BL!SSS Magazine | September 2016 | #109

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DVS and WeAreTreo teamed up to bring you their f irst collaboration . Surfers by day, DJ’s by night – the DJ group WeAreTreo entered the music s cene in 2013 with their love for the ocean and all things surf travel , mixed with the late night club s cene that went along with it . With residencies in Vegas , Los Angeles and Miami they are taking over the nightlife s cene.

TRIPP HI // DVSSHOES.COM // @DVSSHOES

randoms • 20 product • 24 andrea kowch • 26 matthew quick • 28 masakatsu sashie • 30 super taste • 32 meow wolf • 34 javier riera • 36 vans park series malmo • 38 noa deane • 40 luke shadbolt • 46 michael custodio • 56 forum forever until the end • 62 dime glory challenge • 68 quiksilver waterman’s festival • 70 vans park series huntington beach • 72 alice baxley • 74 music reviews • 76 groms • 80

photo • luke shadbolt

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Editor-in-Chief nick kalionzes nick@blisssmag.com

Editor

joey marshall joey@blisssmag.com

Creative DirectoR mark paul deren : madsteez madsteez@madsteez.com

assistant editor delon isaacs delon@blisssmag.com

EDITOR AT LARGE liz rice mcCray liz@blisssmag.com

SNOW EDITOR jon francis jon@blisssmag.com

MUSIC EDITOR max ritter max@blisssmag.com

advertising ads@blisssmag.com

contributing Photographers

Jason Kenworthy, Dominic Petruzzi, Daniel Russo, Toby Ogden, Tom Carey, Brian Beilmann, Jack Coleman, Andrew Mapstone, Adam Moran, Dave Nelson, Pat Eichstaedt, Julien Lecorps, Ryan Boyes, Zach Hooper, Tim Peare, Michael Lallande, Bob Plumb, Peter Morning, Bryce Kanights, Arto Sarri, Anthony Acosta, Cameron Strand, Brian Fick, Deville Nunns, Gage Thompson, Derek Bahn, Tom Cozad, Bruce Beach, Robbie Crawford, Ryan Donahue, Joe Foster, Sean Sullivan, Delon Isaacs

contributors

Willie Marshall, Daniel Russo, Jason Arnold, Greg Escalante, Nathan Spoor, Tom Carey, Travis Millard, David Choe, Kai Garcia, Mickey Neilsen, Peter Townend, Hamilton Endo, Tawnya Schultz, Mike Murciano, Geoff Shively, Casey Holland, Steve Stratton, Robbie Sell, Andrew Miller, Pat Towersey, Raul Montoya, Ian Dodge, Richie Olivares, Eric Meyers, Kelly Shannon, JP Olson, Bruce Beach

SEPTEMBER 2016 BL!SSS Magazine 413 31st Street Newport Beach, CA 92663 www.blisssmag.com Disclaimer: Although all best efforts are made to avoid the same, we reserve the right to publish unintentional mistakes and/or factual errors which may occur on a monthly basis. No responsibility is assumed by the publishers for unsolicited materials/articles/letters/ advertising and all submissions will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright and/or appropriate licensing purposes subject to Blisss’ right to edit and comment editorially. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine reflect the opinions of their respective authors and are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editorial team.

Blisss Magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising matter which may reflect negatively on the integrity of the magazine. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form [print or electronic] without prior written consent from the publisher.

PHOTO • luke shadbolt

If your favorite shop isn’t receiving BL!SSS Magazine please contact info@blisssmag.com

@805BEER SEE THE MATT NOBLE STORY AND MORE AT 805BEER.COM

BRIXTON X HARD LUCK COLLABORATION

The recently released Brixton X Hard Luck collection is tuff as nails and shouldn’t be worn by wussies, or by anyone who can’t frontside ollie for that matter. Just kidding… this all-new apparel range is made for everyone. Just a second ago I went through their look book and I’ve never seen a woman look so good in a single buttoned-up flannel. Founded by Brixton’s Jason Jessee, Hard Luck makes highperformance skateboard bearings and accessories and works with a stacked team of riders including veterans Mark Gonzales and Neil Blender, as well as Brixton Union Riders Kenny Anderson, Dolan Stearns, Jake Reuter and Jordan Taylor.

The Brixton & Hard Luck friendly union includes a bomber-inspired canvas jacket, a custom plaid flannel and two different tees. The collection also includes a custom felt hat and heavyweight knit beanie available in three colors. Each product features custom Brixton and Hard Luck graphics and details by artist Necalli. Go fast!

SURFING OLYMPICS 2020

It’s been a long time coming but the Olympic Committee finally announced Surfing into the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. Rumors were swirling that it may take place at a venue created by Kelly Slater’s Wave Company but officials announced that Olympic surfing will take place in the ocean. The contest site for the 2020 Games was decided to be at Shidashita Beach, or “Shida,” located about 40 miles outside of Tokyo in Chiba. Maybe someday it will be at an artificial wave pool to even the playing field. Either way, this is a monumental moment in the sport of surfing.

HUF X CLEON PETERSON COLLECTION

This is our favorite collaboration of the month, as skateboarding mainstay HUF has teamed up with one of our past cover artists Cleon Peterson on an all-new, black-and-white capsule collection. Titled “In Killing We Live,” the items display early ‘80s aesthetic featuring Peterson’s well-known monochromatic paintings, representing chaos and violence while symbolizing the overarching power-struggle of contemporary society. The collection, full of skateboarding staples, includes a reversible bomber jacket, pullover crewneck, duffle bag, skateboard deck, socks and hats. The items retail all the way from 10 to 120 smack-a-roos and are now available at select HUF retailers worldwide and their online store - where you can find all sorts of additional information, videos, and images supporting this amazing line.

BEACH BRELLA

Though summer might officially be over, there are still plenty of sunny days for us here in Southern California and most other beaches in this great nation of ours. That being said, let us introduce you to our new best friend, Beach Brella. Weighing in at only five pounds and standing 6-feet tall with a 60-inch diameter and offering 100% UV protection, Laguna Beach native Shelly Arends is really knocking out the competition with her new one-of-a-kind beach umbrellas. Made from sueded microfiber polyester with a DWR water-repellant coating, these lightweight umbrellas have really caught our eye with their modern-vintage chic look. Available at finer boutiques and online at beachbrella.com, get yours today and set yourself apart from the crowd.

NIGHT : SHIFT

Just when you think everything has been done in our industry, a new brand pops up and knocks our socks off… or should we say knocks our sheets off? Let us introduce you to Night : Shift – the first line of bed and bath products offering edgy graphics and quality materials that fill a gap in the home décor industry and speak directly to a younger, hipper audience. Inspired by fashion, music, skate and the beach, Night : Shift offers a fresh collection of original designs and collaborations that will fulfill anyone’s desires. Already on offer are comforters, blankets, sheets, towels and pillows – check them all out for yourself at Zumiez locations or online at nightshiftgoods.com.

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VOLCOM DENIM

A long time ago Volcom made a name for themselves in the denim world, so it’s no surprise they continue to raise the stakes by fine-tuning and tweaking their already epic denim game. Newest to their lineup of Stone Made denim and chinos collection, Volcom is now exclusively implementing sustainable, antimicrobial finishes, allowing longer wear with less washes and no stench. Add this feature to the ones it already offers – such as felled-seam interior stitching, upgraded dual finish hardware, hidden cell phone pocket and superb fit – and you’ve got the best pants on the market. It’s time to step up your game, so head over to your local skate/surf shop or online at www.volcom.com and snag yourself a pair today.

TRACE X SURFLINE TAVARUA GIVEAWAY

Trace and Surfline are giving away an all-expense paid trip to Tavarua for one lucky winner and a guest to promote the new Surfline Scout Program. Surfline Scout is a new reporting tool on Surfline that takes real data from surfers in the water that are using a trace sensor device and publishes it on the site - things like wave count, speed, paddle distance and length of ride. Finally you’ll be able to get real-life data and create your own personal surfing stats to keep track of, like a real boss hog surfer. If you’re a North Orange County local you might have seen Punker Pat, Noel Salas or Chad Wells with the little sensor on their board. Apply to be a scout on www.surflinescout.com and you’ll be entered to win the trip. Only qualified surfers are accepted so the best possible info gets pushed to Surfline.

NIKE SB STEFAN JANOSKI HYPERFEEL

It’s all about comfort and feel sucka, and Nike’s got your poor, achy feet taken care of with the release of the all-new Nike SB Stefan Janoski Hyperfeel, a steezy update to an already established timeless classic. This new silhouette still retains its clean and simple lines but has a bunch of other new bells and whistles added to it. All excess materials have been stripped out and replaced with a supportive yet flexible Lunarlon insole. This allows the shoe to provide impact protection in the heel where you need it without hindering board feel under your forefoot. Heel bruise is a total bitch, man, so avoid it at all costs by purchasing the Janoski Hyperfeel through a select Nike SB providers or online today.

