Skateboarding Autobiography

Two very different events took place in 1984. The first event, essential to my development as a person but not significant to my development as an artist, was my birth on April 23rd of that year. The second event, and more significant to this autobiographical story I’m trying to tell, followed 3 months later in July when the band “Minutemen” released their album “Double Nickels on the Dime”. On the album in the song “History Lesson – Part II” the singer D. Boon ends the first stanza with the line “Punk rock changed our lives.” For obvious reasons, I discovered the song years later, and as 14-year-old wannabe punk rocker, I loved that line. But the truth is, although I’m still fascinated and influenced by punk rock art and culture, I was nothing like D.
The first time I flipped through a Thrasher magazine, I was drawn to the artwork and imagery of the ads as equally as the skateboarding itself. Skateboarding was unlike any other sport I had played up to that point. It was more like art than a sport, with each brand portraying a unique identity and style. And unlike a team name or logo in other sports, the artwork and messaging of each brand was intentionally reflected the background, the interests, and beliefs of the riders on the team and the people behind it. Later through studying art and design I learned that wasn’t a new idea skateboard brands invented, but it was those brands that introduced me to the real power of branding and piqued my interest in it. Now in my career as a designer thus far, no matter what the nature of the project, I’ve strived to communicate a story about each product or brand that is unique and engaging. Just like the great designers I admire and those skateboard brands I idolized growing up. Additionally, majority of my personal design work uses artwork, visual references and typography with historical and cultural significance to communicate the intended