THE ARTO ISSUE. Dylan Rieder, Arto Saari, Jerry Hsu, One Day in Hell, Leo Romero, Alex Olson, Winnebago, A. Jefferson, Jason Dill.
OCTOBER 2014 – ISSUE 14
Dylan Rieder | hufworldwide.com/collections/footwear
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Nov. 2014 the dylan issue.
relationship b etween your shop and your community is no easy task though; it takes real dedication.
“You gotta do something—try all different avenues,” McGill says. “Even if there is already a skatepark in your area, you can definitely help out by expanding it.” And while the end result will be a grateful skate community that supports your shop, it’s initially up to the shop owner to kick start this relationship. “It’s important for any shop owner to help out with that, not just stand around and sell equipment. It’s up to them to keep local contests going and do local events with whatever is going on in your city. I mean it’s very important, otherwise you’re not going to have the sales that you need to keep your doors open,” he says. -ED TEMPLETON
Staying successful in the skate business for more than two decades, it’s clear that McGill, whose résumé includes inventing the McTwist, is doing something right. When asked the secret of his success, he stresses the importance of giving back to the local skate community. “It certainly helps that I’ve been a skateboarder for as long as I have, and my community knows who I am. I started the program at the YMCA in Encinitas 20-something years ago by doing little contests, putting all the money in a pot, bringing it to the YMCA and saying, ‘Look, let’s build something for these kids to use.’ And I think those parents and those kids appreciate what I did back then.”
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Skateparks provide a safe and legal place for skateboarders to practice their sport. Statistics show that the majority of Skateboarding is a healthy, physical activity. Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years in the U.S., with more than one-third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese. - Kevin Long Skateboarding is the third most popular recreational activity for children between 6-18 years of age. While team sports participation has consistently declined, skateboarding has millions of participants, yet, most communities do not have a dedicated space for skateboarders. - Jack Johson We are working very hard to make our dream of bringing a high quality skatepark to Wahpeton/Breckenridge. The city of Breckenridge has agreed to provide the location and the Wahpeton Eagles and the city of Breckenridge have provided the initial financial support necessary to get the project started. We would like to thank Cliff Barth, Eagles member and Breckenridge mayor, and the Breckenridge Public Works committee for believing in us and our project. Our mission is to provide a free, safe place for children and adults of all ages and skill levels to skate, roller blade, bike or scooter. While we have made progress, we will need the support of the community in order to make the community skatepark a reality.
LETTERS
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deadly skateboarding accidents involve a motor vehicle. Offering diverse terrain and a quality skatepark means less skateboarders on your streets, at your local businesses, parking lots and sidewalks. - Eric Koston
Skateparks can provide great revenue opportunities for their communities. A destination-style skatepark attracts skaters from all over the United States, which in turn means increase in lodging, shopping and meals, as well as other local recreational activities. Remember, typically it’s not just the skater coming to the area but an entire family. Depending on the skatepark design and size, there is also opportunity to hold events and competitions, drawing even bigger crowds.
- Denver Harris
Skateparks bring communities together. They are a social gathering place offering its users the opportunity to meet with other community members with similar interests. Entire families are often seen at skateparks, some users and some just enjoying the show. It is common for young skateboarders to volunteer for skatepark cleanup and take ownership of the skateparks. - Tim O’conner
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NOTES of
Editors Note: In our Winter Issue, TransWorld Business takes a closer look at skateboard legend Mike McGill’s North County, San Diego retail space, a staple in the community for more than 20 years. To read the full story, pick up a copy of TransWorld Business magazine.
TEMPLET
For skaters living in North County San Diego, one shop stands out as the place to go when replacing a snapped deck or flat wheels: McGill’s Skateshop in Encinitas. McGill’s has been in business for more than 20 years, catering to skaters in the region with a vast supply of gear ranging from hardgoods to apparel, and over the past two decades, the store has become a household name for area skaters with shop stickers plastered on helmets and boards around town and local parks sporting McGill’s banners, just as its owner became a household name amongst skaters around the globe.