WE GROW OUR OWN PATAGONIA – GOODBYE NEOPRENE

The Earth-conscientious company that is Patagonia has just released their firstever non-neoprene wetsuits to the market, Yulex Wetsuits. Born from the hevea trees in highlands of Guatemala it’s always been a dream of Hub Hubbard’s (Wetsuit Development Manager) to produce an eco-friendly, plant-based wetsuit that preforms as well, or better, than conventional neoprene. Sharing their newly developed technology with all other surf brands, Patagonia hopes to inspire other wetsuit makers to choose the environmentally friendly route and protect the planet that provides us with such amazing surf. These wetsuits produce 80% less climatealtering CO2 emissions and are certified to Forest Stewardship Council standards by the Rainforest Alliance, so do yourself a favor and keep our planet green and get one of these Yulex Wetsuits today.

RVCA SIGNATURE RED STITCH PROGRAM

Celebrating originality and brand heritage, RVCA is proud to present the RVCA Red Stitch Program - a platform-featuring premium tees with a custom fit and quality fabrics. Since 2001 when RVCA began, they introduced premium vintage dye/wash tees that stood apart from the typical “off-the-shelf” blanks, which featured softer fabrics with a custom fit and a color palette that had yet to be seen in the industry at that time. These tees that the brand was creating were topped with a red stitch along the shoulder, which founder PM Tenore first developed as a trademark to the new offering. Fast-forward 15 years and to this day these garments are still killing it, with amazing ranges of solids and graphics derived from their Artist Network Program, all still equipped with the signature red stitching. Wearing any other shirt feels like sand paper, so treat that torso of yours and shop these tees!

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left to right • Active Ride Shop, Active Digi Sock - $6.99, activerideshop.com • Billabong, Spinner Hoodie - $49.95, billabong.com • DVS, Trip Hi We are Treo - $75, dvsshoes.com • etnies, Scout XT - $79.99 • etnies.com • Hurley, Legion Fleece Pullover - $60 • hurely.com • Quiksilver, Schoolie Medium Backpack - $45, quiksilver.com • Lira, Ombre Long Sleeve Woven - $56, liraclothing.com • Matix, Merral Flannel - $50, matixclothing.com • ourCaste, Jaque - $99, ourCaste.com • Roark, Unimog Crew Fleece - $70, roark.com • RVCA, Wipe Out T-Shirt - $27, rvca.com • Sketchy Tank, Destroy Pullover Hoodie - $60, sketchytank.com • Smith, Highwire - $89, smithoptics.com • Vestal, Retrofocus - $200, vestalwatch.com • Vissla, Iconic Hat - $25.95, vissla.com • Volcom, VSM Gritter Modern Tapered Chino - $75, volcom.com

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Interview • liz rice mccray

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Your style is reminiscent of Andrew Wyeth, paying homage to the American masters and old masters of the Renaissance, but your paintings also have a dreamlike feeling interlaced with fantasy. Will you give us some insight into your artwork and the motivation behind your paintings?

My art is a reflection of my soul, musings, and observations of life and the natural world around me. Each painting I do is a page out of the diary of my life’s journey in visual, allegorical form, and there is great motivation to connect with myself as well as others through my work. Painting is where I feel the safety and freedom necessary to unearth and comprehend the intensity of my feelings and who I really am as a being, and is where I find the truest form of wholeness and peace within myself. My love for visual storytelling stems from a desire to speak a universal language through my work so that viewers can attribute their own feelings, emotions, and experiences to the scenarios they see before them. I like to keep things ambiguous to open up the viewer’s mind, despite that my main idea is always present at the root.

The real and unreal, history and the present, opposing emotions, endings and beginnings, nature’s seasons and cycles, all of it is present at the core of my work. I’m interested in painting things that inspire thought, reflection, and emotion, subject matter that carries substance and releases dramatic, psychological undercurrents that feel strange, perhaps even a bit unsettling, but nonetheless dreamlike in its arrangement as a whole. Things of mystery, suspense, and subtle “danger” have always intrigued me, and I am drawn to painting raw beauty and psychological truths.

I feel artists have an intrinsic duty to express and help viewers confront what we in our day-to-day lives cannot express as openly and easily. Our inner, less exhibited emotions are complex and less understood or accepted. The reality of this aspect, alone, drives me to explore, uncover, and voice the emotional truth and core essence of who we are as human beings and why we feel the way we do. By creating visual narratives, I want people to see all these components of our nature in a universal light. What some may see in my work as “intense” or “disturbing,” others may see as beautiful and liberating. It’s all a matter of perception and where one is in his or her own emotional journey.

It appears that the majority of the subjects in your paintings are women and animals. Can you elaborate on these subjects?

Like the environments, the animals in my work reflect primal urges and the inner emotions of the human subjects. They both mirror and contradict the

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characters’ inner psychological dramas and longings. Being a woman, my female characters represent various aspects of me and my life’s journey. Their expressions reflect a state of detached mindfulness, and they embody the deeper, more hidden parts of my soul and the different states of feeling and emotion I experience, see in others, and seek to understand as I grow and move through life. It is through imagination and the use of metaphor that I seek to pose questions and visually present my reflections on common feelings, inner conflicts, and the madness and beauty of the world around me. Freedom, love, passion, restriction, melancholy, fear, chaos, introspection, independence and strength, triumph and survival—all of it is reflected in the forms of my female characters and the natural phenomena that surrounds them.

Birds in particular have always held special significance for me. Symbolic of so many things throughout the ages, I most often see them as messengers of the soul and spirit, sources of transformative power, protection, freedom and insight. Meanings usually differ from bird to bird, but in summary, they all symbolize the supernatural power of nature and the evolution of the human soul. Compositionally, they enhance the drama and mood of the landscape and parallel the wild, untamed elements of the picture, such as the wind and the hair of the figures—symbolic of the various energies and emotional undercurrents pulsing beneath the surface.

Do you mainly work with oils, and would you consider yourself selftaught?

Acrylics are my medium of choice, and, in general, I do consider myself selftaught. I completed my BFA at the College for Creative Studies but entered college with a lot of technical skill already in place from years of practice throughout middle and high school beforehand. This preparation enabled me to enhance my skills even further once formal training began and spend the majority of my focus on broadening my personal vision as an artist.

Not to be depressing, you can take this question in any way you would like, but when it’s all said and done how would you like to be remembered?

Simply being worthy of remembering is a great achievement in itself. It’s my hope to fulfill all my dreams and look back with satisfaction on a lifetime of work that leaves a profound impression on viewers and the art world at large.

I’m a firm believer in dreaming big, and when all is said and done, I want to be remembered as a prolific artist who created a lifelong body of work that

future generations continue to know and have a dialogue about. Each painting I complete leads me towards a better understanding of humanity and myself.

By visually expressing and sharing my inner self-discoveries in a universal way, I hope to always lead viewers to connect deeply with themselves in the hopes that that connection to Self leads us all, collectively, towards a deeper understanding of everyone else around us.

Do you have any upcoming projects you can share with us?

I am currently creating new paintings that introduce new themes as well as continue to expand upon the themes already present in my work. This new phase of work marks a turning point with the introduction and inclusion of the male form now, shifting a bit from the all-feminine point of view that has defined my work to date. It’s a new direction that I am thrilled to dive into and watch unfold, and it’s inspired by some of the changes that have recently taken place in my own life. I am opening up to discovering and observing how the yin and yang energies are always at work in our lives both literally and figuratively. There is a feminine and masculine side to all things and the ways in which these energies complement and enhance once another is something that has sparked my interest and attention as of late, and thus is the path I am following and exploring at the moment. I’m staying open to the influences of the various forms of stimuli currently around me, and allowing my instincts to guide me towards new concepts and approaches to my themes and subject matter.

I am also excited to be releasing a brand new set of limited edition, handsigned and numbered prints for a newly completed painting, “The Courtiers.”

The limited-edition prints I’ve been releasing for select paintings continue to be well received with both collectors looking for a more affordable option, as well as those on the waiting list for new, original paintings that are currently being created. This has allowed me to continue creating new works while simultaneously satisfying many clients, and I’m extremely proud of the quality and positive reaction they have been receiving. Available prints can be viewed online and purchased through RJD Gallery at http://rjdgallery.com/artist_ collections/prints.

Where can people check out your art? andreakowch.com rjdgallery.com/artist/andrea-kowch facebook.com/andrea.kowch.artist

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It was a moment of clarity, watching the U.S. soldiers in Baghdad pulling down that statue. You know the one… the whole world was watching, which for the participants was rather the point, except they missed the point entirely… When the U.S. seized Baghdad the soldiers celebrated by destroying art. Removing contemporary politics, this destruction illustrates how little has changed psychologically in the 1500 years since the Barbarian sack of Rome. With one notable difference: Rome was destroyed by uneducated warriors. In Baghdad, it was stage-managed for TV.

cars one after another, there is a thread running though all: the universal connection is about leaving a mark. They are all trying to say, “Here I am. I have existed.” Some say it with beauty, others with destroying the beauty.

But the sentiment is the same. To represent these ideas into cohesive, instantly recognizable visual stories I started painting existing monuments with specific contemporary items. And while this worked, something curious also happened. What I found was that in many cases the added object altered the focus, causing the viewer to begin questioning the origins of the item and its place in society.

