]]>
Our hearts and prayers go out to Jeremy and the Wray family. Gone but never forgotten - Legends Live Forever!
]]>
]]>
For more info on Bobby follow him here:
]]>]]>
Danny Gonzalez sits and talks with Artform about growing up as a skateboarder in San Antonio and his journey out West to become one of the most groundbreaking skateboarders of his generation.
Find and Follow Danny here:
https://www.instagram.com/dannygonzalezskate/
https://www.instagram.com/onekelektiv/
]]>
In Episode #5 we had a chance to sit down with a Hollywood High staple Norman Woods who has been putting it down for the better part of two decades. Norman is an absolute beast on and off the board. We talked about his history in skateboarding, politics, music and life in general. Norman recently launched his own board brand Collage Skateboards and he continues to stay inspired and creative.
Find and Follow Norman here:
https://collageskateboards.com/
https://www.instagram.com/norman_woods/
]]>
ArtformTim had a chance to sit and talk about growing up as a skateboarder in the early 90's in Barcelona, Spain. From running Free skate shop and being a magazine editor to working as a sales rep at Indusnow and now running his own brand Classics, Juan has been a non-stop force in the Spanish skateboarding scene and we're proud to call him un Amigo!
Find and Follow Juan Here:
Enjoy!
]]>
Go follow Ron and hit him up to skate...! https://www.instagram.com/ronrez_cappelineheadwear/
Enjoy the show...
]]>BREVI - performer, artist, signer, rapper, songwriter all around creative soldier joins ArtformTim as a guest for the launch of the Artform Podcast.
]]>Everyone once in a while a photographer grabs your attention with a great photo that evokes emotion and curiosity; making you dig deeper into the picture and deeper into your own existence. A good photographer is challenged with finding their unique voice and style and presenting their perspective to the viewer. It's not an easy challenge and many a photog never find their lane. Recently we found ourselves as asking the question - "hey, who shot that?" after digging further we discovered the talent behind the lens was none other than Sam McKenna. We had the pleasure of being able to get his perspective on the art form of photography.
How's the current scene in New York in light of everything going on?
The city has a really eerie feel at the moment, the streets are empty and you hear a lot of sirens which has been making me just kind of stop and be thankful for my health. A lot of my friends are out of work and the unemployment website is just overloaded right now, no one can get through to get UI benefits. It’s a tough time but you just have to remember that there’s people in a lot worse situations. It’s important to practice gratitude and help people out when you can.
Most of my friends are just skating flat ground at parks near their house. The parks are slowly getting closed. I’ve been injured for a few months and am just taking the time to do PT and exercise trying to get my foot strong again.
There is a sense of community in the city that you can feel, people are greeting each other more on the street and talking to their neighbors more. I think people are being respectful of giving people more space. Sometimes all people need is a wave or a hello to help improve their mood and. Right now we all need to be smart, stay positive, and remember that this will pass.
How long have you been shooting and how did you discover the camera?
I started shooting my friends skating when I was 16, growing up in Portland, ME. My first two skate magazines were the photo issues of Thrasher and Transworld from 2004, so early on my exposure to skateboarding was mostly through magazines. I was obsessed with looking through skate magazines and did everything I could to get money for a Canon XSI, sold my bike and shoveled snow for my neighbors. We used to skate in a DIY park that was in a burned out roller skating rink called the Kid’s Rink, which had a roof and allowed us to skate in the winter. It was dark in there so early on I had to get some flashes and learn how to light by playing around and reading online. I started shooting photos of my friends at the Kid’s Rink and out street skating, posting the photos online. I met Mike Gustafson and Jay Brown, they introduced me to the older skaters in Portland. We had a rad crew in Portland at the time. I was seventeen going out skating with them pretty much every day and shooting. I started sending photos to Skate Jawn and then Mike G made a magazine called Step Dad for a few years. I had moved to NYC to go to school, and started shooting more street and documentary work while in school. I’ve been working as a freelance photographer since then, working as an assistant on commercial sets and starting to get more of my own jobs.
What is your favorite subject matter to shoot?
