In the dark

I've been working on this for a couple of days. Holidays are good for catching up on projects. This should be enough printing for awhile.

Highlights

With the "train wreck" far off in the distance in the rear view mirror it becomes easier and easier to appreciate all that is wonderful from one day to the next it seems lately.

Although a certain someone's priorities have switched from skateboarding to soccer this year, there's still the odd time where he decides to pick up his board and throw down. He has yet to land this trick, but it's interesting that he decided to put aside what he knows and go for front side ollies instead for a good hour! I think watching Jason Crolly session the ramp first had something to do with his motivation to try something big and new.

The rest of the time he's motivating himself.

In other news...who doesn't appreciate a random visit now and again? Surprise visits from friends are the best kind!

Skateboarding, soccer and great friends are all good highlights so far this week. Great weather helps make it all that much better. I grabbed this with the Blackberry tonight during a walk in the neighborhood. Nothing but glass between the kid and the sugar.

That's that!

You should have seen the other guy...

I actually don't know how the "other guy" made out, but Karl ran in to some misfortune when a bike rider and his BMX collided with Karl in the bowl not too long ago. People have been asking "Where's Karl?". Thanks to Karl keeping in touch via e-mail and keeping us up to date by submitting some photos we have the scoop...

Karl's knee was busted in the incident.

For those of you who don't know who Karl is...he's the guy who rips around the park shirtless 95% of the time. It turns out...it's not just at the park.

So the cast is off and he's getting better, but not quite ready to ride yet...so he's been keeping busy on a couple of projects that he was kind enough to share. He's finished round two of personalizing his decks with some custom flavour.

His other hobby is apparently drowning his sorrows with Stewart's Lime soda. Amazing!

Thanks Karl! Hope to see you back on the board sooner than later!

First Saturday of summer session.

Kyle often pushes himself hard. Unfortunately this time it may have been past the point of no return. No return to skateboarding for short spell anyway. Ice that ankle buddy!

Frenchie-feeble.

Aside from the injuries...one great afternoon in the sun!

Rebuild

Some Fridays start different than others.

Why do I have pictures of a girl with her bright red dress and the "girl with a pearl earring"?

...because our buddy Catrin has graduated! Not graduated from mini-ramp to vert-ramp...just high school.

After the stop off for the photo shoot we skipped on over to the ramp re-build to eat and watch people work.

Everybody took a break.

7(teenish)...too funny.

Everybody put in some work.

Committed. One great session before the sun set commenced...

...and somehow another Friday ends in Fireworks...and why not?

Not A Day Goes By - Opening Night

When Pat Lazo from the Graffiti Gallery met with me a few months ago to inform me that his idea of putting on this show in memory of our friends that have been dearly missed for the last ten years was coming to light, I was on board in a heart beat. I knew then what I knew this past Monday when I took Pat up on an offer to take a sneak peak at the installation. I knew the show itself would be overwhelming to say the least. I told myself if I saw the show on Monday I would be more prepared for seeing the show on Thursday. I was wrong.

This is by far one of the most emotional projects I have worked on to date with regards to an "art show". This show was more than just images. It was overflowing memories, new friends learning about the past, old friends getting together as well as remaking acquaintances with other old friends from the past.

I was honored to have been friends with Jai and Alana in my lifetime and I was fortunate enough to be asked to share images captured from over the years. I spent a good deal of my evening without my camera, but always remember that using it on all occasions for more than half of my life is why I have images like these to share in the first place, so I broke it out.

Jon and Harry.

Jacqueline and Sydney (all grown up).

Veronica about to share the wonderfully written, powerful and extremely beautiful speech she had prepared for the evening. Thank you.

Steve (founder of SK8 Skates) and Johnny.

OG Sk8 Skates team members Jason, Jay and Harry.

Nicole came to hang out...

...as did the "best friends"...not mine, but each others.

It's not the first time I caught Nate in action at this particular gallery.

