Coven Magazine - Issue 8 - Summer 2014

BROOKS CYCLE BAGS. STOPPING TRAFFIC SINCE 1866.

www.brooksengland.com

PIllustration: Alex Galea All rights reserverd. No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any form without permission from the publisher.

The opinions of authors do not neccesarily represent those of the publisher

EDITOR. PUBLISHER. DESIGNER Juliet Elliott WORDS Juliet Elliott, Hannah Bailey, Bohie Palecek COVER Bohie Palecek

PICTURES Nic Davidson, Dave Noakes, Cory Sleap, Ooti Billeaud, Dean Blotto Gray, Jennifer Steinman, Dean Leslie, Zandy Mangold, Eloise Dorr, Olivia Mann, Alison Palmer, Alex Galea, Peter Morning, Hannah Bailey, Adam Moran, Camille John McMillan

Photo: Nic Davidson Published Quarterly by Coven Press. For enquiries, please contact juliet@covenmagazine.com

15 Show And Tell Juliana Bicycles ‘Furtado Primeiro’

59 Jessica Hische Love Letters

17 Who Is Deerjerk?

Woodcutting Gets Modern

69 Desert Running Samantha Gash

23 Bohie Palecek In Her Own Words

77 Rosy Hodge The Next Chapter

33 Kimmy Fasani Mountain Slayer

83 Decade Of Skate How Was It For You?

43 Heaven On Earth Cycle Touring In Japan

94 Listen To This TYCI

53 The Footballers Olivia & Alison

97 Day In The Life Mountain Biker Tahnee Seagrave

miscellaneousadventures.co.uk

FIERLAN New British cycle wear brand, Fierlan recently launched their first collection of carefully considered staples for female cyclists.

the samples that she’d got it bang on.”

“Our range is really quite minimal in terms of style, so we were really conscious about what everything felt like as well. The handle of the fabrics was really important - it all had to feel amazing as well as perform brilliantly.”

From £45. Fierlan.com

Founded by friends Lucy Gardner and Emily Buzzo who met at Bristol Art College, the brand grew from a desire to create kits they’d both like to wear and a growing love of performance gear.

Emily told Coven, “I was given my first frame when I was 16 and botched it into a hideous, brakeless, fixed gear Frankenstein.” It was very much a ‘non-lycra skidding machine,’ but after a winter spent studying Graphic Design and cycling in London, a love of ‘proper’ cycle clothing snuck up on Emily. “Being able to ride for a length of time and come home still dry, warm and comfortable was a massive treat,” she says.

Lucy meanwhile, was studying performance sportswear design in Falmouth, developing a collection of cycling clothing and learning to love the hills of Cornwall. Once reunited, the pair decided to make the kit that they’d struggled to find elsewhere.

“A lot of women’s cycling kit is just scaled down menswear…that never fits right,” says Emily. “We worked with an amazing lady up in Manchester who came up with the patterns and we knew when we saw

PEDAL AND TREAD Inspired by the joy of pedalling bikes, the adventure of treading light and the Scandinavian word ‘friluftsliv,’ meaning to be outdoors and connected with nature in an uncomplicated way, Pedal + Tread are online purveyors of carefully curated, desirable little trinkets for wanderers and adventurers.

The husband and wide team have chosen brands with clean functional aesthetics - products such as these Wildo Fold-A-Cups, which are lightweight, practical and also look rather cool. pedalandtread.com

Poler’s beautifuly crafted 12inch cast iron skillet features dual pour spouts, a comfortable handle, and an additional helper handle for extra support while pouring and carrying.

Granted, it might not be the lightest item for a camping trip, but it looks so damn fine that we want one anyway. $49.95 polerstuff.com

PRETTY ATHLETIC The first skincare brand designed for female fitness enthusiasts, Pretty Athletic’s products feel light and fresh on the skin.

Ideal for getting your your skin back to its best after a workout, the products contain blends of botanical ingredients such as aloe vera, rosehip oil and witch hazel and no ‘nasties’ such as parabens, silicones, mineral oils, dyes, PEGs or sulfates.

All products and packaging are made in England, meaning less of a carbon footprint too.

From £12.50 prettyathletic.com

The new Lahynch Hoody from Howies (right) mixes Sorona and Merino to keep you dry and cool in the summer months and delivers the perfect amount of insulation once the temperature drops.

It looks great, with soft, lighweight fabric in a superb cut with cute ruched detailing at the back. Reflective zip t ape, zipped side and rear pocket and flatlock seams means it performs well too. Our new favourite. £79 howies.com

BOOKS ‘Hi You Are Beautiful How Are You?’ Valerie Phillips Longer Moon Farther This September sees the release of photographer Valerie Phillips’ seventh book, ‘Hi you are beautiful how are you?’ The book is a collaboration with Swedish artist and sometime model, Arvida Byström, whom Phillips first met on Skype after being introduced by a mutual friend.

Immediately intrigued by Byström, Phillips asked if she could fly her to London to photograph her.

“That isn’t really what I had in mind,” was Bystrom’s unenthusiastic response but Phillips was undeterred, instead finding her forthrightness ‘amusing and strangely compelling.’

Luckily, the disinterest from Byström was short-lived.

The book is their forth collaboration and comes in the wake of three zines, Meow, A Fantastic Kitten and This Is My Drivers License. The zines and the new book explore the mutual curiosity that has blossomed over the years, leaving the viewer seeking insights into their partnership, and the process of creation.

‘Gritty, graphic and bullshit free,’ Valerie’s skill as both a portrait maker and storyteller and Arvida’s compelling presence combine for a book that questions the traditional societal expectations of female beauty, demeanor and lifestyle.

Kammok Based in Austin, Texas, outdoor company Kammock has had two main goals since its launch as a Kickstarter project in 2011: creating technically innovative and high quality outdoor lifestyle products and giving back to aid humanitarian crises around the world. The flagship product, the Roo hammock, is made from a proprietary ultra-lightweight, ripstop, and breathable fabric and is roomy enough for two. Founder Greg McEviley came up with the idea while considering bedding solutions to help people in malaria-stricken countries. This vision is continued through Kammock’s commitment to donate 20 % of its profits to humanitarian aid, including the nonprofit Malaria No More.

The Outsiders - New Outdoor Creativity Jeffrey Bowman, Sven Ehmann, Robert Klanten Gestalten It might suprise some of our younger readers, but once upon a time, exploring the outdoors meant cagoules from Millets, wellies and Grandad’s soggy sandwiches. It wasn’t ‘cool,’ aspirational, or a ‘lifestyle choice,’ it was simply where you were dragged to get cold and wet.

or ironic wink.’

These days, even Kendal Mint Cake is cool and the outdoors has been reimagined and rediscovered by a new breed of fashion concious city-dwellers looking for escape from everything except style, and selfconcious Instagram photographs.

These include gear manufacturers such as Patagonia’s Vincent Stanley and Poler’s Benji Wagner, designers Geoff McFetridge and Groovisions, polar explorer Arved Fuchs, expedition paddler Mark Kalch, champion free-skier Ane Enderud, surf photographer Chris Burkard, custom motorcycle builder James Crowe, and the Hoepner brothers, who rode their bikes together from Berlin to Shanghai. The book’s preface was written by natural born explorer Erling Kagge, the first person to reach the North Pole, South Pole, and summit of Mount Everest.

The Outsiders explores the new brands and manufacturers that meet ‘the fundamental challenges posed by the wilderness’ and ‘the aesthetic needs of the design-literate urbanite in ways that are atmospheric and likeable, with the occasional romantic

Whatever you think of the commodification of the outdoors, the photography is stunning, and interviews with key players from across the outdoor sector give insights into our newly awakened love affair.

Norquay A small island nestled in the North Channel of Canada’s Lake Huron, Norquay is also the name Natasha Wittke chose to name her new company for the formative role it has in her life as the site of her first solo camping experience. Bringing together an enthusiasm for the great outdoors with her affinity for design, Natasha Wittke launched Norquay in Montreal as a brand dedicated to the art of camping, applying new design ideas to traditional items.

Reflecting Wittke’s passion for canoeing, Norquay launched in 2013 with a series of handcrafted, handpainted canoe paddles whose colors and patterns are inspired by the beauty and heritage of Northern Canada. The cherry wood paddles are produced by Teal Paddles in New Liskeard, Ontario, and then sent for handpainting and staining by a small team of artisans at the Norquay studio in Montreal.

PORTRAIT

Our Open Road In 2012, Adam and Emily Harteau answered the call of the open road by embarking on a road trip from Los Angeles, California to Tierra del Fuego, Argentina and back, with their one-year-old daughter Colette. But what started off as a one-year tour in their in their VW Westfalia has turned into a way of life.

Having visited some 12 countries to date, they are now into their second year of travelling overland through the Americas. Since the beginning, they have documented their overland travels with writings and photographs on their blog Our Open Road and across social media platforms, offering an ongoing “modern family portrait” that has won the hearts of some 60,000 Instagram followers today.

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SHORTS

Seeking Wildness In Windermere With adventure always on the mind, myself and photographer Liz Seabrook felt the need to get out of the smoggy city for the weekend. In search of wilderness and fresh air we decided to head to the largest natural lake in England, Lake Windermere. Our plan was to wild camp there, surrounded by the beauty of nature, but it wasn’t quite as simple we thought it would be. It was not-so ‘Wild’ermere, with most of the land private and inaccessible to the random wanderers. But with a bit of effort and the energy to hike a little, you can always find some wilderness.

Sometime you just need to look harder than you think.

Words & Images by Hannah Bailey

SHOW AND TELL Ju l i e t E l l i o t t p u t s Ju l i a n a B i c y c l e ’s top of the range, carbon all mount ain m a c h i n e t h r o u g h i t ’s p a c e s . S o h ow does the Furtado Primeira fare on the hills and trails?

Developed in conjunction with pro-mountain biking legend Juli Furtado, the brand new line of Juliana Bicycles is made up of six different bikes with various different build kits.

The largest range of stand-alone women’s mountain bikes out there, Juliana have something to suit everyone, from the trail slayer and downhill shredder to the cross-country adventurer.

into the drive train, which makes getting up hills far easier than you’d imagine. Lock out the fork and rearshock, whack up your seat and you’ll feel barely any bobbing as you make your way up the hill.

The compact bar and grip set up is very comfortable for small hands – whilst normal bars are 22mm in diameter all the way to the end, the Juliana bar tapers to 19mm between the brake and shifter clamps and the grip. Having a firm grip rather than stretching for the levers really adds to your confidence, and I found it meant my hands hurt less than they usually do during long descents.

Although the narrow women’s specific flat bars (680mm) may suit some, I’d like to try switching them to something wider with a little rise, as that’s what I’m used to. But having said that, the narrow bars do help The high-end frames are built by Santa Cruz, with with a feeling of maneuverability, and coupled with well-thought-out bespoke parts and components dethe short stem make you feel like you’re somehow livering comfort and performance. I took the top-ofmore ‘on top of’ your bike, the-range carbon dream marather than clinging on behind chine, the Furtado Primeiro She performed it. to a variety of locations to see b r i l l i a n t ly o u t o n how she delivered. And she 27.5 inch wheels feel fun, didn’t disappoint. t h e va st e x pa n s e s quick and agile, enabling quick o F so g gy m o o r l a n d, rolling over rocky sections The bike is based on the without feeling unwieldy, like p ow e r e d t h r o u g h Santa Cruz 5010, so it’s got a 29ers sometimes can. Rims are tapered headtube, front and s i n g l e t rac k a n d tubeless-compatible WTB i23, rear through axels and the which come fitted with Maxxis f e lt l i k e a b o ss at like, which is what you’d exHigh Roller II EXO tyres that t h e lo c a l d ow n h i l l pect from a bike of this califeel grippy and perform well at ber. The Rockshox Reverb t ra i l s low pressures. internally-routed dropper post comes standard, which Shimano XT brakes provide is a great piece of kit and makes rides infinitely more reliable stopping power, the crankset is a triple ring enjoyable.