Sure, Saddam Hussein was the designated enemy of the moment. But whatever your opinion of the man, his statue was still art. And it was destroyed for ideological reasons. This was the inspiration for my series Monumental Nobodies. Remnants of long forgotten Imperial overtures, religious values, colonial indulgences, aristocratic aspirations and ideals of beauty, monuments map the rise and fall of empires. Somehow more poignant when the event for which they were created has faded into history, the statues somehow float in contemporary society like disassociated thought bubbles, belonging to another time and value system, and yet nonetheless they are loaded with meaning.

For example, when I put Playboy bunny ears on an 17th century French statue, the incongruity of time periods and notions of beauty invites the viewer to look at this iconic symbol, so commonplace now as to be almost invisible, with fresh eyes. And so the series began to evolve into something different. With my attention now turned to contemporary society, suddenly everything was fair game. With their conscious symbolism, the statues provide a foundation for a revisionist take on?the notions of beauty, pride, individual freedom, social control, surveillance and nationalism. Historical sacred cows were also up for grabs. With ordinary objects replacing their crowns and thrones, the aura of emperors and gods can be transformed into powerless nobodies. And by gently ridiculing the deceitful behavior of rulers who intentionally fail to act as they speak, it allowed me to question their motivations and subvert their initial grandiose goals.

As Percy Shelley’s poem Ozymandias encapsulates, all empires, with their pretensions to greatness, inevitably decline. In Baghdad this arc was played out in real time with the curious twist that the desecration was done in the name of civilization. This act has added gravitas in recent years with ISIS destroying the Roman artifacts in Syria and the Taliban blowing up the giant Buddha’s of Bamiyan. But we’re still the good guys, right?

From the people who build monuments in the first place to those who destroy them, from the Visigoths and Vandals sacking Rome, the waves of European colonization, the destruction wrought by ISIS, taggers defacing Banksy’s work and even, I’ve seen, guys walking down?the street keying

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This series allowed me to combine all of my earlier careers. Because in fact, being an artist is my sixth major career, having worked variously as an art-director, copywriter, university lecturer, illustrator and novelist.

The concepts rely on the lessons learned in campaign advertising. The layouts constructed according to the principles of the Golden Ratio use my background as a designer. My illustrator beginnings have been built upon with the techniques of the Old Masters, with each painting containing layers of glazes to build up a velvety saturation of color without brush

strokes. And my writing is utilized in the titles of the works, which are intended to add secondary and tertiary dimensions to each concept.

I painted as a teenager and studied design and illustration. But when you are curious about everything, it’s easy to get distracted. And I was distracted for a long time. A cancer epiphany in my 30s prompted a return to painting. There’s nothing to focus the mind like someone telling you that you are going to die.

Now living in Melbourne, Australia, I’ve resided in the UK, Portugal and Malaysia, and once I camped for several months underneath a grand piano. I’ve spent nights under stars in India, underground in Bolivia, under surveillance in Burma and under nourished in London. My scariest moments were having machine-guns shoved in my face during Nepalese anti-monarchy riots and getting lost in a snowstorm on an Everest glacier, although crashing a paraglider into a forest was also something of a highlight. My next exhibition is at Metro Gallery [www. metrogallery.com. au], Melbourne and Domestic Goddess 120x100cm There are lots of women in the great art galleries of the world. Just not many women artists. In 2012 about 62% of art and design students in the UK were female. But an audit of London galleries found that just 31% presented work by women. In LA and New York galleries the number was 32.3%, while at the Tate only 21% of the works purchased from living artists were made by females. The first woman to be appointed to the role of Keeper of the Royal Academy, Eileen Cooper, says the students of both genders emerging from art schools were as strong as each other, but somehow women’s voices are seen as not interesting. It becomes a vicious circle, “Because women artists aren’t as widely collected by the museums they aren’t as widely known or promoted as much.” Incredibly in an age when the issue of gender equality is legislated, it seems the only way for more women to get into galleries is to be featured in the work.

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interview • liz rice mccray

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What are your consistent influences?

I think I’m influenced by the subculture of our age.

Your haunted landscapes are often dominated by a floating orb. Will you tell us about the floating orb?

The orb described is Planet Earth. It means the world and it is the area where human beings live. It is also the limit that you can imagine; that is to say, the orb is reconstituted of daily life’s epitome.

The landscape seems to be less complex to the orb. Can you explain the surrounding environments?

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Simply put, it means the effect that surrounds the orb. However, it is isolated from the outer world, and it could exist under the influence of the outer world. Everything is pair-composition at all times.

In my works, I give the order of what happened in that space to the orb by drawing the landscape. For example, the orb is floating, but you can see the gravity of the orb as it is constructed from above to below. There are similar order in both orb and landscape.

Will you give us some insight into your creative process and explain the steps of creating one of these paintings?

For all my works, I put a point on what kind of future

the audience can imagine from my works, which is made of the motif from past to present.

What can you tell us about the solo exhibition show in Qatar that opened this past month?

It was nine paintings and one 3D work. It will be open until August.

Do you have any upcoming projects you can share with us?

I have a solo show in NY this October.

Where can people check out your art?

You can check out my work at my website, sal-s.com.

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photography • derek bahn• @dbahnphotos model • savannah kreisman • @savannaheleven

words • alison m. gamache • photos • brandon soder *(unless noted) The concept of art means something fiercely different for each viewer, each artist and each person involved, at whatever capacity. At Meow Wolf’s new exhibit, The House of Eternal Return, the concept of art is brilliantly reimagined. It is wildly creative; it is collective, collaborative, slightly mysterious and completely interactive.

Santa Fe, New Mexico, has always been an art rich community. Fine art galleries line the picturesque streets

photo • courtesy meow wolf

photo • courtesy meow wolf

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of downtown and sit nicely nestled between high-end jewelry stores and tourist shops. But here, in a town nicknamed “The City Different,” the entire idea of art is taking a new turn, and Meow Wolf is a driving force behind this movement. What is going on inside Meow Wolf’s 22,000square-foot installation still remains largely a mystery to most who visit.

Many come on a recommendation from a waiter or a friend; others are only passing through and saw a billboard just outside of Albuquerque,

illuminated in the desert night.

Regardless of how people have heard about Meow Wolf, they are coming and they are leaving with a whole new idea of what art can be.

Since opening its doors in mid March of this year, the installation has brought in approximately 250,000 visitors, far surpassing the business projections set for the year. About 150 artists, interns, volunteers and believers invested thousands of hours into this hypnotically

immersive multimedia installation.

Caity Kennedy, Artistic Director of The House of Eternal Return, described the project as, “part playground part sculpture, but most importantly [it is] a hundred different transportive experiences.” Meaning, the experience each attendee has is going to be completely different than the person before them. In fact, the experience you have will probably evolve each time you come back to The House of Eternal Return.

The exhibit follows a non-linear narrative about a family who lives in an old Victorian house. Strange events have occurred and the safety of the area has been compromised.

Portals have opened and our world has been connected to new universes and different dimensions. As you wind and turn through psychedelic caves covered in crystal clusters or forests with twisted trees and musical mushrooms, you will start to unravel the mystery of the family here and hopefully you will have your idea of interactive art flipped upside down.

I sat down and spoke with a few of the artists behind this exhibit, and above all else they want people to know that Meow Wolf is a

giant artistic family. Most of the businessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s employees were artists on the project during its construction. The whole installation process was a highly collaborative effort. Now, just five months after opening, these artists already have their eyes set on the next big thing.

After visiting The House of Eternal Return it is apparent there is no shortage of talent floating through the LED-sparkled air. They have managed to create their own vision that I can only described as Alice meets Hunter S. Thompson somewhere in Wonderland. You are going to have to trust me when I say you need to come visit. For more details and hours of operation, be sure to checkout www.meowwolf.com.

SYNCHRONICITY

interview • liz rice mccray My work is based on light projections of geometric shapes projected on vegetation and landscape. I work in previously selected natural spaces, with the essential means and material to carry out light projections that, because of their own nature, are ephemeral. I use photography as a means to register and spread the event.

The relation between geometry and landscape has been dealt with widely from the beginnings of the XXth century in architecture and sculpture. In both cases the materials that conform geometry have a physical consistency determined by the materiality of these means.

The fact that the material that draws and

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gives shape to that geometry is an element as intangible as light is, a very important fact of my work.

In this relation I look into a subtle physical quality that I would call resonance, since I find this term to be the one that best reflects the effect of the superposition of two languages apparently as different as are the precision of geometry and the irregularity of landscape.

Everything that happens in the landscape could be described and explained in terms of mathematics, physics and geometry, just the same as in the aspects of invisible but quantifiable energy. I believe in the existence of something like an energetic design of

the materials that can be discerned through geometry. This is why there’s a potentially revealing harmony of the hidden aspects of reality that is deduced from the relation of geometry and landscape.

I work directly on nature. I search for something that requires an experience in nature’s real time and space. Manipulating a picture on a computer is something out of my interests.

When I’m in a determined place I feel and interpret what’s happening. I look for the representation of something intangible that is latent in the places I work in and that, in my opinion, is made visible in my interventions; opening the visibility to other dimensions of

reality that were hidden. This way geometry becomes the key to open that visibility.

How did you get into photography and light projections?