Fred was on the scene paying his respects and showing his support.

Now that Matt's back in town I think I've seen him more in that last month, than in the last five years. He's funny...so that's a good thing.

Mr. McLean.

I rarely bump in to Dennis, so this needed to be documented...as did his bright red Green Apple hoodie.

Cliff came loaded with positive stories about good things coming our way. More on that later...thank you!

Can't have the old Sk8 Skates team in the house without some representation from the current Sk8 Skates Team!

Mr. French and OG Green Apple man Mr. B.

A wonderful show, thank you everyone...one of the best nights of my life to date.

Good intentions

I had good intentions of posting this a week ago when I first posted some shots from this series and simply forgot.

This is Rob Tibbs...

He's been working away at his photo blog and you can check it out here.

Speaking of good intentions. If you live in Winnipeg, turn your good intentions in to action and show up tomorrow night at The Graffiti Gallery for "Not a Day Goes By". That's your last official reminder!

Wheat City the video

Today was Go Skateboarding Day. I hope everyone took advantage of the daylight. I took advantage of the internet and stole Alex Doyle's latest edit from this past weekend in Brandon. Enjoy!

Wheat City

So we headed to Brandon for a few reasons this weekend. The initial reason was to wrap up a shoot that couldn't be finished last year. Another reason was to catch the official Grand Opening of the Kristopher Campbell Memorial Skate Plaza in Brandon with both RDS and SK8 Skates putting on the demo. The third reason was to have some fun.

The fun started on the ride out. I had failed an attempt to complete a brand new mixed tape that I was working on earlier in the week for the two hour drive ahead of us, so I grabbed a few handfuls of random tapes from a storage box. Many of them didn't even have labels so essentially they were like mixed tapes instead of a mixed tape.

I used to record the infamous late night program Brave New Waves on CBC radio in my teen years and it turns out those were the tapes I grabbed for the trip. 1987 Chi Pig interviews, Husker Du profiles, The Smiths, Big Black, Government Issue and so much more! A great kick start to a fun and surreal weekend. I say surreal because dipping in to Brandon's Friday "night life" is hard to put in to words and the camera was best left untouched. I'll leave it at that and start with Saturday morning...

Brandon's Plaza is situated smack dab in the middle of downtown. All was quite before 8:00am...

This is art.

I was told this roof collapsed on it's own earlier this year.

When we arrived at the park some of the early birds were already wrapping up a session which gave me some free reign to snap some pics.

Others were starting to show up to take advantage of the beautiful day...

Everyone (including myself) were getting their share of skating in prior to the demo.

The park was 100% functional since late last summer, but it only became officially open at this very moment...

That's how you "cut the ribbon"!

The city went all out for this party, including live music across the street with Rebel Yell headlining the day.

Front row seats for the demo.

Biker central.

People were spread out all over the park to catch the action.

Dirty Ghetto Kids/DGK All Day

Bob! He doesn't just skate the park..he had a hand in creating the finished product!

The line up.

Jamie Mospanchuk!

Mickey Papa

I am pretty sure this was mere seconds before Tyler had the misfortune of breaking his wrist. I would say the very beginning of the summer is the WORST time for this to happen.

The locals.

Brothers Lambert.

SK8 Skates represent.

This is Brandon not Winnipeg.

Met a photographer named Jason (I believe) who I have for sure crossed paths with over the years when visiting the Spine n' Grind in the eighties as we have pictures from some of the same demos, except he had ALL of the demos and happened to have his pictures with him. Jim Thiebeaud, Steve Caballero, Jeff Hartsel, Natas Kaupas just to name a few.

A fan of Heavy Metal at the Rebel Yell merch table

Marcela the merchandise merchant. Big hoop ear rings are a great way to grab my attention...so I asked to document said hoops!

Senate Skate Shop was on site making sure the event flowed smoothly. They did a great job!

Mission accomplished...Brandon was a blast! The end...