While some retailers tap into marketing dollars and ad campaigns to get their name out there, McGill’s had a head start in capitalizing on owner, skate legend and Bones Brigade member, Mike McGill’s name. However, the shop’s lasting success is the result of hard work and an insider’s skate mentality and knowledge, not to mention a heritage that few shops can boast. McGill has personally led the charge in getting skateparks built in San Diego for many years, and his message is clear: Help build the skate community, and they will support your shop. Creating this kind of symbiotic
Photo by: Deanna Templeton
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Photo by: Greg Hunt
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VOGUE DY L A N R IEDER
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By Robin Fleming Sept. 10, 2012
VOGUE
It was only a matter of time. It was bound to happen. After filling the pages of Thrasher, Transworld, Skateboarder and The Skateboardmag since he was a
Considered the bible of fashion, this year’s September issue features “The Vogue 120”, which celebrates designers, models and trendsetters, all of whom are under 45 years old and are currently changing the shape and direction of the current styles and movements within fashion.
DYLAN RIEDER
Photo by: Desillusion Magazine
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In the article, according to Bowles, Rieder is considered among one of the young trendsetters who’s, “bringing fashion to life right now and for years to come.” Skateboarders have been aware of Rieder’s burgeoning fashion aesthetic since 2009 when shoe company Gravis first introduced the world to Rieder’s first signature shoe. A hybrid skate dress shoe, the DYLAN LO took an initial round of ribbing to become a popular and now often imitated skate silhouette. Invigorating the trend of the skate lifestyle category, where skate footwear can transition from the streets to the club. Blending functionality with fashion, the DYLAN was the final nail in the coffin for the bulky skate shoes of the past.
In an article written by legendary Vogue contributor Hamish Bowles, and renowned photographer Norman Jean Roy, Rieder is featured among upcoming actors, models, rappers and fashion designer Alexander Wang, who’s clothes are worn in the spread.
teenager, Alien Workshop pro Dylan Rieder hit the big time, appearing in the pages of Vogue Magazine’s September 2012 issue.
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Jerry Hsu
Self Mutilation Interview by: Andrew Allen
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Andrew Allen Jerry Hsu Would you consider yourself a hipster? That’s a funny question because everyone is always like, making fun of me for being a hipster but I don’t know if I know what that means and I don’t know if they know what that means.
never pissed blood from nutting on a rail. It’s always like slamming on your kidneys, on your side that will make you piss blood. Its kind of funny, I was with Leo Romero and one time I did that and I was really worried. I told him and he was just like, “oh dude, you’re fine, you’re just hammering your kidneys, after 2 or 3 pisses you’ll be fine.” He was absolutely right. By the 3rd piss it was completely normal again.
You know what a hipster is.
I heard when you were 14 you broke your penis?
I’m a 30 year old guy that skates. Not too hip.
Yeah, I pretty much broke my dick when I was 13 or 14. I tore my urethra from credit carding, like Stacy Lowery in that old 411. That really fucked me up, that was a pretty harsh injury for a 13 year old to go through. I was pissing blood and weird little mucusy chunks were coming out. I was screaming and crying. It was my mom’s birthday.
Have you ever taken a nut shot or damaged your reproductive organs on a slam? Totally, I’ve pulled my pants down after slamming and nutting on a rail and my balls are just like black and blue. How does that work. Do you piss blood? You go see a doctor or just wait it out and it goes away? No, it just goes away. I’ve pissed blood before but I’ve
Do you talk with him? At first he would write me messages and I would respond because it seemed innocent. Just like a
“ IF I JERK OFF AND TRY TO GO SKATE ITS POINTLESS”
fan who wants questions answered about skating and photography. But then I started to notice this transformation into a super crazy fan and I stopped responding. I still get messages. If he sees I have a tattoo, he will recreate it with pen on his arm, and put it on his Tumblr. Now he’s gonna get tattoos that I have? That is just the most frightening thing ever. But also amazing. Are there any things you took away from growing up skating with Marc Johnson? The number one thing is his work ethic. I would watch him skate and he would never give up and would try his hardest, and eventually he would do it after hours and hours and hours or even like, days. That was cool to see as a 15 or 16 year old because it was like, oh, this is how people skate. That’s how you view filming tricks. I see that a lot I see kids that are like, “I’m over it,” and just give up. And it just seems so early, like you’re giving up already? Marc is also a really intelligent and skeptical person. Even when I first met him he was like 19 or 20 but he
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already seemed like he was in his late 30’s. He always warned me about people wanting to take advantage of you, skate companies and stuff. He would always tell me about experiences that he had, just like watch your back. Because these people just want to use you for your talents and be careful. Is he Asian? He’s white. If weird Asian kids might do something like that, I would have like a little bit more of an understanding I guess, because you know how Asians are they always want to stick with Asians. I remember growing up in an Asian community and first question is always, “what kind are you?” Always this weird segregation from other races that the parents totally promote. Little secrets about what big companies really want with little kids who know how to skate. He was really smart wit that kind of stuff. Were there any long term repercussions? My dick was amputated. Nah, my wiener still works like it’s supposed to.