Shimano XT with 42-32-24 chainrings and there’s a matching XT 10-speed Shadow Plus clutch derailleur.

The carbon frame is light and stiff and feels playful on the trails; super easy to handle and quick to do your I rode the Furtado Primeiro everywhere; such was my bidding. She powers through rooty, rocky sections and love of this bike. She performed brilliantly out on the blasts through berms like a natural, but I definitely felt vast expanses of soggy moorland, powered through in charge, rather than merely a passenger hitching a singletrack and felt like a boss at the local downhill ride. trails, despite being outgunned by full-on DH rigs with superior travel. An all-mountain beauty and now Up front, you’ve got a 130-millimeter 32 Float CTD the apple of my eye, there’s very little she can’t handle. fork, which you can set to either climb, trail or descend.

At £5499, this is a serious investment, but the Furtado Primeiro remains a very tempting prospect, and a five The rear shock is a Kashima-coated Fox CTD 125-milyear warranty further bolsters the appeal. limeter shock, also with trail adjust, so you can lock out the suspension when climbing. Santa Cruz’s VVP julianabicycles.com linkage rear suspension delivers pedal power straight

BRYN PERROTT WHO IS DEERJERK?

PORTRAIT BY OOTI BILLEAUD

Deerjerk. The name just kept popping up. I couldn’t stop looking. Who was behind these the t attoo i n s p i r e d w o o d c u t s t h a t I c o v e t e d ? A c o m mi s s i o n i n mi n d , I f o l l ow e d a t r a i l t o M o r g a n t ow n , We s t V i r g i ni a , t o m e e t t h e w o m a n b e h i n d t h e m o ni k e r ; B r y n Pe r r o t t .

Your work is very popular, do you make a living out of your art, or still work elsewhere?

I work full time as an artist making woodcuts on commission, for shows and for fun. I also paint and draw everyday. I’ve supporting myself exclusively on art for about 3 years. I also work at a tattoo shop called Wild Zero four days a week and I have done for the last 6 years . I stay because it’s been a great source of inspiration. It’s also been important for social and business connections.

How did your upbringing shape you? Were you encouraged to draw as a kid?

Yes, I was. My parents aren’t artists but they were supportive and participated in my development as an artist, so they would draw with me and provided plenty of supplies. My sister, Sage Perrott (Haypeep on Instagram) is also a working artist, and my brother, Max Perrott is an artist as well. My uncle, Kevin Morgan is a professional artist and I collaborated with him on the Jackie O’s beer cans. Everyone in my family has been nothing but positive about art making.

You’ve been woodcutting for 15 years now. What were your first woodcuts like?

When I first started I was using all the wrong tools and wood, plus the internet wasn’t like it is now; there were no Youtube instructional videos, so a lot of what I made was chunky and haphazard looking. I never bothered to ask anyone for better information, so much of what I learned was through trial and error. But after years of work, I’ve learned how to streamline the process. I’m still learning though.

What drew you to the medium?

Several things really, printmaking being the first. My process is parallel to relief carving for wood block printing and I was a printmaking major in undergrad, so that had a huge hand in helping me better my technique. I also had an art instructor as a kid named Laura McLaughlin who made ceramics with some of the same aesthetics as a woodcarving and she was a huge influence on me. She’s currently a working artist in Pittsburgh. Pa.

After graduating, how long did it take you to explore the commercial aspect of your work?

After graduating I was still working at an old movie theatre in Morgantown. I also worked at a music, beer and cigarette store called The Den. I still made work but I didn’t make much money and I never really thought I would support myself with my art. It was only a few years ago that it occurred to me that people might be interested in tattoo related woodcuts. And the internet has been a huge help. Things like Instagram have been wonderful for my business.

Do you ever have to produce something that you think doesn’t sound that great, or do you turn down comissions that don’t suit your style?

I try to make anything for anyone and make it awesome. I really want people to be happy with their commission. I only turn down jobs like drawing tattoos for people and other things that are out of my expertise.

Your work draws inspiration from the world of tattooing, what is it that drew you to this kind of art? Did you ever consider working as a tattoo artist?

I think the bold images were what attracted me first. A lot of the rules that are applied in tattooing are similar to how I make woodcuts. I love tattoos and I love getting tattoos but I don’t want to be a tattooer, I really like where I am and its I n stag ra m H a s given me my own place in the b e e n a g r e at art world.

You have about 30,000 followers on your Deerjerk account. Did you make a conscious effort to publicise your art via social media, or is it just something that happened naturally?

I didn’t at first. I’ve had that app a long time and I think I became more business minded when I realized how much it could help me.

way to g e t t h e wo r d o u t a n d co n n ect w i t h ot h e r a rt i st I admire

There weren’t that many people on Instagram early on, especially making tattoos or art, so I think that might have helped me a lot. Instagram has been a great way to get the word out and connect with other artists that I admire and I’ve had tons of people buy woodcuts and then post about them.

Has the pressure eased off a little now you’ve had such success? Has being a full-time artist lived up to your expectations?

It’s very hard. You can never just sit back because there is no job security. But it’s a great feeling to support yourself with what you love to do. I feel very lucky that I’m able to do that. It’s provided me with so many great experiences. It’s exactly what I wanted. I don’t know if I envisioned it this way when I was young, but it completely exceeds my expectations.

What’s the biggest woodcut you’ve ever done?

I made a headboard for my parents years ago. But the latest large scale woodcut was for a shop in Spain, it was about four feet long. I dream of making an eight to ten foot dragon woodcut when I get the time.

What are you working on over summer?

I have a split show coming up with my sister Sage in Charleston, WV entitled “Nightmare.” Kinship Goods are hosting it, and it opens August 21st.

Why ‘Deerjerk?’

It’s just the name I picked when I signed up for Instagram. And now people know me better that way than my real name. I’m glad I picked something simple and funny. Who doesn’t love deer and the word jerk? deerjerk.tumblr.com

Po r t r a i t b y C o r e y S l e a p

BOHIE PALECEK PERPETUATE THE STOKE

Au s t r a l i a n s i g n p a i n t e r B o h i e Pa l e c e k s e e s a p u r i t y and truth in the age old art of creating by hand, and has sought to deepen her connection with a dying trade by travelling throughout the world with just a b a g o f p a i n t s . J e t t i s o ni n g t h e s u p e r f l u o u s f o r a l i f e where she truly ‘lives’ her art, the journey has brought r e v e l a t i o n s a b o u t h e r ow n d e s i r e s , a n d i n s i g h t s i n t o the import ance of the heartfelt and the handcrafted.

B o h i e t e l l s C O V E N i n h e r ow n w o r d s , w h y i t ’s j u s t her, her truck and her sign kit.

“ I j u st c a n ’ t sta n d l i v i n g i n a t i m e w h e r e h a r d e a r n e d lo n g sta n d i n g s k i l ls a r e l i t e ra l ly b eco m i n g e xt i n ct a n d r e p l ac e d by so m e t h i n g w i t h n o lo n g e v i t y ”

“In the beginning it was about a connection to the handmade, an awareness of how different it felt in my hand or against my skin, an inbuilt appreciation of the effort and energy that went into the handcrafted. It’s about respect for the builder, the maker, the craftsman; the time dedicated to acquire the knowledge needed to make something… I really get stoked on that. You know, you can lay all the pieces out on the floor in front of you - the paints, the piece of wood, the lump of clay but it’s the maker that has the vision and know-how to turn it in to something. It’s this effort and passion that adds a quality that just can’t be matched, you know?

Since 2011 it’s just been me, my truck and my sign kit. Sign painting isn’t easily come by anymore, so after finishing my Graphic Design course and working a stint in a design firm, I left Australia to learn more about craft. I emailed people from all over the world asking advice, looking for a mentors and knowledge.

A lot of the older Australian sign writers I’ve spoken to have given up. If they haven’t retired already, they warn me there’s ‘no future’ or suggest to take up vinyl or digital signage instead of hand painting… I’m sorry that they had to go through all that, you know, the ‘digital revolution.’ They were artists and sought after, working years and decades to learn the skill of hand painted sign writing, then one year a machine was invented that rendered their passion, lifestyle and knowledge completely obsolete.

I met one guy down the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, he saw the hand painted sign on the back of my truck window and approached me. He had a sparkle in his eyes talking about ‘the old days,’ living in his van for 8 years straight on the north coast of Australia, only working when there was no surf, painting billboard advertisements on the side of the freeway. He turned vinyl in the early ‘90s and moved his whole life in to a single office.

It’s nuts hey, I just can’t stand living in a time where hard earned long standing skills are literally becoming extinct and replaced by something with no longevity. I want things to come around again; the community, the buying local, working on the land on a smaller scale that’s not so irrevocably damaging. I don’t think the way we’re going is sustainable, and I can’t let these skills, this knowledge disappear. It’s not just sign writing, it’s film photography, hand lettering, craft, passion, living your dream, not

sacrificing your happiness, you know? All of the above.

My most memorable clients, and the most successful creations I’ve made have been with crew that respect this integrity in their own products and lives too. It’s an amazing bonding agent.

acceptance of it all, you know? Now I’m re-defining what the titles Sign-painter, Designer and Artist mean to me. Is it a career choice or is it ingrained into my lifestyle, my clothes and mannerisms, the way I communicate, react, and relate to other humans?

I started thinking about all this while (what I then called) ‘my life’ got shaken upside down. A long term relationship break up, severe post travel depression, a serious BMX crash to my face, moving back home, the responsibility and cost of owning my own car, and finally moving interstate to avoid it all. I felt really up here, caught up in my head… Analyzing those events, trying to figure out why and how they happened…

In fact, I feel this shift in Australian culture, and on a broader scale too. That desire to rethink the direction we’re going in.

It was a tough time, but it’s those events, that head space even, that has allowed me to get an unprecedented awareness of who I am, and who I want to be… An

For me, it’s brought with it a new perspective on my own self and I can feel different aspects of my personality come closer and closer to the surface as I get older.

I want to stay focused on who I am and what makes me unique, and trusting my own worth and capabilities. Asking and reassessing the answer to “what do I really want to do?” and then adjusting how I’m working towards it. Learning (or re-learning) the basics of

I ’ m r e d e f i n i n g w h at t h e t i t l e s S i g n - pa i n t e R D e s i g n e r AND A rt i st m e a n to m e . Is i t a ca r e e r c h o i c e o r i s i t i n g ra i n e d i n to m y l i f e st y l e , m y c lot h e s a n d m a n n e r i s m s , t h e way I co m m u n i cat e , r e act, a n d r e l at e to ot h e r h u m a n s?

being independent, grounded and aware, and surrounding myself with good people, allowing them to change me. This means choosing my clients, and my friends, and often the lines blur between the two. I’ve always really enjoyed working on projects from the ground up, getting in at a grass roots level and helping them to build through my design and visual communications skills.

Now, I see my art and design as a tool I can use to communicate, collaborate, and contribute to a much wider community of like-minded kin. It’s a conversation starter, a friendship starter, and my most favorite part of this job is seeing people’s passion first hand and helping them bring ideas into reality. Whether it’s through a unique logo design for a new business, hand painted signage for an old one, a commissioned artwork that speaks to the soul, or a hand painted motorcycle helmet full of attitude and ego - this passion and creativity of mine takes me across the world, into lounge rooms and bars, on the open road and around camp fires.

When I think about this last year, for the first time really living off my own craft, I reckon so much change has taken place, both externally and internally. Working for yourself is such a huge task; on the daily kicking your own butt to get shit done.

There’s no one else to blame, no excuses believed, nowhere to run, and man, if it hasn’t ever been hard, intense and exhausting. But on the flip side

it’s your sweat and tears, your blood and talent that makes it what it is, and when that’s well received it’s such an honour.

And amazingly through it all, I’ve never felt so inspired. The people here have some sort of energetic passionate magic about them that I find so inspiring. Some days I’m literally drawing or designing on my lunch break from sign painting, it’s prolific.

