Skateparks…Art?

“Devoid of their usual inhabitants, the skate parks dotting the stretches of California are alone works of art in the eyes of photographer Amir Zaki.

His new photo-book, California Concrete: A Landscape of Skateparks, features Zaki’s photos of 12 major skate parks throughout the Golden State. The brutalist structures that emerge at these sites, from San Jose’s Cunningham Lake to Linda Vista in San Diego, fill a void in landscape photography and capture a pivotal cultural moment.” Click here to read the rest of the article.

Colorado Skatepark Tour with Annie Guglia

“We joined Annie for a few days to show her running around and shredding some of Colorado’s best skateparks. Between the sessions and hanging with old friends, Annie and Alexis head off the grid to cook, camp, and breathe some of that quality Rocky Mountain fresh air. As we followed her journey and listened to her perspective, we slowly understood that this sixth sense is very much realistic if you remain passionate and inspired.” Click here to read the rest of the article.

Canadian Skaters are Gearing Up

“We have a national event series that’s happening in Canada this year, for the first time it’s like a new pathway to becoming an Olympic athlete,” Guglia said to CTV’s Your Morning. Read the rest of the article here.

Jeff Grosso: On Vert Ramps

When did the transition from concrete parks to wooden ramps occur?
It was between 1980 and 1984. A four-year timespan. A year in skateboarding is a long fucking time. It was kind of sad for all of us, out here in my world. The skateparks were our babysitters, it’s where we grew up. We spent a lot of time there. You’re either in the streets, street skating, at somebody’s back yard ramp or if you were fortunate enough, you were at the skateboard park on the weekends. It was sad because all of the stuff was going away but it was also kind of empowering. A lot of people were dropping out and growing up, going to school, getting jobs and moving on with of their lives. The rest of us were left to fend for ourselves, to figure out what we wanted to do with it. I was fortunate enough to grow up near Lance Mountain so we started riding Lance’s a lot.” Read the rest of the article here.

Shreddin’ Lines and Intelligent Designs

“She’s {Alexis Sablone} an architect, illustrator, and all-round experimental designer, who has grown as one of skateboarding’s most competitively decorated women. She’s designed skateable sculptures in Sweden, spoken on conference panels in London, and put her artistic mark on brands who sponsor her.” Read the rest of the article here.

Montreal Skaters Light Up The Olympic Stadium’s New Bowl

“Once the competition ends, the Vans Skatepark will be free for skaters of all levels — and that’s a good thing for Montreal, says local pro Annie Guglia who is busy training for Tokyo.”

“It’s crazy to think that this is in Montreal, right next to the Olympic Stadium,” she said. “This is the best terrain park we have in Canada.” Read the rest of the article here.