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Tell me about this photo and if you actually got compensation from your sponsors for the ad?
What do skaters make on average per photo incentive?
Yeah, probably about half of them did actually pay me photo incentive for that ad so that was pretty cool. It was just a joke we came up with because I was talking to Matt [Eversole] about how a lot of sponsors kinda like come down on you about putting stickers on your board and I really hate doing that. I don’t ever put stickers on my board. Some people are like billboards, and will put every sponsor on bottom of it, which I think is kinda ugly in a lot of ways. So we came up with this idea like, why don’t we just do an ad, making fun of peoples obsession with photo incentives and logos.
I can’t really speak for everyone, it’s like a couple hundred bucks but it also depends on the caliber of your sponsor and how well you can see a logo. And then there are other stipulations like if it’s on a cover, if it’s 1 page, 2 pages or a quarter page. They have these photo incentive contracts that are all written out for you. Also for different magazines you get paid different amounts. Certain magazines have higher circulation. It’s really calculated how they pay people to do that shit. It’s kind of funny, I could really make a lot more money if I just like wore logo t-shirts and put stickers on my board and stuff, but I just really hate doing it. Sorry, sponsors.
Do you get bummed out when you see friends or people whore themselves out? Oh no, I don’t really care. My friends put stickers on their board all the time and they’re just stoked on their sponsors. That’s awesome. I just don’t like the messiness, like the aesthetic of the board. It’s just too distracting to me.
So do you kinda have “madness” or ADD? I guess compared to certain people I don’t, like I don’t have any type of ritual. But one thing I do is when I’m trying a trick and walking back to the top to start again, I do have to kinda go the same way. I have to walk around polls the same way, I can’t
“ HE'S DEFINITELY THE ONE WHO WILL MOST LIKELY KILL ME ONE DAY”
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go off course. I pretty much have to do everything the same, but nothing like tap the board 3 times or anything like that. It depends how angry I am. The angrier I become the weirder I become. That’s when I start talking to myself and all sorts of stuff.
I smoked cigarettes as a little kid just here and there just like to be cool or whatever. But I didn’t really smoke until that time. That was when I immediately started smoking a pack a day, just stressing and chain smoking. I woke up on the 3rd morning and the high wore off and it’s like, oh thank you!
I just start to hate the board, my brain becomes too cluttered or something. It’s a really whiny thing to say, but I just have to have my board a certain way
Are you the type of guy that feels comfortable farting in front of their girlfriend?
Why do you smoke cigarettes? I ate too many pot brownies one night and I was high for 3 days. Like go to sleep, wake up high, go to sleep all high again. I thought my life was over, like acid trip never coming back type shit. Just imagine that feeling for 3 days, and not wanting it. When your high and you don’t want to be high, it’s the worst feeling ever. I was 21 or 22. All my friends smoked cigarettes, and I kinda just picked up the habit from all the anxiety from that experience of being retarded and eating too much weed. Now I fucking smoke cigarettes and it’s the worst.
Me and my girlfriend fart on each other all the time. I’ll send her a voicemail of me farting, and she’ll send one back. She’s pretty much the ideal woman.
Photographs by: Atiba Jefferson Editor: Nicholi Jackson Special Thanks: Rob Brink
“cherry”
Dylan Rieder | New York City
Photo by: Alexis Gross
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DILL
eam Easy JASON
Jason Dill, or quite simply Dill, does not consider himself an artist. Well, he can think what he’d like of himself, but to me, as someone that I’ve known of for decades and have known personally for a long time now, he is the epitome of art. He kind of just is art. He has a certain presence, both on and off of his skateboard, that really just makes it difficult to not watch him. And he also has a way of saying things that makes it absolutely impossible to not listen to him. Dill has recently had a book published entitled “Dream Easy” consisting of photographs he has taken, images he has made, and images he has saved. To me, this book is another example of no matter what it is that Jason Dill is doing it is done well and you simply just can’t not look at it.