But I’m ready for travel again, and next month I’m heading off for another four month adventure in B.C, Canada. Meeting up with a crew of motorbike riders and skaters, collaborating on a few art exhibitions and playing intern with some old sign painter bosses. I love this sort of travel, a bit of skill collecting, a bit of work, a lot of play and that incessant hunger to go right out of the norm and meet anyone that might have a rad story to tell or inspiration to give.

In November I’m coming home to Adelaide to create a new art collective with one of my most collaborative coffee clients, Mischief Brew. We worked so well together on their brand identity that we’re starting a new studio space so we can carry on working side by side, and we’re super stoked to get other rad crews involved. We’re talking about a warehouse studio collective in the industrial district with a weekend retail space and gallery, some live music, skate ramp, fire pit… Man it sounds amazing, I can’t wait…

It’s these little moments hey, when you’re talking to someone new telling them what you do for a living, or a business meeting at the skatepark on a Tuesday morning. There’s nothing else to do but smile and be grateful that you are who you are and that you know how to perpetuate the stoke. bohiepalecek.wordpress.com

Š Dean Blotto Gray

MOUTAIN SLAYER SNOWBOARD OR BIKE, KIMMY FASANI CARVES HER OWN TERRAIN Snowboarder Kimmy Fasani first made her name on the competition circuit, bagging several USASA National Slopestyle wins before going on to be nominated for TransWorld SNOWboarding’s Rookie Of The Year.

An absolute firecracker of a rider, in 2011, Kimmy upped the anti for all female snowboarders when she became the first women to land a double backflip in both the park and the powder, and she’s continued to wow with her ballsy backcountry video parts.

After suffering a serious knee injury in 2013, Kimmy had no choice but to step off her board, but sheer strength of spirit and a cheery demeanor saw her through tough times.

Once back on her feet, Kimmy wasted no time in getting strong again, and unable to resist the pull of the mountains in her hometown of Mammoth, she saddled up and hit the trails on her mountain bike. Coven caught up with Kimmy to find out more about her recovery, and her new bike sponsor, Specialized.

Great to hear you’re back on the board! How has your season been so far?

It’s been really fun so far. Coming back from my injury posed some challenges, but it was a successful recovery.

I’ve stayed healthy, I rode a lot of powder, and I didn’t ride on resorts all that much, which is always a good thing! I’ve been filming with Burton for the women’s edit, which I think it coming out in October.

And I travelled with my husband all season, so that was really special, just being able to film and be in the backcountry with him was awesome.

Is that the first time you’ve done that?

He skies professionally and I snowboard, but we’ve actually never been on the same programme together, we’ve always been kind of back and forth, seeing each other in the air as we fly by.

He’s primarily a backcountry skier, and last season, I

just posed the question to Burton of whether we could film together and sure enough, that’s what ended up happening. We went to Japan for a month, and then we were up in Whistler for six weeks. We’ve been together for over ten years, we’ve been married for 2 and a half, and it was the first time in my whole career that we were able to film together and work together in the backcountry.

You’ve originally rode for Burton, then switched over to DC for a while. Now you’re back on the Burton team.

Why the switch?

Ever since I was a little girl, I always wanted to be on the Burton global team, that was my lifelong dream. Shannon Dunn was my idol, and I wanted to do everything that she did. When Burton and I parted ways the first time and I signed with DC, it was the perfect time for me to figure out who I was as a snowboarder, and kind of define what I wanted to accomplish, and they were a great support at that time of my career.

As I started riding more backcountry, Burton approached me and said “hey, we’re looking for an AK backcountry rider that’s female, and we think that you would fit the part.” If it was just to be back on Burton, then that’s one thing, but to have that niche, to have my own place where I am able to grow and challenge myself, that was just something that I couldn’t pass up. To be representing Burton as a company is something that’s really special as a rider. They’re a really strong brand, and it’s a rider driven company, and now I get to part of that again.

So have you moved away from contests entirely now? Or would you be looking to compete in next Olympics now you’ve recovered from injury?

Two years ago, when they announced that the Olympics were going to include Slopestyle, I’d just come off the back of a really strong season, and I thought ‘this is the perfect opportunity, I could come back into contests with a different mindset and be ready.’

And then that December, I got hurt. And I had whole year to really sit and think about what I wanted to accomplish. And I decided competing wasn’t for me. So in the end I walked away from contests, mostly because of injury, but also because I was just kind of excelling in the backcountry. I’d much rather take my skills and push myself in the backcountry and further women’s snowboarding that way. And let the girls who really do well in contests take care of the contests. I’m just really grateful to have the opportunity to take my career that way.

Š Dean Blotto Gray

Was it hard watching the Olympics and wondering whether you could have been there?

You know, I thought I was going to feel that way, but I was so happy that we had such great representation with our women’s team, and I don’t think anybody could have done it better than the women who were there. I wasn’t sad that I wasn’t there, I’d had a long time to really disconnect from that, and I don’t think I was really capable of riding like those girls did; they rode so well.

And what did you think of the course? There were some people saying that women should get a different course to the men, do you agree?

I have a hard time with this question, because I feel like women are just as capable as men, but we need to be given the same opportunities to be able to clear the jumps. Having proper speed and options is definitely key, because not all riders are the same.

Personally, I’ve always liked hitting bit jumps and that’s

where I feel safest, but some girls would prefer to do their tricks on slightly smaller jumps. I don’t feel like it’s for me to say whether one is better than the other, we’re not all the same and are allowed to have our differences. Most of all, it’s just the speed thing. If I can’t clear a jump because I can’t get enough speed but I’m expected to hit the same course as all of the guys, then of course it’s going to be a lot more dangerous for me.

I’ve stepped away from contests myself, but I really hope that they can have a point that is fair, where girls feel safe. It’s never a fun situation, to feel like, ‘ I know I’m capable, but I can’t get the speed,’ that’s just so annoying. Even though are tricks aren’t quite there, we want to be able to do everything the same and we want to be able to step up to the plate How long were you totally off snow?

I was off snow for 11 months. It’s now been 16 or 17 months. When I first got hurt, the doctor told me it would be 12 to 18 months before I’d feel 100 percent.

They said it would be a year before I got back on snow.

Š Adam Moran

© Adam Moran

“ I wa s n e v e r r e a l ly o n e w h o co u l d j u st s i t i n a r o o m , w i t h n o m u s i c , n o d i st ract i o n s , j u st q u i e t ly. I wa s a lways t h i n k i n g a b o u t w h at I wa n t e d”

So the fact that I got back on snow, that I rode and filmed all year… I’m just so grateful that I’m healthy and my knee did what it needed to.

Was it hard to fill all that downtime?

Yeah. I had a lot of self-realisation, because I was never really one who could just sit in a room, with no music, no distractions, just quietly. I was always thinking about what I wanted to do, or cleaning, or moving. I was bedridden for three months, so I had to learn how to just be quiet, and be ok with it. I realised how powerful your mind is through that process, and how to just accept the present, and be part of it. But also, I would just try and do other things. So I got really into swimming – I had to swim with a pool buoy between my knees, as I wasn’t allowed to use my legs, so I just did my upper body. I just had to learn to use my body in different ways, and be accepting of that.

You also spent some time working on Amusment Park. Can you tell me a little about your motives for setting that up?

I set it up as an opportunity for girls to have a Springtime park session that would give them a private platform to progress their riding, away from the contest atmosphere. This year Anna Gasser did a cab 900, and Spencer O’Brien landed a switch back side 720, both of which are huge tricks for women’s progression.

So away from the snow, when were you ready to start cycling?

That whole thing was just such a gift! I’d already been given the contact for the people at Specialized, but I just thought I’d wait until spring when I’d be able to start riding bikes again (after the snowboard season). But then I got hurt, and I thought, ‘oh my god, I’m going to live on a bike!’ So I reached out to them and they put me in touch with their marketing department, and they were looking for a female to represent the new ‘Rumour’ that was coming out. And they just said that I was the perfect fit, they were like, ‘you have a story to tell, you like mountain biking, and you live in the mountains…’ and so it just came to fruition.

I had to go a little slow as I couldn’t really put my leg down, but I got on my bike after about 3 or 4 months, just to see how it went, then I started riding more heavily at 6 or 9 months, and that’s when I really got back into it.

Do you feel the same need to push yourself when you ride your mountain bike as you do on a snowboard? Are you the kind of person who wants to be good at everything?

I am not as confident on my mountain bike as I am on my snowboard. I haven’t been doing it as long and am still figuring out a lot of the skill sets to take my riding further. I am competitive

with myself and enjoy pushing my limits but don’t care if I am the best one at all sports.

After such a harsh injury, do you ever find yourself worrying about getting hurt again when you’re about to drop in? Has it made the risks of your job more apparent?

Of course the thought of getting hurt again crosses my mind but I always try to detach from that thought process. Dwelling on what has happened in the past is never healthy for anyone, and for me, past injuries can’t play a role in how I think... otherwise I would have quite snowboarding a long time ago. Each injury has taught me a beneficial lesson and I just try to become more calculated with what I do out in the mountains.

There’s always a risk with anything we do in life; driving a car, flying in planes, walk ing down the street. But living in fear makes people feel trapped. I try to live in the present where fear doesn’t exist. If I am truly doubting something I am doing, I try to reassess and make sure I’m doing it for the right reasons. kimmyfasani.com

Left and above: Š Peter Morning

feels like heaven P e da l , e at, s l e e p, r e p e at.

S i m p l e f o r m u l a , m ag i ca l r e s u lts . a sta rt i n g p o i n t f o r m a n y a dv e n t u r e s .

T w e a k a s yo u s e e f i t.

PEDAL Push, pull, push, and pull. We begin the pedaling, the identikit circular motion of the feet. We’ve done it for a job, we’ve done it on the velodrome, and now we’re doing it in Japan, the familiar transplanted.

The motion propels us away from Shimoda on the verdant Izu Peninsular, a 370,000-acre volcanic landmass jutting out into the ocean. Then it’s up, down, so very much up and down. We hug a mountainous coast watched by the Izu Shichito floating in a darkly rugged Pacific.

The climbs are significant, as is the sweat dripping down our faces. We amble.

No Strava, no motive, just plodding. If cycling means freedom, then riding with no objective is the pinnacle of liberty.

EAT Big on the agenda is food. A third of our original equation, another element reimagined by our simple tweak. We photograph a sign for ice cream so we can request a scoop, communicating with smiles. Over at Lawson’s the convenience store, staff sing out “irrashaimase” whilst we select ‘onigiri’ rice balls and unwittingly, a bolognaise flavoured ice-lolly.

S LEEP Bikes, food, tents. The companions to our formula; the supporting cast. Our ever so slight, easy to pitch bedroom appears wherever we do - ta-da!

We’re perched on a scrap of land behind a house, chosen purely because it’s flat, and as the darkening sky envelopes us, we feel safe in her velvety arms. It’s the most innocent naughtiness, camping out where you please. We drink beers with a giggle.

by j u l i e t e l l i ot t p h oto g ra p h y by dav e n oa k e s & j u l i e t e l l i ot t

PEDAL Push, pull, push, and pull. Leaving Izu’s climbs behind we power around the coast through fisherman’s villages. I tuck in behind my husband, resting a little in his slipstream. It’s mid May and already 30 degrees so we speed things up a little, enjoying the breeze delivered by greater speed. From here we head inland to Izu Nagaoka, a town famous for it’s glorious spas.

EAT

Tonight’s ‘shelter’ is a little more upmarket than the others have been – we’re staying at Hotel Spa Nanzanso, a traditional hotel with several ‘onsen’ or Japanese baths, an intricately manicured garden of miniature shrubs and raked gravel, and spacious rooms with tatami mats and screened paper walls.

Tattoos are forbidden in onsen, but the showers are housed in the bathing area rather than our rooms.

We’ve no choice but to sneak in. In our separate men’s and women’s onsen, we perch on wooden stools and scrub ourselves before plunging into outrageously hot baths.