The way I understand painting has always been linked to nature for several reasons. Firstly, the paintings I saw at home during my childhood were seascapes and landscapes by my greatgrandfather, a Basque painter. Besides, I think that the landscape you experience during childhood is a determining factor, and I say experience because there is more than just seeing in the relationship a child has with

the landscape. In Asturias, the landscape is also an incessantly continuous weather phenomenon with its drastic changes and full of qualities that seemed amazing to me.

I understand art as the depiction of a natural phenomenology that, when it is seen from afar, affects everything we are and gives us the chance to understand it better.

From these standpoints the step from painting to intervention work in nature is very coherent, just as it was for the Land Art artists who were painters in their beginnings. They came from action painting or abstract expressionism. Both trends conceived paintings as an experiential space, for a physical/psychic action, which in the case of action painting would be comparable to the act for someone who climbs mountains and whose literature and imagination are clearly rooted in romanticism.

The step from canvas to intervention in the landscape is absolutely natural in artists such as Robert Smithson, but at the same time it is an irreversible change of quality. Land Art is conceptual art due to its dependence on photography. There is a certain revocation of the object whose transcendence is not only commercial but also eliminates an emotionally involved intermediary between the experience and the viewer, which in this case would be the painter. Part of the self of the artist refuses to appear and is sublimated, refuses to exist, it is sublimated in the new process in favor of another quality of transparency.

In my case, I would say that in the last few years my painting was becoming more of an image, losing interest in the traditional pictorial qualities and in the object and of course losing all interest in emotional expression in favor of a more suitable perception of reality. I think that my painting was approaching something closer to theory, ideas or concepts, more intellectual and immaterial and at the same time naturally structuring. The physicality of the creative experience moved from the materiality of painting, which depended on my action on it, to the physical reality of the landscape, a physical reality that already existed without any contribution by me.

Compared to painting, photography has the quality of transparency; the “thickness” of the transmitting media is thinner. Of course the

photographer’s gaze selects a frame and the light in landscape, but the painter’s gaze adds brushstrokes to this which express his/her mood and psychology, a gesture, more or less quantity of matter, more or less chromatic harmony, freshness or pictorial insistence, degrees of realism and many other significant elements than can be achieved with a camera, whose possibilities for objective capture of reality are, obviously for a painter, comparatively greater.

Land Art depends since the beginning on photography, and without any conscious intention, creates a photographic genre, where I can position myself: halfway between the documentation of actions and photography in itself, halfway between the recorded intervention and photography as such.

Please explain the relationship between light, geometry and landscape in your photos?

In this relation I look into a subtle physical quality that I would call resonance, since I find this term to be the one that best reflects the effect of the superposition of two languages apparently as different as are the precision of geometry and the irregularity of landscape.

Everything that happens in the landscape could be described and explained in terms of mathematics, physics and geometry, just the same as in the aspects of invisible but quantifiable energy. I believe in the existence of something like an energetic design of the materials that can be discerned through geometry. This is why there’s a potentially revealing harmony of the hidden aspects of reality that is deduced from the relation of geometry and landscape.

Do you use any photo manipulation?

I work directly on nature. I search for something that requires an experience in nature’s real time and space. Manipulating a picture on a computer is something out of my interests. When I’m in a determined place I feel and interpret what’s happening, I look for the representation of something intangible that is latent in the places I work in and that, in my opinion, is made visible in my interventions;

opening the visibility to other dimensions of reality that were hidden. This way geometry becomes the key to open that visibility.

Will you please elaborate on your consistent influences?

Romantic landscape was very important for me in my beginnings and the Land Art artist from the ‘60s had been a big influence. I love also photographers as Gregory Crewdson, who creates very artificial and cinematographic scenes, and I love especially the Robert Adams black and white work.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced when composing one of your photographs?

The challenge for me is to feel the place and find the geometry that I feel like right there. I think that the place in the first image in my web was an especially difficult place because, although it is not noticeable in the photograph, the place is surrounded by a forest that was burned in a horrible fire. This place was something like a small mine that prevented the few trees that are burned

in the image. For me, geometry has a healing sense here.

Which projects have you been most satisfied with?

Surely one of the best is the Alameda Llum project, in the Spanish city of Valencia, when 11 projectors were seated during two months in a central park.

I love especially this project because the public was not the usual in a space for art but the normal for people in a park, and most of them loved it. It was funny for me to walk and hear people talking about the projections and taking images of it with smartphones, which have been shared quite a bit.

Where can people check out more of your art?

I think the best place is my website, javierriera.es, and also some videos on Internet (YouTube.com) about my interventions on buildings.

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. We greatly appreciate it.

photos • ortiz The first-ever park terrain skateboarding world championship celebrated a historic finale to cap off its global tour in Malmö, Sweden, as Alex Sorgente was crowned the men’s champion. Malmö is a beautiful place run by skaters, and Vans, in association with Bryggeriet and Dreamland Skateparks, couldn’t be more enthusiastic to come together to create and donate a brand new legacy park designed specifically for the Vans Park Series Championship.

With an incredible finals matchup to salute an exciting international tour, Sorgente dominated the built-to-spec park course with a staggering set of back-to-back, nearperfect runs in both the semis and finals. Not far behind, the inimitable Pedro Barros skated with sheer force, achieving one of his best scores from the entire season to earn second. Finally, the series dark horse and the ultimate challenger to rise from the field, Italy’s own Ivan Federico, placed third to record a feat of three podium finishes in the series overall.

“I’m speechless. I’m just pretty hyped to be out here skating with my friends, and to be able to win this contest is amazing. Pedro was ripping, too! I’ve always looked up to him.” –Alex Sorgente, Vans Park Series Men’s World Champion Results: Men’s Finals Results 1st – Alex Sorgente 2nd – Pedro Barros 3rd – Ivan Federico 4th – Cory Juneau 5th – Ben Hatchell 6th – Kevin Kowalski 7th – Grant Taylor 8th – Jack Fardell

alex sorgente

kevin kowalski

grant taylor

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pedro barros

ivan federico

cory juneau

chris russell

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interview • delon isaacs • photos • tom carey *(unless noted) Noa Deane is a sweet boy. His whole Punky Brewster, surf-rat image might steer your initial thoughts of him differently, but deep down in that silly little surfer body of his is just another sensitive kid just trying to do what he can to change the way we perceive this weird, stale world that is surfing. Every time I watch a new edit of him surfing it’s just completely baffling. I fucking hate him by the time they’re over, it’s not fair. He exemplifies everything that is cool about skateboarding but on a surfboard, which is something pretty much only Christian Fletcher and a few others have been able to do. We love Noa, and luckily he had some downtime for us to catch up with his punk-ass and ask him a few questions.

Where the hell you been, man? Are you in recluse? Been working on any new surf doggy video things?

Surfing a bunch in Australia. It’s so good over here this time of year, and I’m never usually home so it’s pretty sick. I’m working on the new Globe movie.

Were you just on a trip recently with Creed and Toby? Have you been surfing with the Byron boys lately or just going over there to get torched?

I was on a trip with Tobes to Yamba. Creed was in Sydney, it was pretty fun. Yeah, I moved to Suffolk so I’m hanging with them most days, it’s been fun.

photo â&#x20AC;¢ delon

1. Girls. Heartbreaker 2. Sonic Youth. Dripping Dream 3. My Bloody Valentine. Only Tomorrow 4. The Cure. Killing an Arab 5. Sonic Youth. Unwind Funniest place you’ve surfed last six months?

The Pass, knee-boarding on a soft top!

Have you and Shane (Noa’s trusty filmer/dearest friend) gotten into a fist fight yet, or have you both at least have made out? What have you two been doing?

Hahaha, nah not yet, lol. Just filming a bit and drinkin’ a couple beers.

VB or Coopers? I think VB is shit, someone told me it has eggs in it.

VB and Coops are both good, haha.

And nah, I think it has fish guts.

What about music stuff? You still going cray on all the custom guitar shit, any new additions, or pedals?

You been trying to record anything serious? I’ve heard you sing before, motherfucker, remember? When you gonna lay down some tracks?

Been recording a few things and tinkering around, so hopefully soon.

I’ll put it out soon; I haven’t bought anything new really. Got a bass a little while ago, that was cool. It’s a Fender MusicMaster ‘71. Thing is sick.

Going off the top question, what newer kind of things have you been listening to? Can you give me a fivesong playlist so whomever reading this can pick at your brain a little?

Rumor has it that you’ve gone all soft with your musical preference.

Lots of Sonic Youth, Girls, My Bloody Valentine… I watched the Cure the other day too so I’m pretty psyched on them at the moment. Maybe I’ve gone a little soft, haha, but I still really like Slayer and heavy shit still. I just like a load of different stuff.

photo • bosko

photo • delon

What are your thoughts on Metal Neck II winning Surfer Poll “Video of the Year” for 2017? I just watched your section, pretty tight, man, pretty tight. Anything you want to say about Droid or Tbar?

If Metal Neck doesn’t win “Video of the Year,” then Droid definitely should win a performance award for the shit he did in the movie. Shit was that nuts. And yeah – TROMBERG, when’s your rap album coming out?

Any up-and-coming young surf dogs you into these days?

Dakota Walters is sick, he’s from AUS.

