Meet Abba Gray | Artist & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Abba Gray and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Abba, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Being an artist has always been part of who I am. Throughout my childhood, my parents encouraged creativity from the start, there were always paints, scraps, tools, and random projects lying around. I loved working with my hands, bringing old things back to life, experimenting with new materials, and getting lost in the process. It always brings me joy seeing how something I made makes someone else light up. That feeling of pure stoke is what is at the core of my custom company. Creating is my way of spreading it and helping other people feel that same joy and energy in their own way.

In the fall of 2021, when COVID brought me back to Colorado from my life as a collegiate athlete in California, I suddenly had more free time and a lot of blank canvases. One of them was my plain white surfboard. I taught myself to repair it, and decided it would be the next project to paint. It was then I ordered my first batch of Posca paint pens and got to work. When I shared photos of the process and then the final product with friends or on social media, I was hit with a wave (no pun intended) of positive feedback. That encouragement sparked an idea: what if I could turn this passion into a business that helps others personalize their board through art? From there, I began experimenting with skateboard decks and other projects, always inspired by the surf culture I missed from California.

The name Biggest Stoke Customs came from a moment in a surf documentary that left a lasting impression on me. After catching the best wave of his life, a surfer came out of the water beaming and said, “Now that was the biggest stoke”. That pure sense of joy and fulfillment perfectly captured what I wanted my art to represent. Through Biggest Stoke Customs, my goal is to create that same feeling for others, helping them experience their own “biggest stoke” through custom, meaningful designs that celebrate their passion and individuality.

Later on, I was required to complete a summer internship for school but had no clear direction of where to start. During a conversation with my professor, I mentioned a far out curiosity I’d always had about the surfboard shaping industry. To my surprise she ended up knowing a friend of a friend she’d met at a wedding who happened to be a surfboard shaper. She immediately called her friend up, and by the end of that same day I was offered an internship with Adam Davenport, founder of Davenport Surfboards. He enthusiastically offered me one of the best opportunities of my life and the experience impacted me far beyond sanding, creating pigments for resin and cutting fiberglass cloth. For the first time, I felt aligned with something that not only fueled my passions but also had the potential to grow into a real career.

I’ve created a lot of work on my own, but having someone to receive and connect with a piece adds a whole new level of motivation for me. It’s what drives me to keep growing and investing in making the brand. What keeps me going is seeing people genuinely excited about the things I create and actually using them. Whether it’s a friend proudly wearing a custom shirt I made or a customer sending a photo of themselves riding a wave on a board I painted just for them, those moments make me know that what I’m doing is worth it. Seeing my work bring joy and be part of someone else’s experience is the best reward I could ask for.

What should our readers know about your business?
At its core, Biggest Stoke Customs is about more than just art but about invoking stoke through creativity, connection, and reinvention. I use art as a way to bring people together and breathe new life into things, turning them into something unique and meaningful. Much like a tattoo artist, I strive to ensure that each piece I create reflects the individuality and story of the person it’s made for. My goal is for every customer to feel seen and represented in their custom design, transforming their board into a true expression of who they are and what they love.

One of the things I’m most proud of is having the opportunity each year to participate in the Ritz-Carlton Christmas Surfboard Auction in Laguna Niguel, CA. The event benefits Surfers Healing, and this year marks my third time donating a board. I get so excited to create my “big bang” board, a one-of-a-kind design for someone I’ll likely never meet, knowing it will go on to bring joy to someone new. Having worked with Surfers Healing, I’m deeply passionate about supporting their mission and helping them continue to make an impact through surfing.

I never could’ve imagined being where I am today. Growing up in landlocked Colorado, I spent years daydreaming about the ocean and what it would be like to surf. Developing a passion for surfing and stepping into a world I didn’t grow up around was a huge leap. Moving away from everything familiar was scary, but staying curious and pushing myself beyond my comfort zone has always led me exactly where I’m meant to be. Looking back, teenage me would be so jealous that I now live just ten minutes from the beach and so proud that I turned that dream into reality.

I learned that taking risks is a part of the job, especially as I’ve become an entrepreneur and artist that is trying to create something unique. It has opened up a world where Biggest Stoke is possible. I’ve realized playing it safe has rarely led me to growth in a niche market. I’ve started to intentionally take risks with my custom art because whether I succeed or fail, the action itself tends to keep me moving forward in the right direction.

Creativity itself is a risk. Whether it’s trying new materials or methods, working around time or budget limits, or just knowing there’s a chance people might not like what you make, there’s always some uncertainty involved. Nonetheless, creating something that does not yet exist whether as an entrepreneur or artist requires willingness to step into uncertainty with courage.

Being in my early twenties, embracing risk has become central to both my personal life and the development of my business. When stepping into uncertainty, I’ve been able to figure out what works, what doesn’t, what I like, and what’s just not for me. One of the biggest risks I took was stepping into a trade that’s mostly male-dominated when I first started shaping surfboards as an intern. Finding my place and earning credibility hasn’t always been easy, but it’s always been worth it. I’ve learned to roll with it, experiment, and make things that genuinely reflect who I am. Along the way, I’ve been able to alter my approach and take the risk to blend something new. That single leap of faith shaped my world… literally. Five years later, that same risk has led me to the reward I experience today.

What started as a curious project during COVID has grown into something I could’ve never planned. From an internship with Davenport Surfboards to now working with Hobie Surfboards and Shop while continuing to grow Biggest Stoke Customs, each step has led to the next and connected me with an incredible community within the surf industry.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that success often comes from connection, not just thinking about ideas, but talking about them and sharing them out loud. You never know who someone might introduce you to or how a single conversation can change your path.

I want the world to know that imagination and creativity are endless. If you can think it, you can create it. Whether it’s a personal dream or a design to paint, Biggest Stoke Customs exists to keep the stoke alive and to remind people that creativity has no limits.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First off, I’d take them to the Dana Point Saturday Morning Farmers Market! We’d stroll through all the local vendors, but I’d definitely make my weekly stop at the best fruit stand ever. They always have the freshest seasonal fruit, and the guys running it are some of the nicest locals around. There’s great music playing, fruit samples being passed around, and the vibes are always high.

After that, I’d take them to Strands Beach in Dana Point. Whether it’s walking the stair loop or spending the day in the sun, full beach days are always a must when someone comes to visit me. I’d also make sure to plan a few San O surf sessions, where I can introduce them to the local van-lifers who surf like they’re walking on water. Afterwards, we’d grab a loaded Bagel Shack sandwich or Dippity Donuts for breakfast burritos.

Of course, we’d have to get Sea Surf Poke nachos to-go and drive up to the lookout point by Dana Point Harbor to catch the most epic California sunset. I’d also take them down Del Mar Street in San Clemente to window shop, walk the pier, and stop into my work, Hobie Surf Shop, for some goodies and to chat with the fun staff.

Each day would be packed with fun and adventure, but mostly just soaking up the sun, rotting away at the beach, and ducking under waves.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My parents deserve a huge shoutout for always encouraging me, my faith, and believing in whatever ventures I choose to take on. But I especially have to thank my older sister, Hannah. Without her, I wouldn’t have taken many of the risks that got me to where I am today. She’s my biggest hype woman, the one who can get me back on track with just a single phone call. I owe a lot to her and the way she holds me accountable; she’s a huge part of my story and the share of stoke.

Website: https://biggeststokecustoms.com

Instagram: @biggest.stoke_customs