Bikes abandoned for the evening, we stroll around the curiously dormant town looking for a restaurant with a menu in Romaji - Japanese words written in English letters (or Latin, to be precise), rather than symbols. Few restaurants have windows. We randomly pick one and enter. I surprise the owner by selecting a dish of barbecued eel on rice and ordering in Japanese. I’m even more surprised when he understands.

Jetlag. Despite sleep failing us (again), we climb aboard our bicycles and restart our journey. A haze of bewilderment. We ride up to Mishima where we meet traffic for the first time. Drivers are confused by us taking the road instead of the pavement. We’re just confused.

S LEEP

We follow a false flat to Gotemba before the climb to Mt Fuji’s base begins, and somehow 35km takes

PEDAL

four hours in the heat. My head floats off to another planet and we grind on, drinking litre after litre of water - warm water.

band charms the owner, and we’re in. Deep in the woodland we hear wild boar snuffle around our tent as we drift off to sleep.

EAT

PEDAL

Up at Lake Kawaguchiko we’re underwhelmed by the ‘70s vibe of a place long past it’s heyday. We search for a shop not pedaling ‘omiyage,’ the edible gifts that it’s customary to give in Japan, needing something more substantial than a beautifully decorated miniature biscuit.

Straight up a hill from the lake, then we roll down yesterday’s four-hour road in what seems like minutes. I’ve re-entered my head, I’m back in the present and we’re flying again.

Once we’re eating ramen on the beach, we’re much happier. Mt Fuji looks down on us and a beyy of swan-shaped pedalos gently bob on the lake as the day turns gold.

S LEEP Don’t rely on maps, websites, apps. Or do, if you’re willing to be flexible. We’re drawn to a tent-shaped symbol on our map, but it turns out to be Scout camp; a closed, out of season Scout camp. My hus-

Passing Mishima, we make it back to the ocean and ride a coastal path next to the towering tsunami defence wall. I keep scanning the horizon for waves whilst my husband rides his Charge Bikes ‘Plug 4’ up and down the banks.

We pass Fuji city, 80km under our belt, then take a detour up the Satta pass. It’s so steep that I push my bike, skittering about in my cycling shoes. Every fruit on the trees lining the route has been delicately covered with a small paper bag. What are they? We finish after about 130km.

EAT We’ve one last hotel before several days ‘free camping,’ and we’ve picked something special, in celebration of our marriage. Nestled high above Surgua bay with views all the way to Mt. Fuji, Hotel Nippondaira is luxury indeed. We eat delicately prepared morsels of fish, tempura and pickles and sip ‘ocha,’ or Japanese tea. Up in our room, several pairs of cycling shorts hang drying in the window, lowering the tone.

S LEEP Yes, we love camping, but we tumble into bed after a long, hot soak in the bath.

Finally, we drift off to sleep.

PEDAL The plan is to ride to Hammamatsu. We descend from the mountain before cycling out of Shizuoka. It’s slow progress along huge highways densely packed with traffic.

Shizuoka’s outer limits are sprawling.

Heading down past Yaizu, we attempt to take the coast road to avoid a huge tunnel through the mountains that’s wildly unsuitable for bikes. The coast road is closed.

We think. Language is a barrier. We’ve no option but to return to Shizuoka and

catch a train to Hammamatsu.

EAT A campfire dinner. Ramen, Kirin, cream puffs. And relax.

S LEEP The rain drums on our tiny tent with increasing ferocity. Is she watertight?

My husband lies on his Thermarest mat, comfortable and warm. I gaze up at the canvas listening to him snore.

PEDAL From Hammamatsu we power down the coast, passing surf shops and mile after mile of empty breaks. After a night in the rain, our Brooks leather saddles have cooled and softened, adjusting to our bodies as we pedal. Polytunnels filled with tomatoes flash by, and for once we’re not riding uphill.

At Cape Irago, the ferry is running. Relief, as I hadn’t told my husband I was unsure that it was. We sail across to Toba through a sea sprinkled with islands; rocky outcrops surging out of the sea. I try, and fail to spot dolphins.

We head North to Tsu, and spend the last hour before darkness searching for somewhere to camp.

EAT We hide down by a river behind a paddy field and fire up the stove once we’re sure no one can hear. Ramen, Kirin, cream puffs. The tangerine moon is the largest I’ve ever seen, and she swiftly takes her place above us.

S LEEP A boat is tethered securely next to the river. ‘Why so securely,’ asks my husband, ‘does the water rise enough to flood the bank?’ Filing this thought in the darkest recesses of my mind, I let sleep wash over me. I’d wake up were I getting wet.

PEDAL We wake at 5am, pack down and make tea. We’re heading to Iga, home of the ninja and we’ve heard there’s a 14km climb to begin. We follow a river, winding our way through shady gorges and stop to take photographs.

We can’t help but anticipate the climb; our bikes and kit are heavy, and we think back to Lake Kawaguchiko and our beetroot faces. Then we find we’re already at the top. We’ve hit our stride.

After the tunnel, we shoot out into the sun, excited by the prospect of a long, fast descent. But thanks to a savage headwind, it’s turns out to be harder than the climb.

EAT We stock up on rice balls, ramen and beer in Iga then head up into the hills, saving our supplies for camp.

Another climb, another descent, this one though a canopy of trees with hundreds of caterpillars swinging beneath, dangling on silken cords. We’re hungry but want to make camp before eating. Bad idea. Always eat when you’re hungry.

S LEEP We’re desperately tired and craving a shower, so we’ve come to a campsite rather than pitching up in the wild. He wants £30. We hold no truck with that and move on to another with a sigh. The next campsite is

also £30. I dig deep in my pockets and splurge to save a mutiny.

It turns out our campsite is home to a warren of onsen, a delightful labyrinth of soothing looking waters; perfect for two tired cyclists. Only we have tattoos, so we’re not allowed in, nor can we access the showers. £30 well spent. Ahem.

PEDAL Back on our bikes, we fly down from the mountains, the Kizugawa River to our left. The roads are smooth, wide and a joy to ride. We pass several cycle clubs day tripping from Kyoto, and flocks of motorbikes buzzing through the gorge.

We turn right at Kamikoma, selecting back roads that wind through villages. We pass children cycling from school, white helmets on heads, the girls’ uniforms resembling sailor’s outfits. We chug bitingly cold cans of Fanta Grape by the roadside and nibble onigiri.

It’s flat all the way to Kyoto, and we’re nearly there. So we decide to slow down, enjoying our routine. Pedal, eat, sleep, and repeat. And repeat. And repeat.

the footballers

By OLIVIA MANN & ALISON PALMER

Less mansions and designer clothing, more packed lunches and trackie bottoms, the lives of our professional female footballers c o u l d n o t b e f u r t h e r aw a y f r o m t h o s e o f t h ei r m a l e c o u n t e r p a r t s . O l i v i a M a n n a n d A l i s o n Pa l m e r ’s c o l l a b o r a t i v e p h o t o s e r i e s , ‘ T h e Fo o t b a l l e r s ’ p e e r s i n s i d e t h e w o r l d o f t h e s e s u p r e m e l y t a l e n t e d l a di e s .

Four years in the making, photographers Olivia Mann and Alison Palmer’s collaborative project, ‘The Footballers’ captures a pivotal moment in the ‘beautiful game;’ a period of significant change in the perception and belated acceptance of women on the pitch.

A self-confessed football nut, as a child, Alison fought hard for the right to play her favourite game after becoming infuriated by afternoons spent sewing whilst the boys went and played football.

“I was just absolutely gutted, not even cross, just desperately upset about it and I used to complain to my mum about it every week,” says Alison. “Eventually, I explained to the headmistress how unfair it was, and how we didn’t want to be doing sewing and from then on in we played every Wednesday afternoon, and she actually set up a girl’s football team for us.”

Olivia also challenged the status quo at her own school after a curriculum almost devoid of sport forced her to speak up and push

through changes, so their photos of the England team, a collection of staged portraits and emotional moments captured on the field grew from their parallel experiences of not being taken seriously. It was a theme that was to continue as they battled the big wigs and the media to be heard.

“When we started, the England players were off to the Germany World Cup. We went to the FA with a pretty much foolproof campaign: that we would shoot all the players for free. We had this big meeting, but their conclusion was that a few internal leaflets would go out to the clubs, and that was it.”

Undeterred, the pair began to shoot their own campaign anyway. “Our aims were quite ambitious,” explains Olivia. “We wanted to get the photos published in something like the Sunday Times, to exhibit the work widely and to generate as much promotion for these athletes as we could, so they’d become household names for kids growing up.”

But despite their noble goal, the project was

not without further low points. “We sent loads of the portraits off to Stella, the Sunday Times and large publications and everyone kept just knocking us back, and saying that there wasn’t an audience,” says Alison. “We just kept on shooting, but we were getting really tired and it was really hard to keep going. I remember getting to Durham when we were on our way to shoot Steff Houghton and getting to the train station and feeling quite despairing. Both of us ended up in tears, thinking ‘oh god, what are we doing, shall we just give up on this?”

Everyone kept just knocking us back, and saying t h a t t h e r e w a s n ’ t a n a u di e n c e . We j u s t k e p t o n shooting, but we were getting really tired and it w a s r e a l l y h a r d t o k e e p g oi n g .

Thankfully, they didn’t give up. Now five years in the making, the project is finally finding the audience it deserves, as is women’s football as a whole. Whereas just a few years ago women’s sport was a non-starter, these days it’s a hot topic, and the duo have seen a huge change in the perception of female athletes.

“I think it was always going to happen, people just needed to catch up with what was happening,” says Alison. “It kicked off in 2009 when the team got to the finals of the Euros, then it was slowly building up to the World Cup, but it was the Olympics that really put women’s football on the map and made an impact. Great Britain shocked Brazil when Steph Houghton scored a cracking goal in the second minute of the game, then they went on to beat Brazil in front of a record breaking crowd of 70,584 people. I was at that match, it was totally electric; when Steph scored the whole stadium erupted and I remember thinking, ‘wow, this is it, women’s football has truly arrived. It was a superb feeling.”

“The creation of the women’s Superleague helped build on that momentum, and whilst more sponsorship still needs to come, BT Sport taking it on is a massive step in the right direction and has helped give women’s football recognition. On a street level, people are now talking about it, whereas before it wasn’t even on the social agenda.”

Alongside their joint project, Alison and Olivia continue to work separately, with both choosing to further explore football and what it means to the lives of both amateurs and professionals, at home and abroad.

“A lot of my work over the past 6 years has been in helping organisations such as NGOs and charities to communicate what they do through personal stories of people they have helped,” explains Olivia. “When Alison and I exhibited The Footballers at Wembley we met Jane Carter, the remarkable founder of Coaching for Hope. Coaching for Hope uses

Right: Images from The Girls, Olivia Mann’s series of portraits for charity Coaching For Hope

football to create better futures for young people in West and Southern Africa. They use sport as a vehicle to build confidence and trust, and to educate about HIV and Aids, health, and women’s rights.”

Olivia teamed up with the charity to produce ‘The Girls,’ a series of portraits and a short film about young girls in South Africa whose lives have been transformed through playing football.

The images and the film have been screened and exhibited at FIFA’s Football for Hope Forum, and were exhibited alongside The Footballers at The Festival of Football Ideas in Bristol in June.

Alison meanwhile, has been training her lens on young female amateurs, girls for whom the right to play is unquestioned, though they still often face the indignity of not being passed to whilst on the pitch at school. Whilst things are certainly improving on home turf, it would be fair to say we aren’t quite there yet.

Five years since the project began, the pair continue to campaign to be heard, though thankfully these days they aren’t shouting into a void.