I forgot how fucked up your whole Ambidexterity is – writing with your right hand, playing guitar with your left, skating goofy and all the other nonsense. So just answer what stance you do for the listed below:

Skating: Regular or Goofy?

Goofy.

Surfing: Regular or Goofy?

Regular.

Scootering: Regular or Goofy?

Mongo.

Guitar: Left or Right?

Left.

Writing: Left or Right?

Right.

Wanking: Left or Right?

Mongo.

Have you been skating much? The whole instagram world saw that kick flip back disaster a while back...

Respect NOZ, respect. What’s the new banger trick?

You filming for Toby’s Bakery 4 movie? I’ve stacked a couple clips.

Haha, well I got a bad ankle so not really, but the few months before that I’ve been skating a ton and been lovin’ it. 50/50 lipslide, front shuv, haha… ‘cause I can’t ollie into a lip.

Yeah, I gotta start filming, lol.

interview • liz rice mccray

Luke Shadbolt is a leading Australian photographer and creative director, specializing in underwater and nature photography. An ability to illustrate a grand idea on an intimate and minimal scale coupled with an adventurous and empathetic nature is what best defines Luke’s style and outlook. He has recently shot covers for Surfing World and Qantas Magazine, and he has also been featured in Time Magazine and National Geographic. His first solo photo exhibition “Maelstrom” was recently shown at Michael Reid Gallery (Sydney) and continues to garner international acclaim.

When and how did you get into photography?

I think the first time I took a serious photo was in high school for an assignment. I took out the family SLR camera and shot off a couple of rolls. The subject matter was waves back then as well, so the interest in nature and the ocean has been there from the beginning. It’s not like I was hooked at that age or anything though. I was more into drawing and painting back then.

I was also a broke 12-year-old kid, and the little money I had was spent on surfing magazines and, ah, probably candy. Definitely not film anyway. After high school I studied a Bachelor of Visual Communication at Newcastle University, and there was elements of photography throughout that course which reignited my interest. I think the first photo I took for that was of my motorcycle that I had at the time, which my lecturer told me was boring and obvious. I loved that; I’m always up for a challenge so having him

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single out how terrible my photo was made me want to do better. I kept playing around with it, teaching myself the ropes and doing a few courses here and there. Eventually I saved enough to afford a proper underwater setup, and then began shooting surfing as much as I could and just took opportunities as they arose from there.

You hit the scene with a bang. You were the winner of the 2014 Nikon “Surf Photo of the Year” and many other awards in a short time. You specialize action sports, travel, lifestyle, fashion industries, and water photography. What would you say is your forte?

I grew up around the ocean, so anything water-related is a strength. I would like to say anything nature-related though; I try and incorporate working on location with anything I do. I also prefer to focus on the idea rather than the industry.

What do you enjoy most about photography?

The thing about photography is it’s a constant learning experience; there are so many variables to consider. Especially shooting out in the elements; being at the whim of the weather and nature can be both so frustrating and rewarding at the same time. It’s funny though, when I first started in photography I liked that it seemed like such an instant medium. Even though this was back in the days of film, it seemed like you were able to just point a camera and press a button and have an end result and that’s what drew me in to begin with. Now that I’ve spent years behind a camera I realize that it’s far from instant.

There’s the concept, pre-prep, travel, waiting for the weather, managing talent, managing budgets, equipment malfunctions... an endless list of potential obstacles in getting to the point where you can even press the trigger. Then there’s the editing process after all that. I feel like it’s less instant with digital as well, as much as it has definitely opened up new opportunities you wouldn’t have been able to shoot with film, you end up just firing off thousands of photos and the editing time ends up far longer than it would have been with film. I think I may have got a little off the question there, but having to manage all those variables is what keeps it interesting. I most enjoy that constant learning process.

Do you shoot film and digital? What cameras do you mainly work with?

I learned shooting on film and do shoot film occasionally, but 99% of my output is shot digitally. Especially commercial work because clients want things as they happen, so adding in a week turnaround for film processing isn’t feasible. I’d like to shoot more film actually. In terms of personal work it does help in that you put more preparation into the before, rather than getting stuck in the after. I don’t enjoy the editing process as much as the shooting. My main camera of choice is the Nikon D810; I like to keep my kit as light as possible, and the D810 is just a fantastic all-round camera that can handle anything really. I also wouldn’t be anywhere without my Aquatech Water Housing. When you’re taking thousands of dollars of equipment into salt water, you want to be confident it’s going to stay dry.

Tell us about “Maelstrom.” People have been raving about these photos.

After chasing perfection for the last five years or so, I was starting to become desensitized to it and realized that I was far more interested in the chaotic waves. I guess it actually stemmed from back when I first started shooting surfing, when what got me excited was shooting fisheye in as crazy a wave as I could find. The idea for “maelstrom” was born from that.

Perfect waves are great, but chaos is more interesting for me, right now anyway. I guess chaos is only more interesting because it is fleeting. It’s the constant of change that is what really makes things interesting. Maelstrom documents the duality of nature, creation and destruction in a single act. Beauty in chaos. It is an exploration of the balance of light and dark inherent in nature, both on a physical and sociological level. Tracing the source of these events to the particularly volatile El Nino season of 2016, we are afforded a cursory glimpse of the exchange, cycle and balance of power fundamental to the functioning of our planet and its oceans. By analyzing the cycles that cause these chaotic events, the idea is to draw a link from that back to humanity’s unending quest to control nature, but realistically not understanding or respecting it and the naivety in that.

Can you provide a sense of the scale of these waves?

It’s hard to offer a sense of scale with such abstract forms and I wanted to keep each scene as simple and stripped back as possible, because there was already so much going on. To give some context of size, the swell was in the 30- to 40-foot range. Having two waves of this size crashing into each other creates the sort of chaos that you see happening in the end results. Realistically, I would say they could be anywhere from 50 to 100 feet high. I’d initially toyed with the idea of trying to shoot from out in the water, but to put a person anywhere near these waves it would just rip you apart. I did attempt it on smaller days (much, much smaller days) and even then it was pretty terrifying. The funny thing is a lot of the time, especially in the images that ended up in the series, that’s not the peak of the wave’s height. The explosions often went a lot higher in the following frames, but were just not as visually interesting.

Will you explain what was going through your head when shooting this series of photos?

As you can probably imagine, there was a lot of energy all around at the time. There was the enormous swell; the weather was constantly changing between storm and sun, with the wind constantly changing speed and direction. It was just a total sensory overload. At one point when I was shooting from the beach, a huge set hit and a surge came up the shoreline. I managed to notice it out of the corner of my eye and scramble up some nearby rocks just in time to escape it, but it could have just as easily swept me out to sea.

To be fair, I don’t think the photos do justice to the experience of it at all. It’s one of the most incredible things to witness in person.

On another note, we’ve noticed you work with a wide range of clients. Will you name a few?

I’ve just finished up a job for SK-II and I’m currently organizing a project with New Zealand Tourism. Other recent clients include Surfing World, Audi, Michael Kors, Samsung and Tourism Australia. It’s amazing to be afforded the chance to work across a range of industries.

Do you have any upcoming projects you can share with us?

I’m currently in pre-production for a follow up to “Maelstrom,” taking the idea from that and expanding on the sociological element. I’ve also got a book project I’m working on which will hopefully be out before the end of the year. Plus, I’m in the process of moving to New York and trying to organize my wedding for next year, which are both pretty large projects in themselves.

Wow, all huge projects and congratulations on your upcoming nuptials. So tell us where can someone check out your art?

My website, www.lukeshadbolt.com, Instagram, @lukeshadbolt and at Michael Reid Gallery in Sydney and Berlin.

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interview • joey marshall When you meet Michael he has this quiet, unsuspecting demeanor about him. Humility doesn’t even begin to describe the feeling I got when meeting Michael for the very first time. Being of Asian descent and standing 6’3” he doesn’t go unnoticed, but there’s a quietness to him that’s hard to describe. Once you pry a little and spend some time with him you come to learn that he’s quite an accomplished human being, and he’s already done more in his lifetime than most ever will. He’s one of those guys that seems to be good at everything he does, and his passion and work ethic is matched by very few. I’ve known Michael for a few years through Master Plan Communications (MPC), but it wasn’t until recently that I realized he was such an accomplished skate photographer. Enough of me hyping him up. I’ll let photos do the talking, you be the judge.

So Michael, tell us a little about yourself: where did you grow up, how old are you, when did you first pick up a camera, etcetera?

I’m Michael Allen Custodio; I was born in San Diego but moved up to Orange County when I was around three years old. Most of my family resides in SD, so I spent much of my youth going back and forth. My grandparents were all in the military, so some of my fondest memories growing up were spent at the 32nd Street Naval Station or attending the numerous family functions.

I’ll keep it brief, but long story short I used to be an elite level gymnast before I picked up the camera and flashes.

After a plague of injuries and puberty setting in, things just weren’t the same. Gymnasts are typically small in stature… but the technical side of the sport gets rather tricky when you’re 6’3”. It’s pretty crazy though to watch the Olympics and see some of my friends still killin’ it and competing in Rio! Shout-out to Sam! The first time I picked up a camera was during high school. I’ve always had a passion for footwear, skateboarding and apparel so I decided to launch Elevating All Kind (EAK) Clothing during my senior year.

