We wanted to keep the auction process as simple as possible, while ensuring as many people got a chance to view and bid on these items. So we are hosting the auction on our Facebook page, to bid go to www.facebook.com/calgaryskateboarding. There you will find detailed pictures of each board and artist bios.
The rules of the auction are simple all boards start with a bidding price of $40 & bid prices need to be made in a minimum of $5 increments. This means the first bidder can bid $40, then the 2nd bidder would bid $45 or higher & the next bidder needs to be $5 higher than the last bid. Bids will be made in the comment fields so please check the most recent bid before bidding and make sure you outbid it by $5 as a bid not $5 higher than the last bid will be disregarded. All auctions close Monday March 11th at Midnight. As comments are time stamped only bids made before the end of the auction will be accepted.
Please help support Calgary skateboarding by bidding on these items and/or sharing these items on your Facebook page for more potential bidders can view them.
All winners will receive as an added bonus a free CASE T-shirt. Winners will be contacted by CASE and can pay for their item via PayPal or with cash. Thanks for participating and happy bidding.
If you would like to view the boards in person Mission Skate & Snow has generously donated wall space in their downtown location at (616 17 Ave SW). Boards will be on display for the length of the auction so please go there to check them out as well as all the other great items Mission has to offer.
Artschool is a Calgary-based skateboard company. They are going into their 5th season. The company is highly art focused and strives to promote and progress art, artists and skateboarding in local Canadian communities.
Artschool was started like many other companies; on a napkin over a couple of beers. Read on to learn more:
Mark Kowalchuk and Jeff Talbot (both long time skateboarders) were discussing their growing 80s skateboard collections and how the modern skateboard art is more about the marketing and less about the art. Jeff made an off the cuff remark that they should start their own deck company with an oldschool feel. Mark was already lending his art to a few snowboard and skateboard companies so the idea was a perfect fit.
Jeff: We didn’t know where to get the wood pressed or how to promote a company. We didn’t have a team or even a company name yet, but somehow we had just started a skateboard company. Mark grabbed a napkin and the sharpie he always carries and started sketching out some ideas. I made a comment about the ET shirt he was wearing and that it might look cool to have Jesus peddling the bike and Buddha in the basket. Five minutes later we had our first graphic. Five day later Denis Lebel agreed to be on the team and thanks to Mark’s connections at SBC, they announced the start of Artschool Skateboards. We were then lucky enough to add 4 more riders to the team: Jeff Kent, Brad McCoy, Reuben Bullock and Ryan Hall. All this before a single skateboard was pressed.
Mark:
7 yrs ago I was designing graphics on t-shirts calling them Artschool and working as an artist for snowboard companies.
Who is pressing AS now?
Jeff: it seemed like we here changing manufacturers every few months in the beginning. Its tough to get good service when you are pressing 1000 boards a season instead of 100 000. 2 years ago we were in a really tough spot with our supplier basically going out of business. I called every manufacturer in North America, I never thought Schmitt Stix would even answer the phone, they press most of the boards you see on every skate shop wall. They bailed us out of a tough spot, getting us our order in 2 weeks.
Mark: Schmitt Stix has been making boards since the beginning of skateboarding. They press a lot of big name brands that are known for the best quality.
Who is on the Team?
Mark: Our riders all come from Alberta. Half of our team now lives and skates in Vancouver. Denis Lebel, Jeff Kent, Brad McCoy, Steve Rohl, Ty Klassen, Ryan Hall, Reuban Bullock, Jeff Muirhead, Cam Lynch and Darcy Tran and Austin Jensen are on the flow team.
Jeff: Our Team Manager is Erica Jacobs. She is good at picking out the right fit for the team. We try to get riders with a positive attitude. Jay is our rep and has been helping us out a lot this year especially since he already has such great relationship with shops across Canada. Joey has been working on getting us more involved out east as well. People that want to try to grow and help the team and other skaters progress, we pretty much just look for people that we actually want to hang-out with.
What artists have worked with AS?
Jeff: For the first couple years Mark did all of the art, it is amazing the talent and ideas that come from that guys mind. He is very well respected within that community for good reason.
Mark: In season 3 we wanted to start using the company to promote more local Canadian artists. We have been lucky enough to have artists like Matel, Darren Camplin, TJ Schneider, Zema, Carl White, Dan Curtis and even Canadian pro skater Corey Sheppard.
I’ve noticed Mark your graphic this year is sick graphic you colab with Andres Friden, is that right?
Mark: Yeah sort of, I’m a huge fan of ‘In Flames’ a Swedish metal band and lead singer Anders Friden has been using me to do some shirt designs over the last year and he is a big fan of skating so we worked on my this years graphic together I painted the lyrics on the deck and he added the text. Recently I just finished a CD single album cover for them
Artschool has also worked with musician/ pro-snowboarder Trevor Andrew?
Mark: That’s right. Last year we did two different special release limited coffin cruiser decks for ‘Trouble Gang’, Trevor’s band. Trevor, besides being a pro snowboarder and musician, is an accomplished skater as well. We plan to work more with him in the future on some collab decks.
