A series of unfortunate events in John Slavin’s life led to him living in a van in La Jolla’s Windansea area. When the vehicle was impounded last year, he was without a home.
But thanks to the help of local residents, Slavin is getting back on his feet.
Last month, local band Seapoodle and the Windansea Surf Club teamed to put on a benefit concert for Slavin. The March 14 event at Beaumont’s restaurant in Bird Rock raised $4,600 in donations, enough to buy a 1998 Toyota Sienna for Slavin.
Slavin’s story
Slavin grew up in South Florida before moving to San Diego in 1991. Over the years, he lived in Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach and eventually La Jolla.
Slavin first took photos near the turn of this century and was surprised at how well his pictures turned out. After awhile, he started surfing less and shooting more.
“The No. 1 thing about photography is that you see things out in the world and the universe. …Something about that grabs your attention,” Slavin said.
Over time, Slavin became a staple in the Windansea community.
“I really like the fact that I do have superb skills from all the repetition, and I like making people happy,” he said. “People are really stoked to get great photos of themselves, and I have the ability to wait for that moment.”
John Slavin has made a name for himself in the Windansea community as a surf photographer. This is one of his photos. (John Slavin)
Slavin began living in a van more than a decade ago as a result of a whirlwind of financial and personal troubles. The vehicle broke down in the past year, leading to it being towed.
That didn’t stop Slavin from taking pictures, however. He has continued to document surf culture at Windansea and to work events for groups like the Windansea Surf Club.
“John is a fixture in the neighborhood and he’s kind of a legendary photographer and chronicler of surfing in Windansea,” said one of his Windansea neighbors, Sasha Gershunov. “I see him a lot walking my dog.”
Struck by his kind demeanor and intelligence, Gershunov built a rapport with Slavin over time. When he noticed Slavin living on the street in September, he offered him a place to stay in his garage. Another neighbor bought a mattress for Slavin for his temporary abode.
“We got to know each other better since then,” Gershunov said. “I got to know some of his story and we became friends.”
Creating ‘A Concert for John’
Gershunov said the best thing he did for Slavin was connecting him with fellow resident Molly Bowman Styles.
Gershunov, who had met Bowman Styles through their dogs, told her Slavin’s story. From there, she and her husband, Shawn Styles, got to work on a fundraiser.
Shawn approached the Windansea Surf Club seeking its support, and the group’s response was swift.
“Everybody in the room was like ‘Of course we want to support John,’” said Marnie Cheney, the club president. “And a lot of people came to the event at Beaumont’s. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Beaumont’s as packed as I did for that.”
Molly contacted Mikko Fleming from Seapoodle to see if the band would headline the benefit show, called “A Concert for John.”
The band had booked a set for rhythm guitarist Matt Donoghue’s birthday around that time and was happy to adopt the cause, Fleming said.
Molly also created a GoFundMe page for Slavin, and a Tim Bessell-created custom surf art print, “Textbook of Surfing,” was the centerpiece of an auction at the March 14 event.
Community shows up
“A Concert for John,” featuring music from local band Seapoodle, drew a large crowd at Beaumont’s restaurant in Bird Rock on March 14. (Marnie Cheney)
“It was amazing,” Slavin said of the concert, where Seapoodle delivered its “surfadelic” jam-band sound to a large crowd. “I can’t even describe it. It was a surprise. It was life-changing. … I didn’t see anything happening like that. Things were pretty bleak.
“Even aside from the funds for the van, it was so much fun. The music was so good. The energy of the people was so friendly, so generous and so nice.”
From Fleming’s vantage point onstage, “seeing everyone come and support was very touching,” he said. “And you could see how touching it was for John. He had the first table in the front and he was looking around and it was just full.”
Slavin hopes to set up a mobile studio in his van and further distribute his surf photography. He said he also hopes to give custom prints to people who helped raise funds for him.
Donoghue and Gershunov praised the community for how it mobilized around Slavin.
“It’s events like that, coming together for the likes of John Slavin, where you really feel that wow, this is a very special community,” Donoghue said. “And in this ever-increasing age of technology and people tuning out, people are tuned in here. That made me feel pretty special to be a part of that and honored to do something good.”
Gershunov agreed, saying “Thanks to this experience, I know the best thing about this neighborhood is that it comes together to help a neighbor in need.” ♦