When I started EAK, I had no clue what I was even getting into. Consequently, shooting photos of t-shirts was the only way that I knew how to market anything at the time. From there I started shooting lifestyle shots of friends reppin’ EAK tees and gradually began shooting local skaters. I studied Marketing at Cal State Fullerton, but I obtained a formal and street education at the same time. When I wasn’t studying, I was skating the local Fullerton zone and looking for new spots. Eventually I became a public relations intern for etnies and then started as a contractor for Master Plan Communications in 2014. Today, I’m a full-time Account Executive at MPC, a freelance photographer/videographer and owner of EAK.

jacob walder • switch f.s shuvit

kane sheckler • feeble pop over

lil wayne

joe gilbuena • f.s blunt When did you get your first skateboard and who gave it to ya?

I received my first skateboard when I was about seven years old.

We were in Mira Mesa, CA. My Dad took me to this shop and I picked out my first Element skateboard. It was a mini complete with Destructo trucks, I believe. The first time I rode it my mom took me to Beebe Skatepark in Mission Viejo and I got stuck in the bowl. It’s pretty embarrassing to admit now, but Tyler Hendley actually helped me out of the bowl… We still joke about it to this day.

Do you remember the first camera you ever had? If so, what was it and how did you get your hands on it?

The first camera I ever worked with was a Fujifilm in my photo class in high school. It was pretty discouraging because I didn’t grasp the concept of utilizing appropriate settings very quickly and I once had my photo teacher tell me that I may not have a future as a photographer. After her words of encouragement I purchased my very first camera - The Canon Powershot SD1000. That was extremely fun until I realized everything was practically in automatic mode. From there I borrowed my Dad’s Canon 20D and the rest is history. I shot photos throughout my time at Cal State Fullerton and pushed myself to develop my eye for capturing moments that span from skateboarding to music.

You seem to have shot with a lot of pro/am skaters before they were on the skate industry radar. How did you link up with these guys, and in particular how did you know beforehand that they were gonna be the real deal?

To be honest I would have say that I’ve met most people through skating the local parks and through mutual friends. Obviously I’m not pro or am, but over the years I’ve skated enough and

chris joslin • ollie

have developed an eye to grasp a person’s ability, style and attitude. For me, attitude especially is the dealmaker/breaker. Most skaters these days are amazing, but their energy, demeanor, and overall composure really catches my eye. If you’re too much to deal with I probably don’t want to shoot with you, let alone be in a car with you longer than I’d have to be.

Who do you have your eyes on at the moment that might be under the radar or people haven’t heard of yet?

Wow, that’s a tough one. I feel almost partial by dropping a few names, but I’d have to say Kane Sheckler, Tyler Hendley, Jacob Walder, Josh Gomez, Mikey Haywood, Chris Lopez, Dre Malone, Alec Jamir, Mike Berdis, Joe Gilbuena, Sk8oH, Aaron Gomez and Dannie Carlsen from Copenhagen. The list is practically endless, Joey.

Most people might not know this about you but you’ve got just as much talent behind a video lens as you do with still photography. Which came first and how did that come about?

I shot photos first before anything. I started filming because I wanted to create mini edits for EAK, and there was a period when I actually stopped shooting photos altogether. I’d have to say if it wasn’t for Cato Williams, Kane Sheckler, Kevin Booker, and Joe Gilbuena, I would have never started filming in the first place. We used to go out to only shoot photos in the streets and they would be bummed because we wouldn’t have the video footage to complement some of the photos that we kept stacking. Over time, I evolved into becoming the filmer and photographer at the same time.

Also, a big thank you to Shecks for letting me film Kane and the homies in his private training facility. Skating and practicing my filming in a controlled, private environment allowed me to develop my eye, try new angles and develop my filming style over time.

cato williams & ridah

alec jamir • b.s flip

tyler hendley • b.s flip

I know you’ve got quite a repertoire of rappers and hip-hop artists that you’ve shot as well. How do those relationships develop and whom have you worked with? Time to name drop.

Most of my hip-hop relationships have sort of blended or crossed paths due to skateboarding. Working with different artists and skateboarders has taught me to respect each person but to not put them on a pedestal.

Celebrity or not, each person wants to be treated equally and that’s honestly the best way for the relationship to develop. I’ve worked with Lil Wayne, Nick Cannon, Phabo, Nipsey Hussle, Juicy J, Soulja Boy and more.

Are you still skating regularly or did you trade the wheels in for the camera lens?

I still skate when I have some downtime, but most sessions I’ll be filming then shooting photos. With my track record of injuries I’ve learned to pick and choose my battles wisely when I skate.

You almost live this double life – one as a 9 to 5-er working for our favorite full-service PR Agency (Master Plan Communications) and the other as a videographer/photographer. How do you find the time to juggle the two?

During the week I’m solely focused on my role at MPC. Some days I’ll link up with a few of the guys in the afternoon and try to get something done if we are on deadline for a photo or a video part. Most of the time though, the best spots to skate are available only on the weekends, so I’ll spend Saturdays and Sundays shooting.

I’m able to balance the two because I truly am passionate about both crafts.

tyler hendley • tail grab

Is there anything cool you’re working on at the moment? If so, when will we be able to get a viewing?

Right now I’m working to rebrand EAK. The plan is to drop a few tees and hoodies in the coming months and expand product offerings later this year and into 2017.

A web series is also in the works as well. Lately, I’ve been shooting a lot of PRO/AM basketball leagues. I’ve been making trips up to LA to test my eye and reaction time for basketball and I’ve been having a blast! I’ve also been shooting with Kane and Jacob extensively. We are currently stacking footage and photos… let’s just say that they both have something cooking. Stay tuned!

Fantasy-like scenario, where do you see Michael Custodio in 10 years from now?

In 10 years time I see myself as a renowned freelance photographer and full-time Manager of EAK. Also, I envision myself continuing my entrepreneurial pursuits.

Do you have any advice or knowledge you wanna share with an up-and-coming kid who wants to be a skate-photographer?

I would recommend three pieces of advice. The first one would have to be to never burn bridges. Skateboarding is a very closely-knit circle and everyone talks. If you burn one person, you could potentially close off an entire network of people. Second, value your work and don’t be afraid to be proud of what you bring to the table.

Finally, remain humble and celebrate your successes along the way.

alec • b.s wallride

words & photos • tim peare It’s been four years since the once giant Forum Snowboards closed its doors. Since then, we’ve endured through another Winter Olympics, the U.S. Open has been uprooted from Vermont to Colorado, and in the present moment Red Bull Media House is set to release the latest Travis Rice mega-film “The Fourth Phase…” the last remaining big budget film production in snowboarding.

With rumors that Brain Farm has been released from control of the film due to overspending, it may very well be the last big budget snowboard movie we see for a very long time. When Forum’s doors were shut down by Burton Snowboards, it sent out a loud message to the industry that the glory days of endless budgets were over. It is clear now that the mainstream media hyped the X Games and the Olympics to such a degree that we all thought snowboarding was larger than it ever truly was. We all wanted it to be.

With all that being said, and with my point of view now returned to the bleachers, I see very good things happening within this world of shred.

Snowboarding is returning to its roots, and it was a distinct pleasure of mine to witness the 30th “Legendary Banked Slalom” go down this year at Mt. Baker. It’s one of the most honest events/gatherings in snowboarding that literally goes back to snowboarding’s roots. Not to mention modern day events like Drink Water’s Rat Race, it’s safe to say that everything’s gonna be alright.

I still look back on those Forum days with reverie however.

It was literally a dream come true for me. Becoming a staff photographer for Forum is the equivalent of most photographers’ dreams to work for National Geographic.

My snowboarding roots began with watching films like Road Kill, Subjekt Haakansen and Project 6, but the first films that I purchased with my own money were TB7 and Decade. I watched these VHS tapes over and over again and was honestly in disbelief by the level of riding displayed on the television. That would have been in 1998, and those videos influenced me enough to uproot from New Hampshire to Lake Tahoe in the fall of 1999. When I arrived, Mack Dawg released Technical Difficulties and it featured the heaviest level of riding ever seen, and it showcased a majority of Forum team riders. It seems natural that due to the success of the video and the partnership of Peter Line and Mike McEntire that the industry’s first team video would follow. That video is The Resistance and it would go on to become the archetype for all team videos to follow and snowboard legends were born in the Forum 8 – Peter Line, Devun Walsh, JP Walker, Jeremy Jones, Chris Daffily, Wille Yli-Luoma, Bjorn Leines and Joni Malmi.