Skateboarding will always be the most fun to shoot, just being out in the street not knowing who is going to do what. The feeling of getting the photo right is like landing a trick. Especially in NYC, just bouncing around from spot to spot, running into different crews and shooting whatever goes down. Photographing skateboarding also feels like you are creating something very special for people that will appreciate it. Skateboarding brings you to so many different places and gives you an authentic look at any city you are in. I love to shoot street photography and urban landscape as well. One of the freelance jobs I do had me traveling around the U.S. quite a bit, and walking around photographing random towns is always interesting.
How do you feel about film vs digital?
I like the fact that film slows me down, not only when shooting, but the whole process slows down. I scan my own film and spend a lot of time retouching out dust. This process allows me to spend time with my photos, which causes you to think about your work. How does it fit in with my other work and within society as a whole? So I really like the fact that film allows me to spend time with the photos. I enjoy the whole process of bringing film to the lab, going to pick it up, coming home and get that sort of darkroom experience of seeing the photos from the negative for the first time. For skating I shoot digital, but I always have a 35mm point and shoot with me to shoot portraits and street photography. I’ve collected a lot of old camera’s over the years and just love the different mechanics and feel that each camera has. The camera will often dictate how you shoot a bit, so picking the right type of camera or playing with different cameras has a big influence on my work.
Who are some of your biggest influences?
Mike Blabac, Reda, Ryan Gee, Strobek, RB, and Atiba for skateboarding documentation. I always loved the older street photographers and NYC artists, Bruce Davidson, Gordon Parks, Keith Haring. Music and art my friends make. PABLO RAMIREZ
Finding a unique voice from behind the lens is a difficult thing to accomplish for many photographers. What do you feel is the secret to defining a style?
I started up a photo studio called Light House NYC, as a way to expand my commercial clientele and mix that work with street photography of everyday people living their best possible life. I’ve been shooting a lot of active lifestyle work and street photography of people playing sports, yoga, handball, basketball, riding dirtbikes. My goal is to photograph everyday people and athlete’s with the intention that putting all the photos together will allow people to see them all on the same plane as the models and brands that I work with. Having that concept in the back of my mind and by keeping subject matter open ended, my style will progress naturally. Not being afraid to experiment, shoot weird old film or find an old lens and put an adapter on it, play with colors in photoshop. You have to keep it fun and interesting for yourself to develop your style. Just following that gut feeling and intuition is what creates your style.
Do you feel social media (specifically instagram) has helped or hurt the profession and industry of photography?
From a commercial standpoint, social media has created a higher demand for content. Simultaneously this need for content all the time has diminished the quality of a lot of work and spread the budgets out. I’ve been on commercial sets where the client wants 25 shots in a day, and then they end up using half of them. I think its still important to have a good concept and not show all the your cards at once. It’s ok to work on a project and not post anything for a while. When it comes out it will be on point. I try not to get too caught up seeing all these other photographers with 50k followers or whatever, I try to just let the work speak for itself. There’s a lot of photographers on social media that make work and it doesn’t have substance, putting a caption like, “going into Monday like..” kind of just takes away from the work. It’s easy to get lost in the shuffle on Instagram, in my experience, having a personal relationship with clients matters a lot more than how many followers you have. It’s a double edge sword, it has created a bigger need for work and platform that you can gain recognition, it’s also allowed people to pay less or take advantage of photographers that are not looking out for the rest of the industry when they take big jobs for little pay to get recognition.
Commercial photography requires a different skill set. What do you see as the biggest difference between shooting as a passion vs pay?
I got my start in commercial photography interning for a cosmetics photographer. I worked as a photo assistant shooting cosmetics advertising still life for about two years before moving into full on freelance. I’ve worked on shoots in high end studios, horse farms, beaches, rooftops, oyster boats, kitchens, etc. The fun part with that is you get a glimpse into the worlds of all these different people. I’ve also worked with photographers that clearly don’t like what they are shooting, but you have to make money. It’s important to find what you like to shoot and pursue that, if you aren’t passionate, the work will show that. I think it’s possible to be able to shoot with passion and get paid, you may have to do some less desirable jobs in between, but staying focused on what you want to do will always pay off.
If you could have coffee with any artist dead or alive who would it be, and what’s one question would you ask them?