“Photographing The Footballers with Alison taught me so much about the importance of football for women, and confirmed for me everything I had already felt about the very real power of sport to change lives. I think that women’s sport is in a good place right now, and that can only continue to grow,” concludes Olivia.

oliviaandalison.com

jessica hische l e t t e r e r , i l lu st rato r & T y p e D e s i g n e r J e ss i ca H i sc h e ’s wo r k g rac e s t h e cov e r s o f o u r favo u r i t e b o o k s , f i l m s & ALBUM S & t h e l i g h t h e a rt e d w i t o f h e r n u m e r o u s s i d e p r oj ects h a s u s h o o k e d.

Cov e n F o u n d o u t m o r e a b o u t t h e s e l f p r o f e ss e d ‘ p r o c ra st i wo r k e r . ’

Letterer, illustrator and ‘avid internetter,’ Jessica Hische grew up in Pennsylvania, falling in love with art whilst a high school student with what she describes as an ‘underdeveloped portfolio.’

After several rejections from community colleges, a forward thinking admissions counselor saw the potential in Jessica’s early work, offering her a place at Tyler School of Art where she spent her first year exploring the world of design whilst she discovered where her heart truly lay. Interested in graphic design, Jessica became drawn to typography, manipulating and redrawing fonts before beginning to create her own alphabets.

Consumed by her work, she ‘lived and breathed design and illustration,’ spending all her time working rather than having a ‘typical college social life.’

Joking that she can count all the parties she went to on one hand, it’s clear that Jessica was happy to leave behind the drama of teenage years and move swiftly into a very focused way of working that has remained her modus operandi to this day.

Upon graduating from Tyler, Jessica began working full time at a design studio in Philadelphia before scoring her dream job working for Louise Fili in New York. It was here that Jessica began to realize that she could actually have a career in which she only did lettering, whereas previously the idea that there was a whole profession out there in which people could draw letterforms all day hadn’t crossed her mind.

“I still thought of it as an add-on specialized skill or service that a graphic designer could offer clients,” explains Jessica. “It wasn’t until I started getting requests to do lettering for illustration projects that it started to hit home that I could actually have a career in which I only did lettering.”

After leaving Louise Fili Ltd. Jessica began Daily Drop Cap, a project that was to have significant impact on her career. Illustrating a letter per day for 12 alphabets and posting them online, at the peak of the project the site was receiving more than

100,000 visitors per month.

Now a well established and much lauded letterer, illustrator and designer, Jessica’s enviable client list includes Wes Anderson, McSweeneys, Tiffany & Co., Penguin Books, Nike and the New York Times, and she is currently serving on the Type Directors Club Board of Directors. She is also cocreator of ‘Don’t Fear The Internet,’ a brilliant site explaining HTML and CSS to non web designers, and ‘Should I Work For Free,’ a ‘handy and humorous flowchart’ for figuring out ‘when working for free is justifiable and when clients should be showering you in cash.’

Your work ethic is startling, just how hard did you push yourself in your twenties when you were starting out?

After being hired by Louise, I pretty much maintained two full time careers simultaneously. Louise had my undivided attention and skills from 9 until 6, and then from 7pm to 2am (oftentimes 3 or 4am) I would work on freelance illustration work. I worked through every weekend, or at a minimum at least one full weekend day. I fended off exhaustion and resulting endless upper respiratory infections until I was 25, and then saw that something had to give.

After two and a half years of working for Louise I went full time freelance, maintaining a very busy schedule while also pursuing personal projects like my Daily Drop Cap project. That project, along with a few of my other for-fun “procrastiworking” projects, brought new eyes to my work and transformed me from being just another young illustrator into someone to pay attention to. I started being asked to do public speaking and then had a whole new second career to manage alongside my client work. I just turned 30, and I am thankful to my younger self for putting in so much time and following the momentum as it was happening.

You described yourself in an interview as ‘deathly afraid of messing up’ as a kid. Is that what motivat-

ed to you to work so hard to establish yourself, and do you ever still feel like that?

I think I had to really get past that fear in order to do anything in my life. I still care too much about what others think of me and my work but as I matured I became a lot more confident in my choices and actions. What motivated me first and foremost was a deep desire to be independent and self-sufficient.

My parents got divorced when I was a teenager and it was a very, very intense and emotional time. I saw my mother struggle to find any employment as someone that had spent years out of the workforce raising children.

I never wanted to be in a position where I couldn’t financially provide for myself and through all the turmoil of my teen years saw that being passionate of something outside of friendships and family was outrageously important for my happiness.

What was your inspiration for the Daily Drop Cap? Did you find it tough to think of something new every single day and which are your favourite letters from the project?

I started Daily Drop Cap because, when I left Louise Fili Ltd., I wanted an excuse to draw letterforms every day, even when I wasn’t being paid to by clients. I wanted a way to experiment and develop my lettering skills since I was about to step out on my own, away from the daily mentoring of Louise.

Originally, I had planned on doing an alphabet a week instead of a letter a day, but decided quickly that I wasn’t up for a challenge that enormous at the time. The project went incredibly smoothly for about the first five alphabets, then I started being asked to speak about the project at conferences and travel became a huge hurdle for keeping on top of the project. It did over time become more challenging to come up with new ideas for the letters, but I found the more I “lived” (the more time I spent out of the studio spending time with people and absorbing the world around me) the easier it became to come up with concepts. As far as favorite letters, that’s tough to say. I think my favorite letter of all time is probably the very last Z, not because I love that letterform so much more than the rest, but because it was the last letter of the project and a real moment of celebration and accomplishment for me.

Does inspiration come easily to you? Do you prefer to work to a strict or open brief?

I find inspiration comes fairly easy to me as long as I am working with good people and have time to get to know the material I’m designing for. I do wish I had a larger library of typographic resources - I don’t spend as much time on ebay hunting down amazing old type specimen books as some of my colleagues, but still don’t often find myself with major bouts of creative block.

I like working with both strict and open briefs depending on the project. For book covers, open briefs are more fun because I get to really dive into the reading material and pull from it what I can for the cover instead of relying on an art director or editor’s notes and vision. For jobs with very tight deadlines, I do prefer stricter briefs because they take the panic level down a few notches. I think the biggest factor is “how many people are there to please”—if it’s just me and an art director or client, an open brief is great, but if I’m several levels removed from the decision makers and there are teams of people giving feedback, the tighter the brief is the smoother everything goes. When you’re playing telephone with teams of people and I’m not the one ultimately pitching everything in that big meeting, the stricter the brief the better.

We love your ‘should I work for free,’ website.

Yet many young people feel that working for free is unavoidable. Do you think the intern industry is now actually stalling rather than helping people’s careers?

I think working for free can be somewhat unavoidable, but that doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. I love doing free work for charities or doing work for friends in exchange for a nice dinner. Bartering is wonderful, especially when you get to work with great people that otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford to hire you. You can usually tell the difference between someone that can’t afford to hire someone and someone that can absolutely afford to but just doesn’t want to pay. The former, working for broke nice people, can be lovely. The latter is definitely a situation you don’t want to find yourself in.

As far as internships, it’s a little complicated.

You should never take an unpaid internship in which you’re not actually learning something or being mentored significantly—if your primary job is to be a personal assistant to a creative, you should be paid well as they’re not taking time away from work to teach you.

If you’re looking to shadow a creative or intern for an individual, compensation depends on what you’re doing for them. I’ve had paid interns whose primary duty was to ship things for me or do file organizing. I’ve had designers shadow me for a week at a time in which I’m not paying them because I’m giving them a lot of hands on training and tutoring and asking for very minimal assistance in return. I think if you’re doing actual work for a company, be it clerical or design assistance, you should be paid.

What was the motivation for you to create the website Don’t Fear The Internet with Russ Maschmeyer?

We created it because after I learned HTML and CSS myself, I saw a new world open up to me—a world in which I could have an idea for a project and create it myself from start to finish in a weekend, launching it to the world on Monday. I was just so empowered by having web skills that I wanted to help other people feel that empowerment. I noticed that a lot of the web tutorials online were intimidating or overly complex for someone that wants to dabble in web and not completely shift careers, and wanted to make something for people like me to get them making things online

instead of relying on friends with web experience to code everything.

What part of your job do you enjoy the least?

Occasionally I’ll have communication issues with clients (usually because we weren’t able to hop on the phone a lot during the project), and recovering from those can be really tough. Sometimes a brief isn’t completely clear or there will be contradictory art direction, or sometimes I’ll misread something in a brief and this causes a misalignment of expectations. Sometimes it’s something minor, like a brief mentions the importance of a book author so I give the authors name a lot of prominence in a design, only to receive art direction after delivering sketches that the author doesn’t matter nearly as much as the brief stated and to actually minimize it. Sometimes it’s major, like I create final artwork and do several rounds of revision and then am told that there’s a whole other team of people that haven’t even seen or approved the initial concepts.

What’s your work schedule like these days? Still hectic?

Mondays are almost always “administrative days” in which I try to clear out my inbox as much as I can. I try to never schedule deadlines on Mondays because of this, also because I prefer to leave my weekends as “optional work days” instead of mandatory work days.

The rest of my week is usually a combination of businessy tasks like discussing incoming projects with my

rep, answering emails, interviews, and file gathering, and then making stuff. I love doing sketches in the morning and working on vector stuff in the afternoon, though am pretty malleable depending on when stuff is due and whether or not I have a sudden urge to work on a personal project. I do a lot of public speaking, which takes me away from my studio a lot. When I’m speaking, I have a great time meeting folks in different places and always feel inspired afterward, but sometimes I overdo it on the travel and end up frustrated that I’m spending too much time talking about work and not enough time making it.

Any plans to design anymore fonts?

I always have more typefaces in the works but it takes so much time and effort to prep a font for commercial release that I can’t give any definite timelines on when new stuff will be coming out.

Sometimes I’ll suddenly feel super inspired to work on a typeface and can get it nearly ready to roll after a sleepless week or two, but lately I’ve been working on more complicated script faces that take quite a bit of time to finalize. The typeface I designed for Moonrise Kingdom is currently over at Font Bureau getting some final polishing before I release it to the public, and I’m very excited about that!

You divide your time between California and Brooklyn. Do you have apartments and studios in both places, and does your husband split his time between the two as well? Does living in two cities give you a unique perspective on life, or at least on American culture?

I do! I bought an apartment in Brooklyn in 2008, which is why we’ve been able to really keep a foot in both cities. We rent here

in San Francisco since it’s pretty difficult to buy anything right now with the epic real estate boom. I have studios in both places too, though my primary space is in SF. I didn’t think I needed a studio in Brooklyn, but noticed that when I tried to work out of friends spaces when I was back visiting (which is about every month or two) it was difficult to get work done. And if I wasn’t being productive, it was hard to justify trips back. Recently I’ve been able to sublet my desk in Brooklyn when I’m out of town, which has been awesome and helps makes the whole arrangement a bit more affordable. I keep the spaces as well so that I can do workshops on both coasts, though I haven’t been able to do one at my space in Brooklyn yet since the few I’ve done when back east have been at the Type Directors Club.

Russ is able to come back to NYC about every other month and can work out of the Facebook offices in New York, though it’s a bit difficult for him to be away from the main office as a manager. If he were a designer and not a manager it would be a lot easier. I try to be conscientious of how much he can get away when booking trips back, since I already travel so much for speaking engagements and therefore try to minimize my time away from him when I’m not traveling for work.

The two cities definitely give me a really unique perspective on America and global culture. New York is such a wonderful place and has so much going on, and it’s been really interesting to be here in SF witnessing the tech boom. Sometimes I feel like all eyes are on San Francisco; even my favorite New York publications and podcasts are constantly talking about everything happening over here right now. It also makes me more than a little self conscious, living in two very expensive places. What I can say though is that our rent is “outrageously cheap” compared to what one-bedroom apartments go for now, and I bought the apartment in Brooklyn right when the real estate market was crashing so overall our total bills are about what we would be paying if we were renting a two bedder here.

Briefs are good a s t h e y c r e at e a v e ry d e f i n i t e p l ayg r o u n d w i t h b o u n da r i e s in which I am a l low e d to p l ay

Do you have any design or type pet hates?