My first job for the program was a private

alex ostreng • cranmore, nh

stevie bell â&#x20AC;˘ oslo, norway

nic sauvé • helsinki

pat moore • squaw

summer shoot for Special Blend up at Mt. Hood in 2007, a year after industry giant Burton Snowboards purchased Forum, Special Blend, Foursquare and Geenyus, A.K.A. Fourstar Distribution. With that purchase came a changing of the guard rider-wise as well as the internal machine. Marketing Director Bryan Knox led that charge and rebuilt the Forum Team by stacking it with youthful and strong riders like Pat Moore, John Jackson, Eddie Wall and Jake Blauvelt, to name a few. I’m certain that all the new guys felt the weight of legacy, and when combined with their own personal passion for snowboarding, a new chapter had begun.

jake blauvelt • cooke city, mt

I came on full time in the winter of 2008/2009 during the filming of Forever. It was awesome, everything I had ever dreamed of, traveling the globe, chasing the best snowboarders in the world. Speaking for myself, I felt the weight of legacy photography-wise also. Forum staff photographers included heavy hitters such as Dano Pendygrasse, Rob Mathis, Cole Barash and Ian Ruhter. I’ve never felt in league with these guys, but when you get the opportunity you don’t shy away from it because of an inferiority complex. Over the course of the next four years, Forum would solidify this new chapter in to the history books with the release of FOREVER, F IT, VACATION and its final film #FORUM.

eddie wall â&#x20AC;˘ cooke city, mt

cameron pierce

peter line â&#x20AC;˘ sun valley

jake welch • anchorage, ak

austen sweetin • anchorage, ak

joni malmi • quebec city

andreas wiig • whistler, bc

john jackson • tahoe backcountry

FOREVER and F IT would win “Videos of the Year” from the major media publications. It was the best of times. As a photographer and due to the success of the films, my photos were flying off the hard drive and into the magazines, stores and catalogs. In that short four years, I was fortunate to receive over 10 covers internationally, and with the announcement of Forum closing its doors I scored the triple crown and landed on all the major U.S. magazine covers: Transworld Snowboarding, Snowboarder and Snowboard at the same time. I had never even considered that possibility before. So to say that my dream had come true is an absolute understatement and quite possibly the point of this ramble. For me, I do not look back and wish that Forum would get the band back together or feel slighted by the way it all went down. What’s done is done and everything that is meant to be IS. I look back to the good times and the bad fondly, and remember more than anything that connecting personally with each and everyone in that organization, from the management to the riders, was a privilege… the dreams of a young man come true.

So for the kids out there who have a dream, I highly urge you to follow it wherever it may lead you, swiftly and with a sense of urgency. You don’t want to show up at your dream and have the doors close on you just as you arrive. Speaking of influence, with the release of The Fourth Phase, there will be a whole new generation of kids that will be inspired to follow in the footsteps of Travis Rice and company. He rides a Lib Tech, and as long as Mervin MFG has its doors open for business, I see no need for alarm.

travis kennedy • mt hood

Dime’s Glory Challenge presented by Vans is currently the best skate contest to have ever existed in the known skate world, and it was freaking created by a bunch of Canadians.

Of all people… Canadians! Addressing the controversial topic on whether or not skating should be in the Olympics, a group of kids from Montreal took a hilarious but semi-poetic stand on defending everything fun, and creative, and the unexplainably retarded that is essential to skating. Skating is an art bro, and the Glory Challenge will prove it, while throwing out big ass signed checks with no actual financial backing behind it.

events

The Dime Glory Challenge consisted of eight separate events: Speed Challenge – a challenge in which competitors dropped down a massive roll-in and try their best flip-tricks, rolling at speeds of 20+ mph with the requirements of wearing speed dealer sunglasses; Game of Skate World Championship – a heated championship battle of S-K-A-T-E, which begins with an arm wrestling battle for first go; Valdez Challenge – an awkward obstacle course of a highspeed ollies and grinds from ramps to rails to ledges, which was named after Joe Valdez, a lost but found skateboarding legend; Josh Kasper Challenge – a “best trick” contest off a massive 20-foot ledge over a record-spinning DJ; Gangster Challenge – a contest where competitors have to perform their best trick on a bump over ledge, while landing hands down, gangster as fuck; Gladiator Challenge – pretty much a sumo wrestling contest, but while two feet are on a skate deck; The Sword – a high beam, sword rail, which is continuously raised to higher lengths to see who could grind it the highest; Foam Pit Challenge – name says it all, best trick into a foam pit.

Clockwise from left to right • Evan Smith boardsliding the sword • Wes Kramer, Evan Smith, Joe Valdez & Alexis Lacroix • Wade D (game of S.K.A.T.E. champion) • Forrest Edwards & Dustin Dollin • Josh Kasper Challenge • Jamal Smith • Frank Gerwer & Wes Kramer • Dime Glory Challenge HQ • Lee & Dustin • Bobby De Keyzer & Frank Gerwer, Gladiator Challenge • Antoine Asselin, Gangster Challenge • Sluggo vs Alexis Lacroix • Lee Yankou sackin’ it • Dime construction crew

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@MARCELLHERD

ACTIVE ARMY RIDER:

WE ARE SHOP BUILT

ACTIVERIDESHOP.COM

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8/25/16 1:11 PM

Jamie Mitchell’s inaugural Waterman’s Festival began with a one-mile swim, which was followed by a five-mile Prone and one-mile SUP paddleboard race. After the open races there were six knockout format elite survivor races, which included swim, SUP and junior and senior lifeguard races. Three Dash for Cash races closed out the day.

“For this festival, we had the best SUP and paddle athletes in the world,” Mitchell said. “The outcome was more than we ever envisioned. Ideal conditions, light onshore winds, and little waves allowed for a seamless elimination format that kept the day’s competition exciting. For me, more than anything, today was about the athletes – leveling out the playing field for individual competitors.”

The core of the event was the Survivor Race, debuted by Mitchell at the 2012 Waikiki Paddle Festival, a knockout event in which paddlers complete a series of one-lap sprints. The slowest finishers at the end of each lap were eliminated until the final duo, Mo Freitas and Toby Cracknell, went head-to-head in the last heat. In the end, Freitas ultimately took home the Waterman title. In the women’s division, Shae Foudy took first place in the SUP Survivor race.

events

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Captions by Jamie Mitchell • Clockwise from left to right • A great shot of how important it is to be in a good position coming home into the wave zone. Here you can see guys on the wave, some just getting in and some missing it • Winner Winner Chicken Dinner. Who wouldn’t be stoked? 6k and bragging rights, congrats Mo • If you have ever done an open water swim race or some sort of Lifeguard swim race then you realize how gnarly it can be. Fists, elbows, feet flying everywhere and coming into a buoy turn is where it gets crazy. These guys are about to go all MMA on each other • In this style of racing the starts are key; here we have three of the best in the business and the top three finishers of the day about to hit the water! Mo, Connor and Toby • I love this shot!

It shows a lot - Mo in front focusing on what’s in front of him while Toby chases him down trying to catch up!

These two would go on and finish 1,2 overall for the day • A great photo of the girls charging out through the surf.

Look at all the different positions of their paddles, boards and bodies • Three goofy-footers loving the frontside turn. Michael Booth, Titouyan Piyo and Chuck Glynn • What a cool photo. In all the chaos here is a moment where things stand still • Young Bellah Ellis in the Jr. Lifeguard race getting the iconic shot • And the winner for Best Haircut • Are they heading out to sea or back to the beach? Great water-level shot of how the ocean looks even on a flat day at Huntington • Wow, I love this photo. Great angle looking back to the beach as 12 of the best hammer it out trying to survive into the next round • Nothing like that iconic shot of the Huntington Pier in the background. One lucky paddler gets the shot on the way back in the 5 Mile Open Race • A great shot from the water looking back to the Men’s Start of the Survivor SUP Race • Shae Foudy the women’s champ looking focused and getting it done

This chapter of the Vans Park Series took it all the way to the sands of Huntington Beach for an event held in conjunction with one of the world’s largest action sports festivals – the Vans US Open of Surfing. The Vans Pro Skate Park Series event attracted thousands of spectators to the Huntington Beach waterfront. The Vans Park Series contests have been hands down the most entertaining skateboard contests to watch all year, as they feature the best collection of transitional skaters from all over the world that are skating their little hearts out to try to earn a spot in the final showdown event in Malmö, Sweden.

Park Series Select pro Chris Russell claimed an exceptional first place victory in Huntington Beach during the event and marked his second Vans Park Series Global Qualifier win of the season. Sneaking into second place, Ben Hatchell executed a stupefying final run with expert and crazy control, while Sweden’s Oskar Rozenberg Hallberg, who is literally our favorite skater at the moment, consistently delivered smooth and stylish lines to take third.

events

Vans Park Series Global Qualifier Huntington Beach Results 1st – Chris Russell 2nd – Ben Hatchell 3rd – Oskar Rozenberg Hallberg 4th – Tom Schaar 5th – Tristan Rennie 6th – Murilo Peres 7th – Curren Caples 8th – Ronnie Sandoval

Vans Park Series Global Challengers Advancing to World Championships 1st – Ivan Federico 2nd – Cory Juneau 3rd – Tom Schaar 4th – Alex Sorgente 5th – Tristan Rennie 6th – Robin Bolian 7th – Collin Graham 8th – Vinicius Kakinho

Clockwise from left to right Chris Russell • Oskar Rozenburg, Chris Russell & Ben Hatchell • Chris Russell & Christ Pastras • Ronnie Sandoval • Grant Taylor • Jaws • Tom Scharr • Cory Juneau • Tristan Rennie • Murilo Peres • Greyson Fletcher • Ben Hatchell • Oskar Hallberg • Curren Caples

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interview • max ritter l photo • kelsey reckling

music

How did you discover photography, and when did you decide it was something you wanted to pursue as a career?