Tough one, I think having a coffee with Patti Smith would be pretty amazing. I would love to hear her thoughts on the rise of women’s skateboarding.
Any shout outs?
Pablo Ramirez Foundation and Brooklyn Skate Garden, Mike G, Jay Brown, ESNC Crew, Ride 207, Marcus, Noah and everyone at Skate Jawn, Jahmir Brown for linking me up with Artform, the NJ homies, Neil Herrick and the 5Boro squad, Danny Falla, Angel Fonseca and 157 crew, Justin Adams, PJ and the 88 Hardware / Knickerbocker park squad, Max McFarlane, Stoops Mag, LES homies, Gang Corp, anyone that ever let me shoot photos with them. Thank you!!!
For more info on Sam visit:
https://www.instagram.com/lighthouse_nyc/
https://www.instagram.com/sammckenna/
Thanks Sam!
]]>Matthew Derrick aka Matt D is a staple in the San Francisco skateboard scene. If you've ever made your way up Market Street and popped into DLXSF for a sheet of grip or to burn a few hours watching the latest skate videos, you have undoubtedly met Matt D and most likely have gotten into a deep discussion about skateboarding with him. Matt is an encyclopedia on skate history and his giddy childlike passion for all things skateboarding seems to grow by the day. Unlike many a jaded shop owner, Matt has always been cool as a cucumber to everyone that has entered. As someone who had the pleasure of working alongside him, I'm not sure I ever heard a bad word or sentiment come out of his mouth towards another skateboarder or human (which is unbelievably rare for a skater). As a fixture in Deluxe Distribution's flagship store, Matt has proudly championed the brand as its number one advocate. If you don't believe me, pop into the shop and let Matt promptly tell you everything there is to know about Deluxe, then he'll most likely tell you everything there is know about skateboarding.
How did you discover skateboarding?
The deepest seed would be the episode of C*H*i*P*s where they skate Skatercross in Reseda. I didn’t really know what I was seeing, but carving through a snake run looked like so much fun. Then Back To The Future, like the rest of my generation. It took a few years to find a board to borrow, and seeing my first skate mags was a mindblower. Eventually worked and saved enough to buy a Per Welinder street shape (didn’t know at the time he did a few stunts as Marty McFly), then some lightly used trucks and wheels from Jeremy Fish.
What brought you to SF and what year was that?
My first trip to SF (that counts; technically I was in SF for a little over an hour on an impromptu road trip) was specifically to go to DLX! I was living in Portland, OR; either ’98 or ’99 Jeremy Fish called me. “Hey Matt D – I know SF isn’t exactly close to Portland, but you are my only childhood friend on this coast; I’m having an art show/window display at the DLX shop, and if there’s any way you could make it that would be rad”. “Are you kidding?!? You’re showing your art at THE Deluxe shop?!? In SF?!? Of course I’ll be there; that’s amazing!!” I had no money to do so really, but also had no real responsibilities back then, so I scraped together a train ticket and checked it out. His show was rad, then we crushed karaoke up the hill at The Mint. Incredible weekend and I was hooked. Definitely did not expect to have keys to the shop a couple years later! The seed was planted on that visit; I knew this was where I wanted to be. The deep skate history, the music and art scenes/history, the food, the general commitment to social freedom, and the shocking beauty of the place…scraped together barely enough for a first/last/deposit on a place for way too much money (in the East Bay first; Dot Com Boom#1 was in full effect). 2 jobs, 60ish hrs a week, but I was here and it was amazing.
When you got to SF what was the scene like? What spots and pros were poppin?
So I moved to Albany (CA) June 2000, and moved to SF one year later (shout out to the Fillmore House). East Bay year I was working my ass off, but we had regular night sessions at Dublin or San Ramon parks (they had lights), and the Marin St wallride was close to one of my jobs. Was super stoked to pass the “Ron Allen gap” on my way to work. Would BART in to SF and link up with Fish, gradually getting more comfortable on the hills. I was stoked to hit the classics: BART banks, Ft Miley, EMB, Pier 7. Internet existed, but was obviously nowhere near as omnipresent as it is now, so Thrasher, Transworld, and whatever was playing at 510 or DLX was the “content” of the time, and just meeting amazing creative rippers who had come here from all over the world for the same basic reasons.
