I am 18 years old and have been attending Oasis Skateboard Factory for a little bit over a month now. Before Oasis, I attended a Catholic school, which didn’t compare in any way whatsoever. The work I did at there felt unrewarding, boring, and I ended up dropping out for a while. The work I do at Oasis makes me feel motivated, is actually fun, and actually contributes to many things (the community, myself, and the program itself).
My board graphic is an owl with a mountain range in its forehead, and long antlers that take up most of the board. In between the antlers is the quote, “do not feel lonely, the entire universe is inside you”, and then my brand name, “Bear Hugs”, at the top. The quote itself is from Rumi, who is a poet, jurist, theologian, and mystic. Some of my inspirations are Shary Boyle, Edward Gory, John Kenn, and many other things – including my friends, my thoughts, movies, music, and even spontaneous bursts of discovering anonymous artwork. I want my graphic to inspire not only myself, but anyone who chooses to wonder about it. The quote is conveying the message that; scientifically, human beings are made up of the same chemicals and dusts that stars are made of, and so, we are stars. The entire universe is within us, and the universe is what I believe to be a greater power, as opposed to a God – which communicates not only a matter of presence, but existence, and existence within us.
The board’s seven layers are 100% Canadian maple, pressed via vacuum, then shaved and sanded by hand. I used about 12 stencils and layers of spray paint for this board, and then sealed it with a clear matte finish.
I’m really stoked that I spilled thoughts onto something more solid and bigger in scale than a piece of paper in my sketchbook. I feel like it could have been improved if I had taken more time, but then again, I like the simplicity and rawness of it. If milk is milk and eggs is eggs, my graphic is on the board, and the experience I had making it plays a huge part in the outcome.