I hate it when people impose geometric pattern notes on top of letterforms to justify the mark making. It makes me absolutely insane. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, I mean when designers put circles and squares to overtop of logotypes to justify why a curve looks like it does, etc.

Who is your dream client?

Wes Anderson was a total dream client and I would have never expected him to find my work and hire me. I would love to work with other film makers that are heavily involved in the artistic direction of their films, like Spike Jonze and Sofia Coppola. I also have always wanted to be a guest on Sesame Street to teach kids about drawing fancy letters.

jessicahische.is/awesome

EROICA BRITANNIA There’s just something about Eroica - the scenery, the food, the people, the bicycles; it’s magical. The legendary bike ride, held annually in Tuscany is the highlight of the year for many; a relaxed yet racous celebration of cycling’s glorious past - the days of Merxc and Coppi, when Lycra was unheard of and everyone enjoyed a tipple.

It was a bold move to reimagine and relocate such an event, and a risky one at that. The location for the inaugural Eroica Britannia was the Peak District - hardly well known for it’s weather or wine.

Yet the team captured the essence of the event with ease, adding a Derbyshire twist to proceedings. And no, I don’t mean rain, for it was glorious that weekend; I’m talking local food and drink, such as Bakewell Puddings.

Bakwell’s event HQ was a carnival of retro themed delights, effectively opening up the event to non-cyclists and creating a fun-filled party atmosphere. I heard grumblings that the purity of the original Eroica was diminished, but it would be surly to keep all the fun to us cyclists, and whilst many weren’t there for the ride itself, all were there for the craic. And a craic it was!

The scenery of the Peaks is extraordinarily beautiful and the routes made the most of the landscape, with long empty lanes crossing the hillside, plenty of gravel tracks to test your mettle and challenging hills that made you sweat in your woolen cycle kit.

At the food stops, in particular the one at Hartington, it was impossible not to be caught up in the jubilant atmosphere whilst enjoying scones and cakes around the duckpond. And in keeping with the true spirit of the event, all riders proceeded directly to the bar once they crossed the line.

Photos: Camille John McMillan

Above: Lacey Baker Right: Sammaria Brevard

SUMMER LOVIN’ HANNAH BAILEY HANG S WITH THE S KATER S IN S u NNY CALIFORNIA

Vanessa Torres, Lacey Baker, Kim Woozy (Mahfia TV), Lisa Whitaker (Girls Skate Network), Mimi Knoop, Samarria Brevard. I couldn't have asked for a better crew to meet with that day in Los Angeles and it's almost too good to put into words. But here goes..

It was all thanks to Kim from Mahfia TV. She arranged the get together that consisted of a session at a sunny skate park in Avocado Heights (East LA), followed by a scouted rail spotted by Samarria. It was a day I will never forget and neither will my camera. We spent a couple hours at the park, which was a beautiful spot with some creative features. Lacey tried all sorts of tricks; my favourite being her no comply tailslide and Samarria did a sweet 50-50 on the hubba and 180 disaster on the transition. Testing out pretty much everything in the park and some flatland tricks too, it was a pretty awesome creative session.

Whilst Lacey and Samarria were throwing down, Torres was cruising round at a leisurely pace, due to a bit of a hangover and Mimi, Lisa and Kim were hanging out for support. The vibe was chilled, it had to be when it was so hot!

After we were done in the park it was time to hit a street spot. Samarria had scouted a rail she wanted to hit and she had her bro, Neil, on hand to get the perfect photo. It was amazing to watch from the sidelines as a skater hit a street spot and to try something they'd never done before. It was an honour to witness this! Samarria had a few practice ollies down the stairs and a boardslide or two, then she was straight into the nose slide. It only took her a few goes and she nailed it. It was something special! Samarria is on Hoopla Skateboards, Mimi's company, so it was cool to see how stoked she was for her team rider. Mimi was filming from her GoPro at the side, so never to miss any of the action.

It was an inspirational vibe from the girl skate scene in California. A humble crew that were really welcoming and excited to have us Europeans there shooting and filming. It's great to link up the girls scene across the pond, to support and make it stronger. They deserve more recognition and support, but the platforms that do exist such as Lisa's Girls Skate Network and Kim's Mahfia TV are passionate and proactive. They are doing a great job! Next we just have to convince them all to visit Europe...

Text & photos by Hannah Bailey

Below: “This spot is in east LA near the Avocado Heights skatepark. I came up there with a photographer so I was just looking for any rail spot that was nearby the park. I did a backside noseslide. It felt good to land it cause I set a goal and accomplished it” - Sammaria Brevard “I am usually there skating w/ the girls in the session. Documenting what goes down is a way I can help spread the word, and show the world what these girls are doing. We rarely have filmers/photographers, so we just make it happen ourselves. I get really hyped when the girls stomp their tricks. I like seeing them succeed and progress with their own skating; making their own path. It's rad to be there and share in that moment.” - Mimi Knoop

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE

ULTRARUNNER SAMANTHA GASH Photo: Nic Davidson

A n y s i n g l e e v e n t i n R a ci n g T h e P l a n e t ’s 4 D e s e r t U l t r a m a r a t h o n S e r i e s i s a n i n c r e di b l y t o u g h c h a l l e n g e .

E v e n t h e h a r di e s t a t h l e t e m a y l a c k t h e m e n t a l a n d p h y s i c a l s t r e n g t h a n d s t a mi n a t o r u n 1 5 5 mi l e s t h r o u g h one of the harshest environments on earth.

C a r r y i n g e v e r y t h i n g t h e y n e e d t o s u r v i v e , p a r t i ci p a n t s h a u l 2 0 p o u n d p a c k s o n t h ei r b a g s t h r o u g h t h e m o s t treacherous deserts in the world, strategically chosen a s t h e y ’r e t h e d r i e s t , w i n di e s t , h o t t e s t a n d c o l d e s t e n v i r o n m e n t s g l o b a l l y.

The movie Desert Runners tell the story of four people w h o d e ci d e d t o r u n n o t o n e , b u t a l l f o u r o f t h e s e e x t r e m e events in a single year, t aking on the the Sahara, the At acama Desert in Chile, the Gobi Desert in China, and A n t a r c t i c a , i n w h a t ’s b e c o m e k n ow n a s t h e Fo u r D e s e r t s Grand Slam. Coven spoke to SAMANTHA GASH, one o f t h e r u n n e r s f e a t u r e d i n t h e m o v i e , t o di s c o v e r h e r m o t i v e f o r a t t e m p t i n g t h e m o s t di f f i c u l t d e s e r t u l t r a marathon series on Earth.

Runnig the Four Deserts is quite some achievement. How has your life changed since you completed it back in 2012?

Well, since then I’ve finished university and after a couple of years working for a commercial law firm, I now work for a communications company. Aside from that, I think doing the Four Deserts was a bit of a kick-start for me to do things more seriously.

Can you tell me about the Freedom Runners project that you have planned for this September?

Myself and Mimi Anderson are running 2350km from Pietermaritzburg To Cape Town over 32 days to set up a social enterprise in the free state of South Africa, gainfully employing women to manufacture affordable feminine hygiene products. Menstruation is a big reason why girls in South Africa don’t go to school - many of them miss on four of five days of school every month due as they can’t afford commercial sanitary pads, and there’s a lack of education about the changes that happen in puberty.

We began putting the project together about two years ago, and this year we’ve linked up with Save the Children Africa and Australia and they’re managing the project for the year.

Š Jennifer Steinman

I t h i n k m ay b e I h a d r o m a n t i c i z e d w h at i t wa s l i k e to b e i n t h e d e s e rt, b ecau s e i t s e e m e d e a s i e r to g o bac k i n to a n ot h e r d e s e rt t h a n co n t i n u e t h e wo r k t h at I wa s d o i n g

We spent about eight months figuring out the initial concept behind the social enterprise business and a huge amount of time working out the logistics of the actual run - simply working out the itinerary is challenging as we’re with sleeping families in farming communities along the way. It’s a really technical run, and it’s navigationally quite challenging. We’re doing two back-to-back marathons for 32 two days, so 64 back-toback marathons, pretty much. When I put it like that, I’m like ‘woah, it’s longer than I thought!’

That’s incredible! Do you sometimes get the feeling that what you’re doing is bonkers, or has your perception of activities like this changed since you did the Four Deserts?

This run in South Africa is actually on a mountain bike course, and they have an bike race on it every year. But on foot, yeah, even I think it’s a bit ridiculous. I mean, I’ve never done anything like this before.

But you’d never done anything like the Four Deserts before either. How did you feel going into that?

I only ever planned to do the first one. I was injured before going into it, so I took my time with it. I got stronger as the days went on, and I also learned so

much about what people didn’t do in races, which is go out super, super hard and burn out. So for me, being injured in the first race was a blessing in disguise.

It made me realise that even if you weren’t the fastest person out there, if you were strategic then you had the capacity to do quite well.

After that, I was working in Texas for a couple of months, and I don’t know what it was, but I kept dreaming about being back in the desert. It was so hot in Texas at that time of year and it was mentally really tough work, and I think maybe I began to romanticise what it was like to be in the desert and forgot all of it’s challenges. Before I knew it, I’d comitted to racing all four deserts that year.

How quickly did you make the decision that you wanted to run the first one? Was there a lot of deliberation, or did you just go for it?

I mentally made the decision but I didn’t sign up for a little bit. I finished my first marathon and then I heard about these races and I decided to do one. You know how some people say they’re going to do things and they just don’t? Well, people just knew that when I said it, I meant it. If I say something, I’m pretty much guaranteed to do it!

Photos from top left: Dean Leslie Nic Davidson Nic Davidon Zandy Mangold

Š Nic Davidson

What sort of miles were you doing in the run up to those events?

When I did Four Deserts, I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t have a training regime and I didn’t know how to build my body up. I really believe that it takes several years to get the muscles developed to the point where they can take that kind of loading. So for me, because I went from one race then back to uni and had to do my exams, I pretty much had enforced rest. So I’d have a couple of weeks rest then get back to running, then do some yoga, do some strength work. But I didn’t really train that much that year; the training was always the previous race.

Which desert did you find the hardest?

China, probably; the Gobi Desert. It was uncharacteristically hot at times when you expected it to be cooler, so at 7pm when you were mentally prepared for it to get cooler so that you could transition to easier running, it would just get hotter. And it felt so mountainous. I’d programmed my brain to think about flat sand! Then the flags went missing on the long stage, so Lisa and I went the wrong way and it took much longer.

It’s hard when it’s something that you don’t expect it to be. Which is a lot of the time, as who can really expect anything in the desert? But the Gobi was filled with the most unpredictability.

Do most people partner up with someone for the race?

I think for the long stages, most people tend to partner up. The long stage is on day five, and by that time you know who you run near, who’s kind of your pace.

Lisa (Tamati) came up to me; I don’t think I’d ever be so presumptuous as to assume that Lisa would want to run with me – she’s so experienced and I was so inexperienced. She asked me on the second day and I was flattered and also kind of freaked out by it, because I thought, ‘how the hell am I going to keep up with this woman?’ But I thought, ‘I’m just going to say yes and see how it goes.’ And it was amazing.

You have to carry all your own gear and also you’re sleeping in a whole variety of different places. How much sleep were you getting each night?

It depends, I would probably get about six hours. Well actually, I take that back – you were lying down for a

lot longer but you weren’t necessarily sleeping because it’s not particularly comfy and people are still coming in later on. But you were physically resting, at least in some sense. We get up around 4.30 or 5am and then we’d leave at 7.

How did you find it after you went ‘back to reality’ after the race. Was it hard adjusting to normal life?

It was really hard, but at the same time, I didn’t have the time to reflect on how hard it was, because I was thrown very much back into everything that I had to do.

Obviously people were slightly intrigued about what I’d just done, but I didn’t really have time to communicate what the experience was, so I suppose I sort of compartmentalized the different segments of my life at that point.