How did you end up working at Deluxe?
Like almost any opportunity, it’s all about timing and connections. Jeremy Newhouse was leaving to tour with his band, which bumped Dennis Fougere up to manager and left a vacancy for Assistant Manager. I knew Dennis via Fish, and had the right combo of retail / customer service excellence and deep skate nerdery necessary to take it to another level.
For most people FTC is the most well known shop in SF, but DLXSF has been holding it down for decades in the city and yet the shop has remained relatively unknown. Why do you think that is?
Well, they do have a 7-8 yr head start on us, and are obviously legends in the skateshop world (and let’s say it: pound for pound, the best “shop videos” ever). But also: we are in an interesting role as a retail skateshop, but also part of Deluxe Distribution. We do our thing, but also maintain solid relations with our skateshop peers, including our nearby neighbors. Homies, not “competition”. We do our best, but aren’t out for global domination (yet).
Skate shops are notorious for being the hubs of the skate community. DLXSF is certainly a hub for the local SF skate scene. Do you feel that this has changed at all seeing how people can order their products online now?
Overall online definitely has changed things, but we still see people wanting a physical, “real life” shop experience. Can’t feel concave online, or choose a top sheet color, or see how Rowan’s new shoe fits. Our location is fairly prime for meeting up to skate in The City: close to downtown, close to the Mission, SOMA park is 453 yards away…and after we buy the new TV, we’ll have more video premieres – can’t really do those online (Zoom is not the same).
What have been the biggest changes you've seen from behind the counter over the years? In terms of skater sentiment, purchasing habits, attitudes towards shops, etc?
After almost 19 years(!) behind the counter, I’d say overall people are the same – nice ones and jerks, cool kids and spoiled brats, and so many freaks (the good kind and the bad kind). There’s certainly been change though – skateboarding continues to grow, and not only do kids start younger and younger, but people continue skating into progressively older years. Most of the guys I looked up to when I started skating are still doing it at a high level – look at Lance and Tony! Buying-wise: way more cruiser/commuter boards than when I started at the shop (even after the onslaught of motor/battery/remote/electric shenanigans). With the internet, people are able to do more research, which is great in theory, but sometimes challenging when somebody is aggressively convinced of something that is just not true…can be amusing though. Most exciting is probably how many different types of people are skating these days! Way more girls/women, and folks in general from all ages, and all walks of life.
The city has changed immensely from being a cultural and artistic center to overrun by massive tech companies thus pushing up the rents (some of the highest in the nation) and forcing locals out through gentrification. How has this affected the skate scene? Does the skate pad with 8 dudes sharing rent still exist? Can it exist?
It has definitely gotten outrageously expensive, but there’s definitely tons of rad-ness here still for sure. The skate scene is super strong! Still skate houses full of 8 dudes; they’re just paying $600/month each instead of $100…prices are high, but there’s also a lot of ways to make money here too. If you want it badly enough, you can make it happen.
You've seen many different eras and crews come and go throughout the years. Any eras stand out to you as your favorite(s)?
Oh man; I could never play favorites! Not enough room to shout out everybody; I will just say that it has been my distinct pleasure to share time with such wonderful people, and I am so proud watching them all become such amazing adults. Proud parents, amazing artists, incredible musicians, and certainly kick-ass skateboarders! (You just meant at the shop, yeah? Otherwise, the answer is the Silly Pink Bunnies, obviously)
What's one of your most memorable moments from the shop?
Once again, hard to choose out of almost 19 years of rad-ness, but a couple off the top of my head: live shows in store: Boogereater and Hightower, so many video premieres, The “The Jerk” party for Frank Gerwer’s pro shoe (complete with Pizza In A Cup!), the Odd Future popup was insanity, Hosoi’s book release party (and specifically watching old contest runs of his with live commentary), Todd Francis’s book release (when the pigeon first graced our front), and while it wasn’t at the shop, our 20th anniversary rock show with Motorhome, Free Beer, Mc Rad, and Drunk Injuns was definitely a Life Hammer.
What do you envision the future of DLXSF to look like given the current economic landscape?