Jeff: Trevor has been a big supporter of Mark’s art and Artschool Skateboards. When I first saw him skate I was expecting him to be good, but he was the kind of good that makes you not want to miss the next trick. We should put him on the team!
Jeff: I think some of the raddest things I could have ever imagined are happening in skateboarding today, I see the things that are being done on a skateboard right now and it all seems like a video game. But 2013 also kind of makes me mourn the “skateboarding subculture” that used to exist. In the 80’s (really the 80s? wtf) we used to fight with city councils just to get a place to put a few wood ramps, always hoping that someday that there would be as many skateparks as ball parks. We aren’t there yet, but now that this is starting to happen in some ways it has unavoidably backfired. More parks, means more skaters, means more corporate interest which is actually a great thing for furthering the sport and bringing money to events and helping skaters and skateboarding go to another level. But now we also have big corporations buying up all the companies and box stores pushing out the local core shops. There aren’t skateboarders running these corporations, so that translates into skateboarding not being run by skateboarders anymore.
Mark: As far as the scene and art of skating I think there is a full circle. I see veteran skaters popping up more and more. Companies re-issuing old graphics. Companies playing off old classic skate art. It seems like finally what made skating cool in the beginning is becoming cool again, which I think we always were about so for me that kinda makes me feel like we are on the right track.Or maybe we are totally off track but who cares its still fun to create stuff.
Where do you want AS to be?
Jeff: In the future we want to keep supporting the local skateboard scene and highlighting Canadian art and artists. Try to support Canadian skate community especially in the rural areas. And hopefully in the short term to work with CASE to get an indoor facility in Calgary. We want to keep being involved with the City of Calgary, we did a design-a-deck program last year through the city and likely will again, and keep sponsoring the skate camp. At the end of the day its just fun to be involved and we want to be as much as possible.
You have likely seen a lot more guys riding and wearing Urban Ambush gear lately. UA (Urbun Ambush) is really supporting Calgary skateboard and art talent. As CASE is about all things Calgary and skateboarding we took a moment to sit down and ask Robert Aguirre a few questions about Urban Ambush. Also check out this quick clip of their newest rider Chad Baker doing a nollie fullcab inward 540 heelflip. Yikes, it is pretty crazy and they are calling it the bazooka flip.
1. Please give me a little history on Urban Ambush as well as your involvement?
Karim worked on Graphics for Barry Walsh when he was on True North and then after True North went of business. Karim and Barry Walsh started Urban Ambush because they wanted to continue working together and making their own stuff. Barry Walsh recently left Urban Ambush to ride for Creation. In Jan 2012, I started as a team rider and shortly after that I became partners with Karim. In 2012, I started hooking up for Calgary riders and artists. I still am a team rider but I am also the Team Manager and co-owner.
2. UA has a lot of Calgary riders what is the connection to Calgary?
Karim lived in Calgary before he moved to Montreal. He started Urban Ambush in Montreal but always had a connection to Calgary. Once I became involved that connection has grown stronger with the addition of more Calgary riders and artists.
3. Are there any local shops skaters can get the boards or gear at?
Mission in Calgary and Borderline in Lethbridge are currently carrying our products and the Source is planning on carrying them in 2013. Head down to their shops and show them some support as they are supporting us. We are constantly expanding the places that carry Urban Ambush so if you are not able to find it at your local shop ask them to carry it or connect with me and I will let you know where to find our stuff.
4. You guys are filming a lot is there a video coming out or a place people can check the footage?
We are constantly updating the Urban Ambush website http://urbanambush.com/ with video content and also on the watch for a full UA video in 2013.
5. Does UA have any events planned coming up?
Summer is coming to an end but be on the watch for Urban Ambush at any of the upcoming local skate events. Also look for the video and some bigger events in 2013.
6. What do you see for the future of UA?
The Urban Ambush crew of local and Montreal based skaters and artists are constantly strengthening. We are supporting them as riders and artists and as they grow so does Urban Ambush. We are working on a new series of eight board graphics with Calgary artists and looking to expand our clothing line.
7. Any message you want to get out?
I just want to thank everyone who has supported us and everyone that is involved with Urban Ambush. Look for our stuff at Mission and Borderline. Big thanks to our local team riders Steve Zeeb, Eddie Merrier, Joe Buffalo, Kevin Low, Chad baker, Steve Rohl and all the MTL riders as well. Thanks to our local artists Tele Asencio, Lee-Anne Kennedy & Teika Hudson (See Eddie’s Board for her great work). Blackbird Electric Custom Tattoo artists Jay Slinger, Garrett Price and Max Gerchikov. Also thanks to Kyle Pellerin for filming and photo, Zev and Circa for their support and a big thanks to Paulo Diogo for introducing me to Karim. Look for some great things to come out of Calgary and Urban Ambush!
Once again it’s time for Fuse Fest, Calgary’s street culture festival. On Saturday, September 8th there will be a series of skate-related events, including a clover bowl jam, youth jam, girls clinic, and best trick. It’s all happening at Shaw Millennium Park. Check/click the poster for more details:
