Artist of the Month - Jeremy Fish

So i have decided to do a monthly post about a person who is making a name in the skateboard industry through art. Kind of like Hollow-Star.Net's Style Icon. Since I could remember I have always been intrigued by artists who use skateboarding as a form of art. From the bench that is made out of old skateboard decks at Cal's Skate in downtown Portland to artist special edition graphics on boards. While flipping through one of my Slap Magazines I came across an artist that blew my mind.
Jeremy Fish, an artist out of San Fran, comes across as a motivational style with a creepy backside. Very creepy. His use of skulls and natures animals mixed with the urban scene, his art has been claimed as some of the best "urban style" art. Most skateboard inspired art that i have seen is mainly canvas/street art but Fish takes it that extra mile with carvings. From a block of wood to a blank maple deck, he changes his 2D drawings into 3D artwork. But don't think that this artists projects end there. Just ask Nike and local skateparks.

Back in 2006 Fish collaborated with skate shoe giant Nike/Nike Skateboarding to produce a special edition shoe. With his signature style background embroidered throughout the shoe, the back shows off a piece of art that a lot of NW skaters have seen but probably cant remember where. Take a close look. Yep that's right, its the same creature that is plastered on the wall in the bowl area of the Department of Skateboarding in Portland, Oregon. Though the creature has a skull in his mouth other than the smaller creature shown at the park, you can see how Nike (who's headquarters are located in the Portland area) wanted to keep it local.

So keep an eye out for this skateboard inspired art. It will move you and make you think about what he's trying to say. And it's also creepy, in a cool artsy kind of way.

Kick push,
D

"Virgins. I love 'em." Just like a new pair.

Trying to figure out what I want to wear this winter is getting kinda hard. I can't tell whether I want to put on a pair of jeans or a pair of shorts. Being that jeans get kinda heavy and muggy during the winter, you can never go wrong with cords. With a good mix of cotton and spandex, a pair of these will take you so far during the winter.

Altamont has finally come out with their Winter 2008 line, and it might not be a lot but boy oh boy did they do it right. Coming from the man who re-invented the frontside flip, Andrew Reynolds gives us this signature pair of cords. Made from 98% cotton and 2% spandex, these cords give you the perfect amount of stretch while staying nice and comfy when you're out slammin' on a 15 stair frontside flip. They come in pretty much every size both waist and length.

And for those who don't like cords and want those jeans, you know they got ya covered there too - again another pair from Andrew Reynolds signature line. These grey front slim fitted jeans are durable but yet flexible as well. Also containing 98% cotton and 2% spandex, these bad boys will with stand a slam or look good rolling away from a backside flip down the big four at Wallenberg, Ya' nah mean?!


Both pair of pants can be purchased from Altamont, which also has everything from beanies to flannel for your cold 2008 Winter season. Get out and cop yourself a pair.


Kick push,
D

P.S. If you didn't catch the hint to the title of the blog, its a quote from the movie K.I.D.S. in which Andrew Reynolds stars in.

Feel the cotton

With skateboarding, hot new clothes always come out during the wrong season. Flannel and hoodies coming out after winter, tees out in the winter. Yes I know its fall, but the weather sure isn't showing. So I'm gonna take it coast to coast.

First lets start out East with Zoo York. You know you've seen that name from places like Zumiez all the way to Ross. This shirt shows a good color contrast that has the perfect pastels to go with it. The blue lets you match it with anything from your faded jeans to your brown cords. I'm a big fan of NON-centered graphics so this one flies with me. With the edge of the graphic slightly wrapping the shoulder, it lets you get away without a small abbreviated logo on the back. Found this one on Ebay brand new for $19.99 with free S/H, but you can always go to their website and get it straight from the warehouse. Also they have a whole section just for the girls.


And now lets head out to the West coast and get involved with Hurley. With a style of the west coast waves and the fun in the sun, Hurley comes with this slim fitted girls tee. Called the "Sydney" tee, its a real looker. Just like with the guys shirt, the pastels really bring this tee to life. Unlike the east coast styled shirt this one has a more "all over" the tee graphic. I would definitely say yes to this tee for the surfer girl all the way down to the girl who has a relaxed beach style. This tee was found at Kaboodle, but is also available CCS exclusive and Hurley Girls. And of course they have a full guys section as well.


Kick push,
D

2009 Buyers Guide out NOW

Guys and girls your ultimate magazine is out and its looking quite grand. The Transworld Skateboard 2009 Buyers Guide has hit newsstands now. With the seasons newest and hottest buys, this is must buy for the skater savvy male or female. Filled with hundreds of reviews on the freshest boards, wheels, trucks, shoes, and clothing. So if you are a girl and you have a man that is or sports a skater sense of style, think about picking this mag up when you grab your Cosmo or Nylon. Trust me, he will love you that much more.
As I flipped through the endless amount of new product in the mag I came across that there isn't a single piece of clothing or shoes that were meant for girls. At first I was kinda upset because up here in the greater NW there are a good amount of female skaters/girl skater style. All that I have really seen are the girls CCS catalogs and Vice kinda advertises. But then I found to much delight that there was some kind of female stand in the male dominated mag. The pioneer of female skating, Elissa Steamer, a 12+ year skater. It gave me a sneaking suspicion that we will be seeing either a combo boy/girl issue or the girls might even get their own.

Kick push,
D

To DC or not to DC

It came to my attention that skateboarding has come a long way from where it started. Not just trucks, wheels, wood, and all of the other components, but with a popular shoe branded (cue heroic intro music) DC Shoe Co. Founded in 1993 by Ken Block and Damon Way, no one had a clue of how much of an impact this little shoe company coming out of Vista, California would have. If you grew up in the 90's and had some sort of alternative style you had to have a pair. Big and bulky was the way they came, usually paired with a massive pair of baggy pants that overlapped the shoes so much you would get home with torn hems. But oh how things have changed. Since I can remember I always needed to have a coolest pair, nothing else mattered. Whenever a Pro's model came out they would sell out everywhere. Even now, I got stoked when they came out with a true mid top style. I probably wont get them but some kid out there is on Zappos getting them.

Time goes fast and with all of the other big name shoe companies out there DC Shoes are still pushing strong (now owned by Quiksilver as of 2004), while changing the style of their shoes as time advanced. Everywhere you look now days you can see some type of footprint. Whether it's a pre-teen boy on the board for the first time or the business woman who goes surfing on the weekend, you're gonna notice. Once a "bulky shoe comes first" style to a sleek, dynamic, earth friendly shoe that can and will prevail through the hands of time.

Kick Push,
D

Keeping it tight

Well here we go. With much force from the Plurk community I am embarking on a fashion blog for skateboarders. I'm not sure how well it will go or if I will make something off of it. Hoping not to bum out AverageMetroJoe, but my site will be more on the fashion side of things - i.e. clothes, shoes, whats hot, and comparisons. Just wanted to get it started with something and I hope I can live up to the hype.

Kick Push,
D