Good question…up until Covid-19 sequestered us all, we had been crushing it; skateboarding has been so strong. This freeze is challenging for sure, especially since we don’t sell online. But skateboarding is stronger than ever - we’ll use this break to assess, re-evaluate things, make some new plans, and come back ready to kill it even harder!
How can we continue to support DLXSF and in general where can everyone learn more about the shop?
For the time being, we have no online sales and are unable to do local pickup even. Have some potential things in the works with the good folks at Vans that could prove exciting…stay tuned to our social media (@dlxsf on Instagram /@dlxskateshop/ Twitter @dlx.skateshop on Facebook) and keep buying Deluxe products from your local skateshop! (Also go follow Matt Here @MDSPB)
If you could have a skate sesh with one skater dead or alive who would it be and what spot would you skate?
I’ve had the pleasure of chatting with Mark Gonzales many times now (which remains insane to me), but have never rolled with him; an afternoon pushing through Manhattan would probably be a terrifying treat (I fear cars). A few more real quick: downhill driveways with TG, Cherry Hill with Mike V (even though not “period accurate”), and Sadlands with Blender. Ooh, and Skatercross with Shreddi Repas!
Thanks Matt D... Congrats Matt on making your way towards 20 years with Deluxe - you're a national treasure!
]]>]]>
]]>
For those who don't know there was a trade show many moons ago called ASR (Action Sports Retailer). It was essentially a gathering of all the major skate, surf and snow brands that comprised the industry. Twice a year they would get together to meet with all the big retailers/skate/surf shops to book sales for the following two seasons.
The ASR brought literally anyone and everyone involved in the industry together for a few days of networking. Publishers, photographers, pro skaters, outside sponsors, skate betties, etc. You would see the likes of old skool legends walking down the aisles along side famous brand owners think Steve Dan Doren hanging with Christian Hosoi or Sal Barbier talking to Mike Carrol.
Usually there was some mediocre skate course set up inside, maybe a mini, sometimes a vert ramp. Always overcrowded with kids trying to prove themselves.
You needed a badge to get in that only your sponsor or employer could get you, assuming they were represented inside the show. It was a coveted place to be. Kids would walk from booth to booth handing out sponsor me tapes in hopes of getting flowed/discovered. Other kids unlucky enough to not have a badge would have to find way to sneak in (we became professionals at this skill).
Let's not forget that there was always tons of free booze inside the booths which helped to ignite the flame for what was about to ensue outside.
After the show pure chaos would unfold on the streets of San Diego for two nights. Every bar, rooftop lounge, hotel lobby, skate spot and street corner was covered with the industry elite (and not elite) raging to their hearts contents. Big brands would compete for the best after parties and again the unlucky spent the night finding ways to sneak into the parties.
Plenty of hotel rooms were trashed, lots of hangovers ensued and years of great memories and friendships were made. At least that's what we recall...
ASR eventually met its demise somewhere in the 2008 ish range when the U.S. hit a major economic recession. Out of this Agenda emerged and took the spot abandoned by the ASR. Tradeshows eventually became an event that were/are largely loathed by the industry elite; somewhat of a necessary evil that goes on for just a little too long. All in all they have their place, but we haven't seen anything since that is as chaotic and uncut as those early ASR days.
Shout out to all who lived it and are still alive to tell the tale.
---
We'd like to thank God for no one dying when Jase Uno threw a beer bottle outside our hotel window 20 stories up.
]]>
Thanks for the inspiration Ron! Here's to many more...
#keepthingsfun
]]>]]>
A few blocks down I linked up with a handful of the Artform team who had at least 5-10 years on the younger group. The sesh popped off. Some were working on their basics while others were getting loose. It didn't matter because we were all in the moment enjoy that which skateboarding is known for - bringing together community and pushing you against your own personal limits.
Later that evening I was fortunate enough to link up with an old buddy who I have know and been skating with for about two decades. We mobbed around streets catching slappies and skating parking blocks.
At the end of the evening my buddy and I went to catch a brew and ran into an OG pro who we had been skating with since the late 80s. We talked about the good old days and how amazing this new generation is.
All in all it was a great night.