I discovered it in high school and I started taking photos of anything and everything. I wasn’t doing it to learn photography though. I did it for preservation and also ‘cause I have a shitty memory. I was just obsessed with the idea that after a moment is gone, it never repeats. So I wanted to remember everything about a moment. How I felt, what color the table was and what the lighting was like... because I was obsessed with that and I kind of learned by default how to take decent photos of things in the way I wanted to remember them. Because I was in the habit of carrying my camera everywhere, I documented my brother’s band, FIDLAR. I had no idea they were going to be big but I took photos because they were just special moments to me personally. As the band grew, more and more people saw my photos and I realized that maybe this wasn’t something just for me. It spoke to other people. Photography as an occupation was never something I was actively seeking out to be; I just liked taking photos and I never really realized I was even that good at it. I never went to a fancy art school. I was self-taught. My point is that even if I made no money and it wasn’t a “career” I’d still be shooting. I just know that this is what I love to do and I keep doing it.

What are some of your favorite cameras to shoot on and why?

My all-time favorite camera is the good ol’ Canon AE-1. It’s old, it’s built like a tank, it’s so basic, and it takes incredible photos. If you can shoot manually then every other camera is super easy to figure out. My other favorite is my Olympus XA. I gave that one to my husband. It’s tiny and shoots great photos. It’s a range finder so focusing is hard for me when it’s dark at a show so I don’t use it that much anymore. Lastly, because I can’t afford to shoot film that much, I use a Canon 5D MIII. It’s a super nice digital camera and it’s the industry standard and go-to for a lot of photographers.

You grew up in Hawaii, so how did you become a band photographer in LA? Sounds like a screenplay waiting to happen.

I came to California because my dad had an office out here, my boyfriend at the time moved here, and also because my brother was in rehab in Orange County. I played music before and I had been in bands so making friends with other musicians came naturally, I guess. You just sort of find “your people,” haha. Like I said earlier, I didn’t set out to be a photographer or even a band photographer. I just had friends that played music and my friends are insanely talented people that were kind enough to let me be a weirdo and stick my camera in their faces. I figured if I can’t be a musician myself then I can still encourage and collaborate in different ways.

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You’ve documented a lot of artists I love, but RYAN ADAMS! What!? Tell me a little about that.

Ah yeah, haha. In a nutshell, Ryan hired me to take photos of his studio, PAX AM. We became friends and then bandmates. We were in a sort of a goth-punk band called Sorceror with Paul Cutler of 45 Graves. Ryan found out that I used to play music and basically forced me out of retirement and encouraged me to play in this band. I played bass on a 7-inch that he put out. This was also happening the same time that he was recording his album so I got to come and take photographs of him in the studio. I am so grateful and honored for that opportunity. I got to photograph magic happen with him and Jenny Lewis and I will never ever forget that.

What photographers or artists before you influenced your style in photography?

Huge, HUGE Autumn de Wilde fan. To me, she captures the artists in such a beautiful way. She understands them and captures who they are. I can see so much trust and respect from both artist and photographer in all her photos. It’s so amazing to see and inspiring. Another photographer is Edward Colver. He is THE punk photographer. I got to go to his house once and talk to him and he showed me all his photos in person. He has photographed some of my favorite bands and iconic shots of all time. He was dedicated to the scene and loved the music. He was always there in the middle of the pit, in the middle of the action. That type of dedication and perspective is admirable.

What is the gnarliest thing you’ve ever seen at a show?

I will without a doubt say any Trash Talk show ever. Lee is a maniac. The nicest most chill dude ever, but on stage he is an incredible performer and front man. I’ve seen him do front flips off the highest PA speakers that are 15 feet up and land on his back and hop right back up. There is always a fucking riot and fights that break out between security and the crowd. The pit is no joke at these shows. Lee has split open his head several times and continues to perform while bleeding. FIDLAR also playing at Che Cafe has always been a favorite of mine as well. The kids were so rowdy in such a small confine of a space. So many kids were climbing up on the rafters and Zac climbed up on the middle rafter and sang upside down at some point. Max wasn’t feeling well so mid set he just started barfing right next to me and some fan kid came up and finished playing the last song. That kid is now a FIDLAR intern, haha. It was so hot everyone was soaked in sweat and the walls were sweating. I had to wipe my camera off every two shots. It was the most intense but enthusiastic crowd ever. There’s another FIDLAR show that was outdoors that I was not at, but I heard that some chick climbed up on the RV next to them while they were playing and started shitting off the RV roof. HAHAHA! Thanks Alice!

review & photo • max ritter

WAVVES The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA Monday August 8th 2016 Caught a fun WAVVES Tarantula tour show in Santa Cruz while traveling. Saw a lot of bums. Other than that it was pretty tame; but hey, still good times, Santa Cruz! Front man Nathan and friends have their own label Ghost Ramp that has some pretty good new and upcoming releases as well as some nice apparel for you band fashion geeks.

Revi

reviews • max ritter

Betty Davis They Say I’m different.

Light In The Attic Got issues? Try re-issues. Hail the funkiest queen of them all. She’s nuts, I feel you Miles Davis.

Steep Leans Grips On Heat Ghost Ramp This is one such artist from the Ghost Ramp roster… Gray Somers from Boston/Philly goes by Steep Leans. I would describe this as moody bedroom/garage rock ‘n’ roll. I don’t know. ¿Te gusta?

Mild High Club Skiptracing Stones Throw When I need to escape I put on Mild High Club and close my eyes and pretend I am in Key Largo on the deck of my yacht looking like Lionel Richie. I don’t actually know where Key Largo is – it looks good in my head though. I Googlesearched Kokomo and apparently it does not exist.

Under The Big Black Sun (Book) Da Capo Press X member John Doe relives a “personal history” of the greater LA punk scene during the late seventies and early eighties with contributions from other iconic band figureheads from the time including Henry Rollins, Mike Watt, Dave Alvin, Jack Grisham and many others.

Interesting time, makes for an interesting read.

reviews • delon isaacs

Cosmonauts A – OK! Burger Records Ah, I love this album; I’ve been waiting for it to release for about two years now, or whenever I first heard “Doom Generation” live for the first time. Fuck, it’s a good song – this whole album really. A – OK! Is the band’s fourth studio album, and going in-between the track listing it’s the most diverse yet. I found myself listening to it for the first time at 2:30 a.m. blaring it on the freeway. Not another car was out on the road, and I felt so fucking cool. I don’t even smoke cigarettes but I wanted one so bad for some dumb reason. I don’t know how that translates to liking this album, but whatever, go to Burger Records in Fullerton and buy it.

Gucci Mane Everybody Looking Atlantic Gucci Mane is back yo! Pretty much still fresh out of prison, clean, sober, and ripped, Gucci has released his latest album featuring an all-star cast of musicians from Kanye West, Young Thug, to Drake. Everybody Looking is Gucci’s 9th studio album and it freakin’ goes man. It’s not my favorite Gucci mixtape but it’s the perfect stepping stone for our everso-transitioning rapper.

Toro Y Moi Live From Trona Carpark This is the weirdest album that I’ve discovered this year by far. When I say weird that doesn’t discredit the actual music of this album, but just how it came to be was a bit odd. The songs actually rule. Live From Trona was performed in front of no one, not for one soul, amidst the beautiful landscape of Trona three hours away from Los Angeles. The only times I’ve ever seen Toro Y Moi were small enclosed venues where the melodies blend nicely against shallow walls; however, listening to this album with the infinite venue of Trona was quite refreshing. I’d check it out if I were you.

Mothers When You Walk A Long Distance You Are Tired Grand Jury There’s something so eerie and beautiful about frontwoman Kristine Leschper’s voice. I want to be held by her and have my hair stroked while she sings to me so freakin’ bad. The lengthy album title When You Walk A Long Distance You Are Tired is the indie- folk band’s debut album, and it’s such an emotional little treat. If you’re feeling vulnerable or insecure you’re not alone, especially if you have Mothers. Check out their past live performance video at audiotree.tv and watch your heart just melt out of your needy little body.

photo â&#x20AC;˘ mark winburn

groms

Age:13 Hometown: Carlsbad, California Sponsors: None at the Moment Favorite Skaters: All of the Bones Brigade Team, My Dad, Daniel Cuervo, Mitchie Brusco, and Elliot Sloan!

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#MAVERICKSOFPRINT

WE JUST PRINT THE SH&T! / ERIK@AMPERLITHO.COM / 760.213.4008 / 910 17TH ST. COSTA MESA, CA 92627 Blisss_Amper Sept 2016.indd 1

8/24/16 3:01 PM

photo â&#x20AC;˘ joe foster

groms

Age: 13 Hometown: San Clemente, CA Sponsors: Hurley, Lost Surfboards, SunBum, Trix Favorite Surfer: Carissa Moore

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photo â&#x20AC;˘ patrick oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;dell

groms

Age: 13 Hometown: Ocean City, Maryland Sponsors: RVCA, Welcome, Bones, Vans, Bronson, Independent & Furnace Skate Shop Favorite Skaters: Chris Cope & John John Rosemond

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