by?

dolphins! I am so incredibly intrigued by them. I can't wait for a moment when I can truly connect with a dolphin, I think that moment will be big. we, as humans, forget that everything around us has a life and a soul. everything has a recognizable consciousness, but it is not until we recognize, that things truly come to life!

do you know a legend about the region you are coming from. anything mystical you would like to tell?

there is a place called Hollister Ranch, and the Native Chumash said when a soul passes on, they are released through the western gate as a dolphin. the western gate is point conception, right above the Ranch. If you have ever been here, you know it is an incredibly spiritual, serene place. a true vortex of cosmic energy. I have been places that impact me in this way, that there seems to be a certain presence of the land, almost a personality. Ibiza had a very strong energy, as did Tahiti.

do you have any special tips for girls who are just beginning with surfing?

I would say, do it for the enjoyment, the moment it starts getting frustrating, just remember, you're surfing! there are a lot worse things to get frustrated about. you will always have fun if you always allow yourself a break and patience.

what´s coming up next?

big things, massive plans. writing, music, travels and hopefully some public speaking opportunities. I have a message to give to the world, it is just a matter of time before people start listening.

please finish following sentences
when i am surfing … I am free 
when i am singing … I am immersed 
when i am writing … my soul turns to ink

we have a sophisticated billabong jacket from the upcoming winter collection to give away! ... and be sure next winter is certain to come.  just finish following sentence on our facebook page until june 26th: "WHEN I AM RIDING ..."