I have seen many changes in skateboarding as I have moved through the generations. There's been times where I experienced the peak of my ability and other times where I struggled to get my legs backs. The strength of my ability as a skateboarder never mattered that much to me. What really mattered was/is all of the amazing relationships I've made and how I have grown as an individual. For that I am thankful and forever grateful to skateboarding.
]]>
I try hard to keep my desk clean and neat however there is inevitably mostly coffee cups that pile up or scraps of drawings, the word ARTFORM printed out in different sizes and styles to test placement (I like to actually cut out the label or design and tape it to a garment while I'm wearing it so I know how it will appear on the body).
But what I noticed today that led me to write was my internal dialog, and it revolved around my flannel. I happen to be rocking a flannel from one of my favorite brands besides Artform (we don't currently make flannels, or clothing with this price point). I just felt different, I felt more detailed, intelligent and more minimalist because of the associations I have in my mind about that garment.
Clothes give off vibes, and they really do affect your moods. You'll notice that Artform pieces tend to be more typographic and minimal, with the occasional hint of graphic. This is done intentionally because I personally as the Creative Director have struggled with anxiety and stress (more on that later I'm sure) and therefore I like things clean, neat and orderly. Make things as simple as possible, but no simpler. I think that's accredited to Einstein but it's advice nearly every designer should attempt to adhere to.
The point I'm getting at is that it matters what you put on. Whether your shirt is wrinkled or pressed will affect your mood. If you like your gear you'll be more self confident, and therefore more successful by default as you trust your gut to take risks and to be your own person.
I noticed this when I skate especially, and most athletes are VERY superstitious about their clothes or equipment (don't put someones baseball glove on without asking, especially an infielder).
So as you go out be mindful of what you rock, because it could affect how you feel.
Thanks for reading my random thoughts.
-W
]]>
]]>
It's been about two weeks now since this album has dropped and we've listened to this non-stop. It's possible this is the most controversial album for Mr. Kanye West. Kanye has never hidden from the fact that he's a Christian, especially in his early days with the record Jesus Walks. This album along with his Sunday Service efforts have brought Kanye and his faith right in the middle the spotlight. Regardless of your belief system or like/dislike of Kanye, the album has great musical moments, strong lyrical content, solid song structures all while paying homage to both hip-hop and Gospel music. If you haven't given it a listen, get to it!
]]>]]>
Notable pros included - Sal Barbier, Danny Way, Matt Hensley, Mike Carrol, Eric Koston - seriously folks, the list is deep.
For guys like myself that grew up absolutely consumed by skateboarding in the 80s and 90s it is impossible to talk skateboarding without mentioning the impact of H-Street. And you can't talk H-Street without conjuring up the memory of their iconic logo.
You may have seen this logo gain notoriety again over the past few years. Virgil Abloh from the brand Off-White decided to give this logo another run, although he decided to put a neat bar above the logo.
We here at ARTFORM like to pay homage to our history and our roots, so we thought we'd shine some light on the matter. We're not sure if Virgil Abloh is a former skateboarder who is paying homage, or if he created this logo with no knowledge of H-Street or if he knew and decided to run over the unspoken rules. Regardless of the situation, we take our hats off to all who were involved in H-Street. Thanks for the progression and for the memories.
]]>
]]>
Do yourself a favor and get familiar with this band and check out a show if you get the chance.
]]>
Netflix recently dropped their third season of the Hip Hop Evolution documentary series. Up to this point most of this archival content has been covered through numerous documentaries. However, there was a special highlight in episode three where they covered the Los Angeles 90's underground hip-hop scene, more specifically heading into Leimert Park and exploring the Good Life Cafe/Project Blowed territory. The best part of this episode is that they were actually able to connect with OG's such as Chali Tuna, Ras Kas, Abstract Rude, Self Jupiter and my personall all time favorite MC Aceyalone.
Definitely worth noting that this episode also covers the Lyricist Lounge in NY which was popping at the same time in it's own legendary fashion.
Peep the show and dig into the history!
]]>Definitely worth noting that this episode also covers the Lyricist Lounge in NY which was popping at the same time in it's own legendary fashion.
Peep the show and dig into the history!
To know ARTFORM is to know FREESTYLE FELLOWSHIP
]]>]]>