On Skateboarding, Painting, and Growing Up
Written by Anna Scott
For many people, adolescence serves as an awkward time where, at times, you just sometimes don't know what to do and you're lost in a world where everyone seems to have it all together. I especially felt this way at thirteen with a total lack of direction but an innate desire to create, explore, and experiment with the world.
When I began to learn how to navigate the world and my interests, I struggled with a need for perfection. This mindset contributed to a bad lack of motivation because I was scared to fail. It artistically paralyzed me until my aunt told me about Downtown Rochester's Deck Art contest held annually. I got into it and it lit a spark in me— an opportunity to showcase my work and grow as an artist, also an entrance into the world of skateboarding. South Street, the skate shop in Rochester Hills, sells the $20 boards that become the artwork displayed throughout the city every spring. My younger brother got involved in the contest for a couple of years, too, and got into actually riding before me (and he grew out of it... but I didn't!). We'd go to Modern Skate & Surf, where I built my first board of a deck I painted the album art for My Chemical Romance's Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge and learned how to drop in and ride the board.
Over the years, I've used skateboarding as a method of transportation, never really being interested in learning anything more than an ollie. I have greatly improved at just cruising since I first began and conquered my fear of riding, which is improvement nonetheless. These two hobbies of mine turned into passions and taught me perseverance. Since I started in 2022, I've made 6 boards and counting, a handful of my most recent being displayed in galleries among other pieces in my portfolios; my distorted self-portrait with a bloody nose and yellow teeth titled Junkhead won a Gold Key in the Scholastic Art & Writing awards in my region.
I did two boards for the Rochester Deck Art this year: The View (self-portrait) and In Your Divine Image (apples). Earlier in October, I made Bankshot, using spray paint to create ultra-graphic billiards and a textured vignette.
The art itself is inspired by the subculture of skateboarding, using high-contrast subjects and fluorescent colors to invoke the aloof, fast-paced, urban atmosphere of skate culture. Another influence is music of artists spanning many genres including grunge, punk, pop, hip-hop, reggae, and ska; I often listen to music while I work and let inspiration influence my painting. I also enjoy listening to music while I skate.
Combined, skating and painting became standard practices in my life and outlets for self-discovery and finding my place in the world. Skating taught me that I love art, and art taught me that I love skating.
I also learned through my improvement over the years that I love teaching people what I know. How cool it is to be someone who makes art, because I feel everyone is an artist in their own capacity. I love showing people how to make art, and with the support of my art community, I've decided to go into art education and pursue becoming a secondary-level art teacher. Maybe one day I'll have art students who skate and paint their boards.