Archive for the ‘people’ Category

the world’s most amazing metalhead.

Posted: November 9, 2015 in art, inspiration, interviews, people
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Artist, filmmaker, musician, muralist, ripping skateboarder, art director, ROCK STAR. April Jones is all of these things and more.

rocking.
dream evil art pieces.
film production.
skateboarding.

“Artist is a very vague term so it’s hard to describe what I do because I try to do everything. I’m an artist through filmmaking, skateboarding, painting, photography, animation and even the art of conversation (laughs). ” She decides “Producer” most aptly describes what she would call herself because she produces in all the above mediums in one form or another.  Even so she can’t help mentioning her favorite and most fantasized title of “Rock Star” a few more times throughout the interview (and rightly so).

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indian. love.

Posted: January 16, 2013 in art, people, photography
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indian. love.

unifecta trifecta.

Posted: August 21, 2012 in inspiration, people, skateboarding
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The evolution of women’s skateboarding…it is happening. And fun to watch, considering I grew up in a time and place where girls were not fostered to skate despite love at first sight. Lizzie Armanto, Justyce Tabor, Nicole Noller, Abby Zsarnay and soul shredder Colette Peterson were among the lady shreds who showed up to rule the northwest Oregon Trifecta event at Pier Park Skate Park for a mindboggling $100 top cash prize. With 3-4 foot airs out of the 11.5 foot concrete bowl, transfers over the doorway in the full pipe, switch carve lines and handplants most of the guys weren’t even attempting….only $100!? Yes. In this particular case it was mainly due to event development issues, but the stakes are rarely high for the skill and risk these ladies take. Larger purses do happen at events like the X-Games and this weeks Rocky Mountain Rampage will be offering up a $2,000 prize purse for the Women’s Bowl event (versus $4,000 for the men). Still, these are major feats we are talking about people!

As any evolution story goes, the more females actually skating will naturally compute to more females ripping shred lines and pushing bags of tricks. Even though the number of ladies out there has been on the rise for the last 20 or so years and is exponentially increasing with the times, there has been a wax and wane of recognition and compensation in this realm for quite awhile, as has been seen in any initially male dominated sport. Legendary women’s skateboarding pioneer, Cara-Beth Burnside, is a testament to the gender bias at play and regardless of deep respect garnered over the years, she still contends with baffling career roadblocks.

Either way, it’s really about the grind. Ladies unite.

nicole noller, frontside air, oregon trifecta 2012abby zsarnay, gap transfer, oregon trifecta 2012lizzie armanto, handplant, oregon trifecta 2012abby zsarnay, frontside air, oregon trifecta 2012justyce tabor, grind, oregon trifecta 2012lizzie armanto, backside air, oregon trifecta 2012

winners, oregon trifecta 2012
2012 marked the 10th anniversary of the Oregon Trifecta, originally founded by NW local Choppy Omega and sanctioned by the global governing organization, World Cup Skateboarding (WCS). Unfortunately, due to permit and insurance snagfu’s, the Trifecta has become a Unifecta the last few years with a one location event versus three. Nonetheless, it remains an honorable event as a stop on the WCS Bowl Series and features a ladies, am, pro and master division, in addition to strong support by Sector Nine, Skull Candy and legendary skaters.

Of course the men and up & comers were fun to watch too! See all photos here.
RESULTS

*all photos by autumn rose – ©landofpop

BK block party.

Posted: December 4, 2011 in people, photography, portraits
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"brooklyn block party", "block party", "brooklyn", "williamsburg block party"
"brooklyn block party", "block party"

hero since day one.

Posted: May 28, 2011 in inspiration, love, people
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this past month marks the beginning of not having one of the most amazing humans here on planet earth. the world just feels different with you gone kip garre. nevermind that it had been a year since we got to hang out and have a heart to heart. whether or not you had climbed ten mountain tops in india, antarctica & alaska between the time we saw each other last, time stood still with you. just knowing that you’re not out there doing your thing somehow changes everything.

the fact you lived life to the fullest and realized so many of your biggest dreams is but a small consolation.. there are just too damn many of us that still want to see your infectious smile, feel your genuine warmth and be inspired by your presence. you went where eagles dare and achieved what millions of people would only dare to dream.

you = all heart & soul, half man, half amazing. a hero to me since day one. i remember gazing at the stars. love you kip. ♥♥♥

pueblo de mexico.

Posted: April 22, 2011 in people, travel
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in love with the people of mexico…basically just in love with mexico. period. i could live there.

klover cakes.

Posted: January 16, 2011 in heart, people
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one of the absolute best things about san francisco is getting to see my lovely friend klover. she is as sweet as this frosting and made perfect swirls on every single cupcake except for one.
extra special treatness = chocolate yum = klover cakes ♥ ♥ ♥

another angel above us.

Posted: November 21, 2010 in love, people
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too many of our hearts are bleeding after the tragic loss of a kindred soul yesterday. only 28 years young, nick fetchko was wildly gentle and gently wild, he was both. the cherished best friend of someone very dear to me and the adored friend of many, he seemed to live with adventure and laughter in his bones and a mellowly sweet and deep fire in his heart. prayers of strength and courage go out to his family, friends and bmx community. rest in peace nick ; you will be forever loved, adored, cherished and missed. oxo.

keep walking on water…and shine on you bright, crazy diamond. ♥ ♥ ♥

illest thing ever. PARTS.