What is it about running that you love, or is it less about the act of running itself and more about the challenge these events present?

It’s twofold; I love the running it gives me the ability to live in the moment, and through the vehicle of running, I’m at at my most relaxed. This is despite the fact that my body and mind might be very stressed because of the physical undertaking. I’m not consumed with technology, or thinking ahead, I’m just really in that moment. And I crave that more and more.

And then I like it for the challenge – I think it teaches you so much about yourself, that you can push yourself that hard and achieve something. Your mind is challenged and intirigued as to what else is possible. But to be honest, I now know that; I know that my body and my mind is capable of doing extreme things.

Do you actually enjoy the ultras, or is it more a love/hate relationship?

I think some moments I really love, and other moments are really hard. I find the training can be really hard, probably because I’m training whist having to do ten million other things. So I come back from a long training run and with a checklist of things that I have to do.

But when I race, I don’t think about anything else, it’s like putting the brakes on everything else in life. desertrunnersmovie.com freedomrunners.org

rosy hodge THE NEXT CHAPTER

A true child protégée, South African Rosy H o d g e s p e n t h e r f o r m a t i v e y e a r s h o ni n g h e r s k i l l s i n E a s t L o n d o n ’s w o r l d c l a s s breaks, spurred on by an older brother who r e c o g ni s e d t h e y o u n g g r o m ’s p o t e n t i a l f r o m t h e mi nu t e s h e s t e p p e d o n a b o a r d .

N e e di n g l i t t l e e n c o u r a g e m e n t t o f o l l ow h e r new found love, Rosy spent every waking mi nu t e c h a s i n g w a v e s , a n d h e r b r o t h e r ’s p r e di c t i o n s r a n g t r u e w h e n t h e y o u n g s u r f e r was snapped up by Roxy at the tender age o f ei g h t .

A f t e r f i ni s h i n g h i g h s c h o o l , R o s y m o v e d s t r a i g h t o n t o t h e Wo m e n ’s Wo r l d Championship tour where she spent four consecutive years competing alongside the b r i g h t e s t l i g h t s o f w o m e n ’s s u r f i n g b e f o r e a new found t alent for comment ating drew her out of the ocean and onto the beach.

N ow a R o x y O u t d o o r F i t n e s s a m b a s s a d o r , R o s y s p e n d s ni n e m o n t h s o f t h e y e a r o n the road, surfing, comment ating and living a life filled with sunshine, fun time and l a u g h t e r.

All photos ©Roxy

Where are you at the moment?

Do you get itchy feet when you stay in one place?

I’ve just got back to San Clemente in California from the Gold Coast of Australia.

Yes I do. It’s sort of weird because when you start travelling you start to get restless if you are in one place for too long.

Are you mainly based in the US at the moment?

Yeah, I’m based out of California at the moment.

There is so much going on and always something to do, so it is easy to travel out of here as opposed to travelling from South Africa where I’m from.

How has your year been so far?

Really fun! I got signed on to do commentary for the 2014 Samsung Galaxy ASP World Tour, covering the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro Gold Coast.

What do you have in your diary for the rest of the year?

I’m going to be travelling a lot to all the events later in the year, as well as covering my Roxy commitments. I’m also going to Brazil, South Africa, Europe, Fiji, Tahiti and Hawaii throughout the year so, its going to be full of travelling.

How much time do you spend travelling, and how do you keep sane on the road?

I spend about 9 months of the year travelling. I think I stay sane by surfing as much as I can and I love running. When I get to a new place I’ll map out a run to check the place out. I’ve been fortunate enough to go to a lot of places for extended periods of time, so I always have a few friends that make it feel like home.

Where’s your favourite place in the world to be and who would you like there with you?

I still love being at home with my family in South Africa.

Where’s next on the list? Anywhere you haven’t been that you’ve a hankering to visit?

I would love to go to India, Alaska, Ireland and do a bit more travelling around South America.

Do you have to be quite organized when you’re always travelling?

I figured out that you can’t be too stressed about everything. I learned that all you really need is a passport.

How many bikinis do you pack for one trip? Do you pack lightly or just chuck it all in?

I try and pack lightly. I’m fortunate enough to have Roxy look after me wherever I go so I inevitably get gear from them when I’m on the road.

Besides surfing, how do you like to stay fit and healthy? Is it tricky when you’re always on the road?

I love running. I try run 4 miles 3 times a week wherever I am. I also like body surfing. It can be tricky to stay healthy. I have a sweet tooth so I have to keep that under control.

How much time do you devote to working out and staying fit?

I try and surf everyday for at least an hour and I try to run 3 times a week if not more. I also like doing a bit of yoga. There are studios wherever you go and you can find a good class to go to anywhere.

You surfed competitively on the ASP Women’s World Tour for four years. How have you seen the tour change since then?

Wow, its crazy how good the girls on the World Tour have got, and how professional their approach is in terms of fitness and taking the sport seriously. The oldest girl on tour is Steph Gilmore at 26, so it’s a really young group of super rad girls.

What prompted the decision to stop surfing on the

i t ’s c r a z y h ow g o o d t h e g i r l s o n t h e Wo r l d To u r h a v e g o t , a n d h ow p r o f e s s i o n a l t h ei r approach is in terms of fitness and t aking the sport seriously

tour?

I think I just got into the commentating side of things and it’s good to grow and find other directions you want to take in life.

Do you ever miss the thrill of competition now you’re on the beach rather than in the water? Do you ever regret taking a different route?

Not really, I still get super excited when I watch the girls compete but the standard is so high, it’s crazy to see.

Is it hard interviewing competitors after they’ve just had a bad heat?

It can be difficult because I know what it’s like to be in that position when you would rather go home and cry then speak on camera. I think it can also be good for the competitor to do it because it feels good to express yourself after a heat and people watching get to see a different side of the sport and athlete and often you get a bit more support along the way.

Yourself and the whole Roxy team are very beautiful, as well as talented. Do you think it’s harder for less attractive female surfers to make it?

I feel lucky to be a part of the Roxy team. All the girls that are on it right now are inspiring, talented and beautiful. I think it’s a bit tough to get any kind of support nowadays, just with how tight the budgets in the surf companies have become.

I’m grateful that I have Roxy’s support.

What’s the best thing about being a Roxy Outdoor Fitness Ambassador? What are you favourite pieces from the collection?

Doing the photo-shoots is always awesome. We go to some mental locations. Like Maui, we would get dropped off at a waterfall by a helicopter and it will be one of the most beautiful places you have ever been.

I work out a lot and the products are amazing. I live in my Standard Running Tights, also the On The Run pants are so good for yoga and you can swim in them. The Inspire Bra is beyond comfortable. The Atmosphere Jacket is good for travelling because it folds into its pocket and is the perfect spray jacket. The Waveline Wetsuit is pretty cute too.

keep thrashin’ DECADE OF SKATE

To qu o t e E l i s s a S t e a m e r , “ s h i t b e p o p - u - l a r ! ” Ye p , s k a t i n g i s o n t r e n d r i g h t n ow, a n d y o u c a n ’ t s h a k e a s t i c k f o r c l u e l e s s f a s h i o n m a g s s h ow i n g y o u ‘ h ow t o d r e s s l i k e a s k a t e b o a r d e r.’

T h e s c e n e h a s b e e n t h r o u g h a l l s o r t s o f t r a n s i t i o n s o v e r i t ’s l i f e s p a n a n d w e ’r e p r e t t y s u r e E l i s s a ’s s e e n i t t h r o u g h m a n y a n u p - a n d - d ow n .

Long before the mainstream mob jumped on the boardwagon, there were female skaters making moves, trying tricks and getting parts.

M i mi K n o o p , E l i s s a S t e a m e r , J e n n a S e l b y a n d L u c y A d a m s h a v e d o n e m o r e t h a n j u s t g e t o n b o a r d s , t h e y ’ v e c o m mi t t e d time to the skate world.

Whether they’ve st arted a brand, made a movie, become a legend, invented a trick or encouraged someone to t ake it up, things may have changed but these women are still thrasin’ after a decade or more of skating.

H a n n a h B a i l e y s p o k e t o t h e s e i n f l u e n t i a l l a di e s t o f i n d o u t j u s t h ow t h e w o r l d o f s k a t e b o a r di n g h a s c h a n g e d s i n c e t h e y f i r s t picked up a board.

-by Hannah Bailey-

,Picture:

Mimi Knoop

MIMI KNOOP Years skating: off and on most of my life.

In the beginning…

There weren't any girls skating at all where I grew up. I was the only one that I knew of - I didn't actually meet another girl skater until I was 23.

Luckily I did skate with a lot of awesome guy friends from school though, and they were all super nice and encouraging at the time.

Keeping skateboarding a part of life…

I haven't done anything to keep it in my life; it is a part of who I am.

Things have changed…

It has changed a lot. Skateboarding is obviously more mainstream now, which ushers in a whole new demographic of families skating; dads, moms, sisters, brothers. Skating is now for everyone, and accepted that way too and that has caused more girls, and also more people in general, to pick up skating. Also the Internet and social media have both played a role in increasing visibility and popularity.

In ten years time…

I will always skate in some form or another.

ELISSA STEAMER Years skating: 19 In the beginning…

Well for me it was sweet! I don’t know what it was like for other people but I know there weren’t as many girls as there are now. Shit is pop-u-lar.

Things have changed…

Like I said, p p p p pop-u-lar. I’ve said this before too, skating is welcoming, as long as you actually skate and you’re not a poser. Now there are a lot of contests for females and stuff, plus board brands, websites, all that.

The future…

I’m doing Gnarhunters, my brand. Shameless plug. Maybe a little shame...

Elissa Steamer

LUCY ADAMS Years skating: 17 In the beginning…

I was always the only girl at the park or out on street skating missions. The thing that made it rad for me, was that Crawley skatepark (my local) was a brand new wooden park, built in 1997. I happened to swim at the pool in front of the park and so I took it up because it looked cooler than going up and down, length after length. Luckily, there were loads of people who were also just starting out. No girls, but that didn't matter, as there were so many guys, of all ages, getting into skating and pushing each other. We learned together back then and that was the best part about it.

Keeping skateboarding a part of life…

I don't think an hour goes by where I don't think about skateboarding. It’s just naturally me now. I've travelled far and wide to skate. Lied to skate. I've even cried when I couldn't skate!

Things have changed…

There has been so much development, and most of this has largely been organic and natural and just by girls that have been skating for ages coming together to support the scene.

There hasn't been one specific event that has helped the scene grow but rather loads of stuff, whether it be comps run by girls for girls, or sessions and lessons, brands and organisations.

The Internet has definitely helped. When I started, the only footage I saw of another girl skating was Elissa Steamer in the Toy Machine vids. Nowadays, you can search through thousands of clips of girls skating from all over the world and watch as many as you like to get a skate hype on. There are also so many parks running a female only session and there is tuition available to help you get started. These days I'm not surprised at all to see another girl skating at the park.

In the future…

Skateboarding influences my clothing choices, my music choices and the way that I live my life. Got to plan things around dry days! I'll always be working towards supporting girls coming into skateboarding and I’ll still be skating for a while longer I reckon!

CARA-BETH BURNSIDE Years skating: Since I was about 10 years old.

In the beginning…

It was hard to be a girl skater when I was young because people would say girls can't, or shouldn't skate. But that just made me mad, so I got better than all the boys who said those things to me.

Keeping skateboarding a part of life…

I built a mini ramp in my yard a few years ago. I liked skating that because I could just walk outside my door and skate anytime I wanted to. It was also fun to have people over to film and session too. I just try to keep skating fun, with friends.

Things have changed…

There are so many more girls skating at a high level now, more than there ever was before. There are also a lot more parks to skate now too; skating is so much more accessible today. Also girls at a young age see pictures and video of other girls skating on the internet and TV, so they realize they can do it too.

It has become more mainstream and accepted to skate as a girl.