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Photo by: Chris Shonting
JASON DiLL DreamEasy
TJ: When creating your mixed media or JD: I don’t make collages. If I find somecollage images, is it a lot of trial and error thing in a book or magazine that I like, or do things just kind of pop out at you and sometimes I’ll rip it out and save it for stick? Could you just tell me a little bit Fucking Awesome… As far as my photos about your creative process when making and the way I lay them out, I got all that the collages or image comparisons you do? kinda stuff from Dash. He showed me how
just can’t not look TJ: And what have you got lined up next? I JD: Thanks Todd… Umm… Uh, I don’t know you’ve been skating a shit load lately make art. I skate. I make FA. Smoke,
to fold the pages and lay them out in order
and I’ve been seeing some really rad things coffee, masturbate, sleep and repeat.
by hand, make the books and just how one
of you Dill… Got a video part in the works? I’m the fucking picture of health.
thing could go with another once you are
Art show? Stay healthy?
putting them back-to-back in book form.
Todd Jordan: How did this project come Jason Dill: Pretty much just through the into play? I feel that not many people Fucking Awesome distribution in Tokyo, know about this book because it was pubNeutron…They wanted me to do a projlished in Japan and I’m curious how it all ect, I asked them what? They said, “anycame about. Do you have a lot of images thing you want.” I figured, “Fuck it, I’ll from your past such as that one or is this do a book.” Though admittedly I am very one kind of the long lost lonely polaroid? self-conscious of my photos most of the time and have pretty much kept them to myself until now.
Jason Dill, or quite simply Dill, artist. n a f l e s der him i s n o c t o does n {19}
TJ: Lets talk about some of the other P ush JD: Its of my left wrist being set, I had images in the book. Can you tell me just broken it for the 3rd time… That’s about both of these on this spread? The in Akron, Ohio a few years ago. I rememimage on the left looks so old judging by ber that nurse being so funny. She was a the cars that are visible. Where and when bit squeamish about my arm, and not too was that taken? TJ: That photo of you and dash here is stoked on being in the shot with my broJD: Ummm… I mean sometimes. I love pretty epic if I may say so. Were times like ken arm. I love her hand and the look on the Snowman. I miss him terribly. Yea, this a regular occurrence when the two of her face… Look at that medieval contrapI remember that night/early morning TJ: T hese you got together? Do you remember that are c learly JD: 2 dif Y tion they put me in. I broke my wrist again very well. As gay as we look in that e Whe a, 2 feren re di k it t e t d yo n s. W cats, righ specific night well? u t? r u or st e ve r n int thin o the (4th time) 4 months ago. sho t photo, a girl shot it… A girl that I was som g I h m at , th e sim a ve ? I’v ey w ilar i e go mage ere t dere o s b f v r o iou sl d so m so els a seeing at the time. y m meh me o nd y urow. f my ou d A travo n n’t n d t hem I o a r m c t ally i n At like see d ua lly sh l a nt a that ot on th ead . So cats f e u sidew c ke d i m ag . a l I e k s I sh h a ve s or s US. I ot a s a fe w treet ’m gu s in t a ch i essin he l g d East . My me s ern E mot h ome urop o t he er s e e… r s re nt c e nt ly.
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ALEX OLSON ALEX OLSON The California-bred skateboarder/model/photographer on his "quarter-life crisis," Chloe Sevigny and Los Angeles versus New York
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If skaters in Venice, California, now have a skatepark to themselves, it’s still illegal to hit the decks in Venice, Italy. But on June 6, the iconic skateboarder Steve Olson, a pro-skater since he was a teenager in the 1970s, and his son Alex, whose low-key riding style similiar to is of the grace surfer Gerry Lopez brought to the water, pooled their talents in the old world.
ALEX OLSON
I’m close friends with the show’s co-curator Jacqueline Miro, wrote a piece that was distributed in conjunction with the show, bunked-up in a set of apartments that became the de facto Venice in Venice house and was there when the Olsons arrived. Inside story: Steve’s stint as house cook. He dished some fine pasta almost daily. If you’ve ever gone to Venice, Italy, and dropped the change it takes to eat out in the city, you’ll understand why his cooking abilities were an essential survival skill.