Posted: October 29, 2010 in inspiration, life, people, skateboarding
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Back in the day my friend Jen and I haunted this place called The Turf…now framed in history as the mecca of early Midwestern skateboarding. All I knew then was that instead of being one of the girls gripping the chain link fence from the outside, I wanted to be on the inside where the boys were, ripping lines through the Cloverleaf bowl at a frenetic pace. My mind blown by loud grinds and high hip airs. At best I cheered them on while jukebox favorites like Iron Man blared through the speakers or I played pinball…Earthshaker! Afterward we’d all pile in the car 8 or 9 deep, head to The Cliffs and create chaos around the bonfire. Oh the days of youth.

Luckily I was able to realize the lasting inspiration from being exposed to this unbelievably talented crew, who shredded with fury, marched to the beat of their own drum and looked at the world differently than all other ho-dunks around us in that town. They just had this unique vision of how life could be. I was definitely on the same train. Ultimately I harnessed this inspiring energy and vision into snowboarding, where I was able to shred mountain ranges around the world, and in the process brought it full circle by learning to skate a few years later. Now if only I could skate that Cloverleaf once damnit…Save the Turf!

Deep love and respect for these roots and the Mil-town hesh crew: Sam Hitz (lil’ Sammy Slasher), Al Partanen, Jay Iding, Rob Owen, Pete Burnside (Robot), Shawn Keeling, Charlie Brown, Christian Brox and The Beaudoin Brothers (RIP Zill) among others. 20 years later and these boys are still making miracles happen.

Peep Al’s new Creature board and Nike SB signature shoe combo. So ill. BELIEVE IT!

london calling. part one.

Posted: October 9, 2010 in people, photography, travel
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aside from being extremely hassled at the UK border & and being kicked out on on the curb of a snooty hotel i was invited to stay at…LONDON WAS AH-MAZING.

i was fortunate to have one ms. erin penn-ah meet me my first night and make things uber delightful after we found a carpeted ceiling basement club selling teapot cocktails with a debbie harry look-a-alike DJ, playing classic british punk & ska tunes…what one envisioned london to be in the early 80’s. after dancing the night away, the rest of the days entailed mary poppins adventures with nanny penn-ah, late night carousing with a fine english lad & his friends, an east end street art tour and the quintessential sight seeing of central london, complete with fake police hats and standing guard.

ps. londoners are the most fashionable people on the planet. heart them.
—>>> part two

envy & the unnamed snake

Posted: September 27, 2010 in people
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from russia with love.

Posted: September 24, 2010 in design, interviews, people
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Maybe you’ve seen her cruising the streets of the LES or in Tompkins Square Park on her BMX bike. There’s just something different about her. A distinct sense of style, flair and self-assured confidence that oozes into the air. Meet Anastasia Akulinina…amazingly talented artist, designer and street culture queen.

Hometown: Stavropol, Russia
School: Academy of Architecture and Art, Rostov-on-don, Russia.
Travels: Paris, Berlin, Belgium, Amsterdam, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, New York

At 23, Anastasia has already had 8 years of focused art studies , makes up half of the Russia design crew called LAB261 and keenly notes how her new hobby of BMX inspires her work. “I like BMX flatland tricks because they’re like magic. It’s more like a philosophy with having to feel your balance and the bike. It opens my mind up and I think of new and cool things. It’s inspiration for my drawings and for my future projects.”

Apparently having passion, determination and talent equates to looking like a natural even though she’s only had a BMX bike for 3 weeks!  In reality she’s been dreaming about freestyle BMX for 5 years but didn’t have the the money for a bike until now. Instead she ‘substituted’ her dream with skateboarding since 2006, becoming one of the first females to skate in Russia with features in regional videos. How do you like them apples? When she borrowed someone’s board on the sidewalk and landed a kickflip first try you knew it was no joke. Yet, she modestly smiles and amusingly declares she just wants to draw, design, and meet more creative & inspiring people.

As for her current in-store installation at Zakka in Brooklyn (photos below), Anastasia simply asked the store owner with earnest aplomb, ” I see you have a big white wall and it’s like a dream for me. Can I draw?” The 2 wall piece was drawn in ‘real time’, where people could see the progress over a month time span and was completed this past week. Last year she was invited to collaborate with 6 other artists at the Lucky Gallery in NYC, where she produced amazing work and clinched her love for New York with a vow to return. She’s back. Take definite notice!


new york state of mind.

Posted: September 12, 2010 in people, photography
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one of my favorite things about summer in new york is how fresh squeezed lemonade is available at every turn. but undoubtedly, another best is the people. always keeping it real…on the subway, on the street & on the stoop.

skate scene on fire.

Posted: June 8, 2010 in life, people
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so i arrive the first night and randomly look into a restaurant window, only to stare into the eyes of none other than infamous skate photographer bryce kanights. small world indeed. i know bryce from SF and turns out the entire west coast skate population has invaded my first official weekend in NY for the maloof money cup. icing on the cake was the book release shindig for “full bleed”…NYC skateboard photography and the KCDC art show. hence, fun parties and shenanigans and people and radness oh my. within a matter of days i’ve been immersed in and schooled on the NY skate scene…and honored with familiar justin strubing smiles; bigger than big. GOOD TIMES!!!

check out radcollector.com!

getting into trouble..

Posted: June 6, 2010 in people
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this was out of control….nothing like dumping a 100 olde english 40’s on the floor and/or all over each other. trouble andrew, lil’ jon and a bunch of fun street kids in an underground studio space shooting the new video “wasted”.  the crunk girls inspired me to get my nails did…in my own creation. word.