The future…

Skating will always be a part of my life. It gives me a feeling that I can't find anywhere else. I can't imagine not skating. I also hope to continue cultivating girls skating through Hoopla Skateboards, and the Alliance. It is important to make things good for the next generation, so I want to do my part and help when I can.

JENNA SELBY Years skating: 16 years In the beginning…

It was really daunting, you'd walk into a skate park and almost everyone would stop and stare at you then ask you, a) can you kickflip and b) how good are you...as if there is this mythical scale. These days most people have seen a woman on a board thanks to social media but back then YouTube wasn't even invented so I guess that was why you got that type of reaction. I was a little shy back then so took to going to Watford C&A in the evenings to roll around.

When I went to uni in Newport, there was such a huge scene there compared to what I had known. That was when I really felt part of something. It was also the first time I met any other female skaters; Ro Brannon and Meg Wilson.

Keeping skateboarding a part of life…

I studied photography at Uni and at the same time got hooked up on Gallaz and Carhartt. I didn't really enjoy the competing side of things but instead said I would photograph the team to earn my keep. My first attempt at skate photography was so rubbish that I had to lie and tell them that the film had been ruined in the lab.

But I kept at it and eventually started getting images printed in magazines.

I had this idea, for Rogue Skateboards, to get this group of talented riders together and every month we would travel to a different location and let local skate shops know we would be in the area so if they knew of any female riders they could come join. Eventually it seemed like a good idea to actually make a female skateboard film.

In 2009 I spent a year travelling around the country and we made As If, And What?

Things have changed…

Surprisingly the first comp that I organised back in 2002, the Girls Skate Jamo had over 40 girls attend. There were people like Julie Bevis, Laura Crane, Amy Ram and Lucy killing it, then numbers seemed to take a dive in the mid noughties. The same fifteen faces would turn up to comps and there didn't seem to be any younger girls coming through. Towards the end of the last decade numbers started to rise again and now I would say there are more girls than ever. More monthly girls groups have sprung up also and you've got more magazines giving coverage to the riders, which is brilliant.

The future…

I'll always be photographing it; I love that just as much as I do skating.

YOUNG GUNS Fresh from her exhibtion at Tom’s Skateshop in London, we caught up with eighteen year old illustrator and skateboarder Eloise Dorr to find out more about her imaginary land of skate dreamscapes peopled with innocent little characters enjoying life.

What’s your art all about?

My art is a bunch of interpretations of stuff I like to look at, in real life and in other people’s paintings, mostly nature and shadows and sometimes puddles. I mostly paint these little silhouette characters skating through mystical environments that I would love to skate if they existed.

Have you always been doodling away?

Yeah, I’ve always loved drawing. I started devoting most of my time to it around 3 years ago. Creating things is fun! I like to think of it as making something out of nothing. I'm also very easily bored so drawing a lot is good for keeping me entertained.

Who are these little skater blobs?

Those lil’ guys are my best friends. On occasion I

imagine myself as them, and I paint them how I would react to the environment is around them. Or sometimes I observe them as their own character, and try to understand how they are observing the scene differently to how I would. So sometimes they are me and sometimes they are someone else, but essentially they are just innocent little characters of no species or gender that like to skate and look at nice things!

How much of your time is spent drawing and how much is spent skating?

I draw and skate whenever I get the chance to really, at the moment it’s a few times a week of each.

I generally draw more than I skate but leading up to summer it’s equalling out a bit. Hopefully some day I can do them both all day everyday with no other priorities, that’s the dream! A bit of an unrealistic one but hey.

Is there something about skateboarding that attracts creative types?

I think the freedom in skateboarding attracts creative types, it certainly fits well with my philosophies for art. Art is a very corner-less activity and as is skate-

boarding so I think they go well together. Skateboarding is an artistic/creative activity in itself so I think there’s a mutual, natural instinct that skateboarders and artists share, to create things.

If you had to only do one, which would you choose?

This is a very tough question! I’d probably choose neither, I can’t really do one without the other. Skateboarding gives me inspiration to paint and painting gives me inspiration to skate, so if I only did one I think the remaining would fail completely. Before I started skating my art was really mundane, so I don’t know if I’d want to go back to that.

What are your plans for the future?

To be honest I have absolutely no plans for the future. I’m only 18 so I have some time to figure stuff out, I hope. I just want to find a way to be able to make the things I want to make for as much time as possible. I have no idea how I’m gonna do this so for the moment, I’m just gonna keep drawing and painting as much as I can. I know I want to make flip books though, that’s definitely somewhere on the agenda! finmakesthings.tumblr.com

By Hannah Bailey

ELOISE DORR

what I’m hearing HANNAH BAILEY MEETS TYCI

Whilst on a late night music trawl on Soundcloud, a reblog from Chvrches sent me in the direction of a ‘TYCI’ podcast which caught my ear for the full half hour and grabbed my attention enough to click on their links.

TYCI turned out to be a platform run by women in Bonnie Scotland who are inspired by women involved in music, art, film and more. I loved the vibe flowing out from the speakers of my laptop.

They said things I would say, they played songs I wanted to hear and they left me intrigued to know who and what they were.

I won’t write what TYCI literally stands for (lets just say it’s another way of saying ‘man up’), but here I find out more on what they are for and about from founding member, Amanda Aitken.

She told me,

tors who write articles, make radio jingles and generally support the collective.

We just happen to be female led. I would say we have just as many male supporters of the collective as we do female, and lots of people who want to help out, so who knows what might happen in the future. We are always discussing ways in which to include everyone in what we do, as we expand.

We have a website where we write about women in music, art, film, and lots of other things and a monthly radio show on Subcity Radio. Our monthly podcasts on Soundcloud feature lots of great new music from female bands.

“TYCI is a Glasgow based collective run by women. We aim to talk about all things femme whilst also trying to raise awareness of women doing awesome things in the world.

When we aren’t writing articles or speaking on the radio, we’re planning our monthly clubnight which happens in Bloc, in Glasgow. Every month we have a different lady band and DJ and on the night we also launch our monthly zine.

The night is free to get into and all the money raised from our raffle goes to various women’s charities.

We started back in 2012 and since then, we have gained lots of members who help out with everything we do, and alongside our core team we have a huge extended family of regular contribu-

I think for TYCI, we just hope to continue to raise awareness of how many talented ladies there are in the world and create a platform to showcase this to as big an audience as possible.”

TYCI’s mer:

TYCI’S FIVE SONG FOR THE SUMMER

Wat e r F o u n ta i n - T u n e -Ya r ds I really enjoy the layers of vocals and instruments on this track. I think Tune-Yards always have a summery vibe to them.

o n ctohthis o -sumTuff s Five songs toP listen

Lov e

We love Tuff Love! Need I say more? They played our International Women’s Day Festival this year and were awesome! Listen and love and go see them live.

Lo s i n g to t h e Da r k - L a S e ra Former Vivian Girls lady, Katy Goodman, is the front woman of her new band La Sera. Many people at TYCI were excited about this new record and I don’t think I am the only one who has had this track on repeat a lot recently.

K i l l e r Ba n g s - H o n e y b lo o d Glasgow based duo Honeyblood played one of the first TYCI shows. Seeing them grow from strength to strength around the music scene has been rad. Their songs are so upbeat, it would be foolish to miss them off this list. Oh and they make such a good noise live.

Co o k i e R oa d - T h e J u l i e R u i n I don’t know if a summer can go by without sounding like one of Kathleen Hanna’s bands. The entire album is amazing! Also the Sini Anderson documentary the Punk Singer is now out so if you haven’t seen it or bought it online, go do it!

a day in the life

MOUNTAIN BIKER TAHNEE SEAGRAVE As far as I can remember, my first bike was a Scott, and growing up, I just wanted to be as cool as my Dad. Now, I’ve got my own set of goals, but the main one is to be the fastest in the world, as it is for all competitors. So far, I’ve been World Junior Champion, the Junior Overall World Cup winner, and I came fifth at Leogang in my first year in the Elite category.

I’m an ambassador for Les Gets, and I’ll be representing them in the World Champs this September.

I’m usually based in Morzine, France and I compete for about three months of the year, with just a few weekends off. It’s a busy schedule and I spend more time travelling than I do racing for sure.

As the team base is where I live, in Morzine, I’m lucky to get to come home quite often, although this is the first time I’ve been home in three months! I travel with my Dad, who is also our team manager, our mechanic, my teammates and sometimes our assistant manager as well.

Fitting in racing around school was very challenging; having such a huge passion outside of school made it hard to concentrate, and but when it comes to friends, you always find other kids with a passion. I used to get up at 5am to train before going to class, and then just fall asleep again, but these days I just get up whenever I want.

a s t o l d t o Ju l i e t E l l i o t t

The first thing that goes through my mind when I wake up is how I’m going to pretend I’ve been awake for ages when Coach walks through the door! I definitely like to take my time in the morning.

I get bored if I always eat the same thing for breakfast, so I switch between eggs, gluten free toast with peanut butter and banana, which is the best, and granola.

Next, I check out what the coach has prepared for my days training. Again, I like to mix things up as well to keep it interesting, so it could be gym, riding, swimming or mobility. In the off-season, I train about 15 or 15 hours per week.

Lunch depends on when and how I’m training; you need the right foods at the right time to enhance your performance, whether your body needs to recover or go in the gym. I don’t have to specifically watch what I eat though, I eat what I want and love chocolate. I spend the afternoon riding my Downhill bike, eating carrot cake and drinking coffee.

I like my own space and being on my own, and I love the steam room. I prefer to stay in, but having said that, when I’m out, I love it, but I have to make sure I haven’t got any training the next day. My ideal evening would be pizza at home and a film night. My idea weekend would be bikes, sunshine, the lake, wakeboarding and ice cream.

Most of my close friends ride as well, so we all travel and race together. It’s harder to see friends from home, because they have a totally different life schedule.

I love sleep, and I’m tired in the evenings, so I go to bed around 11 and fall asleep pretty fast.

I do feel a fair bit of pressure; I always feel like I have something to prove. But I take it in my stride; on the day it always feels like a lot to deal with, but actually I have such good people around us doing their job properly that I don’t need to worry.

p h o t o b y B r i a n Fi ck

all photos ©PDS/M.Vitré

The first thing that goes t h r o u g h m y mi n d w h e n I w a k e u p i s h ow I ’ m g oi n g t o p r e t e n d I ’ v e b e e n aw a k e for ages when Coach walks through the door!

I d e f i ni t e l y l i k e t o t a k e m y t i m e i n t h e m o r ni n g

The first thing that goes through my mind when I wake up is how I’m going to pretend I’ve been awake for ages when Coach walks through the door! I definitely like to take my time in the morning.

I get bored if I always eat the same thing for breakfast, so I switch between eggs, gluten free toast with peanut butter and banana, which is the best, and granola.

Next, I check out what the coach has prepared for my days training. Again, I like to mix things up as well to keep it interesting, so it could be gym, riding, swimming or mobility. In the off-season, I train about 15 or 16 hours per week.

Lunch depends on when and how I’m training; you need the right foods at the right time to enhance your performance, whether your body needs to recover or go in the gym. I don’t have to specifically watch what I eat though; I eat what I want and love chocolate. I spend the afternoon riding my Downhill bike, eating carrot cake and drinking coffee.

I like my own space and being on my own, and I love the steam room. I prefer to stay in, but having said that, when I’m out, I love it, but I have to make sure I haven’t got any training the next day. My ideal evening would be pizza at home and a film night. The best weekend would be bikes, sunshine, the lake, wakeboarding and ice cream.

Most of my close friends ride as well, so we all travel and race together. It’s harder to see friends from home, because they have a totally different life schedule.

I love sleep, and I’m tired in the evenings, so I go to bed around 11 and fall asleep pretty fast.

I do feel a fair bit of pressure; I always feel like I have something to prove.

But I take it in my stride; on the day it always feels like a lot to deal with, but actually I have such good people around me doing their job properly that I don’t need to worry.

facebook.com/TahneeSeagraveAthlete lesgets.com