Hit the Paint in Venice
The father-and-son-team were in town for the Venice Biennale, arguably the world’s most prestigious art exhibition. Specifically, they skated as part of the opening for a show named “Venice in Venice,” in which the works of forty Venice, California artists were exhibited. By: Tibby Rothman
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Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend Steve Olson, and young Olson grew up curb surfing himself but soon became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa Monica, California, the 24 year-old American’s environment seems to have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend Steve Olson, and young Olson grew up curb surfing himself but soon became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa Monica, California, the 24 year-old American’s environment seems to have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend Steve Olson, and young Olson grew up curb surfing himself but soon became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike
Photo by: Jonze. Growing up in Santa Monica, California, the 24 year-old American’s environment seems to have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend Steve Olson, and young Olson grew up curb surfing himself but Boris Diaw soon became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards,
which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa Monica, California, the 24 year-old American’s environment seems to have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend Steve Olson, and young Olson grew up curb surfing himself but soon became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa Monica, California, the 24 year-old American’s environment seems to have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skate
board legend Steve Olson, and young Olson grew up curb surfing himself but soon became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa Monica, California, the 24 year-old American’s environment seems to have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend Steve Olson, and young Olson grew up curb surfing himself but soon became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa Monica, California, the 24 year-old American’s environment seems to have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend Steve Olson, and young Olson grew up curb surfing himself but soon became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa Monica, California, the 24 year-old American’s environment seems to have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend Steve Olson, and young Olson grew up curb surfing himself but soon became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa Monica, California, the 24 year-old American’s environment seems to have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend Steve Olson, and young Olson grew up curb surfing himself but soon became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa Monica, California, the 24 year-old American’s environment seems to have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend Steve Olson, and young Olson grew up curb surfing
himself but soon became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa Monica, California, the 24 year-old American’s environment seems to have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend Steve Olson, and young Olson grew up curb surfing himself but soon became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and proional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa Monica, California, the 24 year-old American’s environment seems to have shaped his eye ty, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend Steve Olson, and young Olson grew up curb surfing became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa
year-old American’s environment seems to have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the teve Olson, and young Olson grew up curb surfing himself but soon became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl wned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa Monica, California, the 24 year-old American’s environment seems to have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, nd his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend Steve Olson, and young Olson grew up curb surfing himself but soon became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. s for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa Monica, California, the 24 year-old American’s environment seems to have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and t up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend Steve Olson, and young Olson grew up curb surfing himself but soon became curious about photography when he tist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa Monica, California, the 24 year-old American’s environment seems to have y, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend Steve Olson, and young Olson grew up curb surfing
rious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa Monica, Californvironment seems to have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend urb surfing himself but soon became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. 4 year-old American’s environment seems to have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son grew up curb surfing himself but soon became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by 4 year-old American’s environment seems to have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son
rfing himself but soon became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. nvironment seems to have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend became curious about photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa o have shaped his eye for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend Steve Olson, and bout photography when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa Monica, California, e for creativity, both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend Steve Olson, and young Olson grew when he started hanging out with artist and professional skater Ed Templeton. Olson currently skateboards for Vans shoes is sponsored by Girl Skateboards, which is co-owned by Spike Jonze. Growing up in Santa Monica, California, the 24 year-old both in terms of skateboarding and photography. Dazed caught up with him to talk about photography, skateboarding, modeling and his quarter-life crisis. Alex Olson is the son of skateboard legend Steve Olson, and young Olson grew up curb surfing
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“Everybody was like, ‘Whoa, here’s that one guy with perfect, relaxed style. Everything about him was right. He was like how Grant Taylor is right now—the whole industry knows he’s it.”You just knew Arto was going to be one of the greatest of his generation. Greg Hunt
“He pretty much commits fully on everything he does,” says friend and teammate Dylan Rieder. “And I feel like because of where he comes from, he really had to work his a** off. "Straight up," "Arto's one of the most powerful dudes on a skateboard, who put out one of the best video parts ever." Dylan Rieder
From Finland to Flip now on his ow
n road.
Photo by: Alexis Gross
He also recently announced a big move for the New Year: He's returned to Flip skateboards, saying farewell to Alien Workshop after two-and-a-half years. "Nothing against Alien, of course," he explains. "It's a great company, really strong in that everyone stands out as their own individual. Flip is more of a pack animal and that's where my roots are, back with the guys who helped me start off. We're getting the band back together and kicking out the jams for 2011."
Greg Hunt: "Probably everyone remembers the first time they saw him skate. Arto basically came out of nowhere and was doing stuff that nobody else was doing. It was just, Holy s**t! You just knew he was going to be one of the greatest of his generation." After Arto's podium finish in Munster, Danny Way invited him to tour Canada with Plan B, Platinum, and the Red Dragons—Rick McCrank, Eric Koston, Devin Calloway, Moses Itkonen, et al. "That's when it really hit, when that
Photo by: Alexis Gross
a-half-foot deep left-hand kidney with eight-foot trannies and half a foot of vert. There would be a bit of a backyard whip to it, a miniramp-style shallow end and a sidewall bonus bubble. Plus, the works: light, death box, tile, and Golden State coping. Problem was, Arto was short on space. But not for long, says Lance. "I came back the next day and he had torn down half the garage to make more room. "It stoked me out that he was into it," he adds. "It made sense because I never
By Keith Hamm
From Finlan
Five years later, he showed up at the world championships in Munster, Germany. It was there that the virtual no-name kid from Finland scorched minds with breakt hrough skateboarding. Lance Mountain remembers: "Everybody was like, 'Whoa, here's that one guy with perfect, relaxed style. Everything about him was right. He was like how Grant Taylor is right now—the whole industry knows he's it." Adds filmer
era of jump-ramp judo airs, but Arto's vision of what skateboarding could be truly crystallized at Finland's 1993 championship event, featuring comps in street and on a hipped miniramp. "When I saw guys doing huge frontside airs and alley-oop backside grabs over the hip, I was like, 'OK, this is what skating is,'" Arto remembers. "It was full-on after that." You just knew Arto was going to be one of the greatest of his generation.
Lance Mountain caught wind early on and together they pondered a dozen shapes and sizes, finally locking in on an eight and-
"Straight up," R ieder adds, "Arto's one of the most powerful dudes on a skateboard, who put out one of the best video parts ever." The fact that Arto nearly paid the highest price to perform on the level he was producing was a big factor to securing SOTY honors. But evidently, his payment plan still carried a hefty balance. Halfway through the filming of “Really Sorry” he was laid up for ten months after snapping his PCL and mangling other ligaments in his left knee. Once back on board, Arto's skating surged again in the middle of the decade as the products of his outside interests began to surface as well, including motocycles, carpentry, and as Hunt puts it, "a deep knowledge of photo-graphy." Now he's saying the ground work for yet another blitz of progresion, both as a professional skateboarder and a 29 year old family man.
in his own backyard. But where the pigeo holing ends, the bigger picture takes shape.
plane ticket showed up," says Arto. "I was like, Holy s**t, Vancouver? I had a few grand in my pocket from that contest, which is a lot of money for a 16-yearold kid. I was supposed to start school but I decided to just take off to see what would happen. I was just tripping, fanning out on everyone. I looked up to these guys for seven years and At first glance, it may seem odd that Arto, easily now I'm supposed to go categorized as a street skater, would put a pool skate with them."
FIt all started in Arto's hometown of Seinajoki, Finland, where childhood P.E. classes included ice hockey and cross country skiing. In the late 1980s, when Arto was almost ten, he started skating on his uncle's hand-me-down supermarket lunker. By the early '90s, pressure flips had put an end to the
First things first, though. Arto’s baby daughter Ella is hungry. She’s priorit y number one. The six-foot-two regular-footer scoops up his six-month-old and heads for the kitchen. As he whips up a batch of formula, his balancing act between professional and parenting priorities seems to have found a rare piece of common ground. Just steps away, right outside the kitchen door, a brand new concrete bowl beckons.
Arto’s girlfriend Mimi gave birth to baby Ella right around the time when the concrete crew was finishing up the pool out back. Growing up in Finland, he built parking lot skateparks with his friends. But this time he wanted to step it up, to dig a hole and pour something permanent. He started talking with California Skateparks, and when his shoe sponsor Gravis decided to pitch in, the project took off.
looked at him as a street guy; I always just looked at him as a guy who could skateboard." Riding into the realm of vertical round wall, adds Lance, is a way for Arto to keep learning as a skateboarder. "It takes him, what, like two years to reach Skater of the Year? And what's next? Are you always going to be that 18-stair guy? No. You want to keep progressing all around." And these days, it looks like part of that plan means looking to his skate forefathers for inspiration. But those proper airs and inverts will have to wait a sec. Baby Ella looks at her dad. She wants another bottle. Arto's on it.
nd to Flip now on his own road.
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