Mark Kushimi has an opening at the Human Imagination in Honolulu, Hawaii featuring photographs of Jef Hartsel (that's Hartsel riding his EZ Ryder Koa complete below) amongst other notables.  Mark was part of the Solitary Arts, "A Product Of Design" show in Culver City last September.  If you're in Hawaii, please check out his opening and say, "Hello" to Mark for us in person! You can also see what Mark does on his day-to-day as the Editor-in-Chief over at Contrast Magazine. 

Steve MacDonald sent this care-package below, days after my head-snapping concussion.  Steve was the only guy present when it happened and had front-row seats since he was on the top-deck.  Damn pool coping... love it but unforgiving, as it should be!  Thanks to Steve for the ABC ramp print, the all-over quarter-pipe shirt and the sticker/button pack.  I'm almost back, Steve... we'll sesh again soon. Mahalo!

Anthony Masters came by the SA office yesterday with a Steve MacDonald designed tattoo adorned on his forearm.  I saw it before when he first got it but only made the connection when I saw Steve's setup below. I took the photo of Steve's board the day of the smack-down.  Thanks to both guys for allowing me to connect the dots, again... 

Rod in Hawaii handscreened his own Shakas x Alohas tees and sent one my way.  Very thankful and I'll be wearing this at the next BBQ for sure. Mahalo! 

I'm really stoked on the Allister Lee x ATLAS decks.  Each of the two decks in this artist series is signed and numbered in an edition of 50 and comes with an original piece of art, shrink-wrapped with each deck.  Get them at Atlas Skateboarding in San Mateo and check-out the fine installation that Allister and the Atlas crew setup in their shop. Up until March 12, 2012.  Mahalo to Allister and to Ryen, Mike and Nick at ATLAS! 

ATLAS SKATEBOARDING
209 2nd Ave.
San Mateo, CA 94401
Tel: 650.401.7110

Decks are also available at Equal Dist., where you'll find Allister Lee's infamous 500 Marker Poster as well as original artwork inspired by his love and expertise in the dark-arts.

Talk about a well-curated skateboard shop...!  Allister Lee also designed the ATLAS shop-decks shown below. 

Mahalo from the Solitary Arts to Shawn Connolly, Bob Schmelzer (Circle A) and everyone else involved in making, "Nights Of The Black Eggs" video! 

BLACK EGGS!

Shawn is co-founder of SF Skate Club.  I've seen a lot of kids that have gone through his program and over the years, develop as some of the best kids, not only on their boards, but with their confidence and decorum.  Plus, they're always having a good time! He is truly helping to shape kids into better people.  Find out more by clicking on the image below. 

Thanks to both Nato and Makoto at Maxwell Distribution for their shared support and for putting this into action!

Ken Goto came through and snapped photos of both Geoff McFetridge (in LA) and myself for the Solitary Arts for Issue 09 of SLIDER Magazine out of Japan. 

The cover for this issue of SLIDER is the classic J. Grant Brittain photo-cover from Transworld (June 1987) of Tod Swank.  Issue 09 features 6 luminaries in skateboarding photography and a photo retrospective of their works, along with a 20 page article on Tommy Guerrero, Ray Barbee, Matt Rodriguez, and Chuck Treece's (BLKTOP Project) most recent tour of Japan, all shot by Goto.  You can order it through their site as it's well worth it. Comes with a nice calendar too!  

Click below on the image to head over to SLIDER Magazine's site. They've got a web banner that includes both Geoff McFetridge and Yong-Ki Chang, shot by Andrew Paynter. Thanks Andrew!

My good friend, Porous Walker (Jimmy DiMarcellis) is 1/3 of the art department for Francis Ford Coppola's latest film, TWIXT.  

For TWIXT sc. 83, members of Twixt’s tiny tiny Art Dept, (Jimmy DiMarcellis, David Hopp, and John Paul Goorjian) will be rebuilding the set of the film’s dramatic climax sequence, scene 83. The center of the gallery will feature a remake and stand-alone installation of the film’s clock tower, shown in the film as an impromptu 3D experience.  Also on display from Twixt, will be bat and birdhouses from Nice, California artist John Hathaway, whose front yard/gallery/shop “The Woodpecker”, was a key set in the film. TWIXT sc. 83 will also feature a series of other pieces from the film’s set department that were found around different locations in Northern California and in the Coppola archives, as well as behind the scenes and set photography by the film’s executive producer, Anahid Nazarian and Set Photographer, Kalman Mueller. The gallery will run trailers of the film, along with other enhancements to bring Twixt’s horror scenes to life. 

Mark Kushimi sent a stack of the latest Contrast Magazine, issue 07 and within its pages, a full-page Solitary Arts ad, along with a double spread of Jef Hartsel (holding his EZ-Ryder Koa Complete) and an editorial-photo of Connor McGivern, who's rocking the SA Moon sticker on his top-deck. Mahalo to Kushimi!

Thanks to Bobby Asato for the t-shirt, print and "freeyermind" photo-book.  Bobby's been instrumental with graphical assistance and helped with the Kenny Brimer x Bad Brains awareness-raiser shirt as well as other shirts I've worked on with Tommy Guerrero in the past. Check-out Bobby's site Bland Brand as well as his myamericana photo page for some goodness from Hawaii. 

Mahalo's to Nao and HUF for the HAZE care-package!  Slightly-shapely and sits nicely at 8.25" x 31.75".  

Tommy Guerrero gave me a nice stack of his, Ray Barbee and Chuck Treece's BLACK CHALK 7" Vinyl Flexi's upon return from their recent Japan tour.  The 7" flexi's originally came with Tommy's 20th Anniversary REAL deck released over this past Summer.  

You can get the vinyl flexi's now at Equal Dist. for $3.50, which includes shipping within the U.S.!  

Also, if you're in San Francisco on December 15, 2011, Tommy is once again doing good for the SF FOOD BANK at Cafe Du Nord.  

As many of you know, we're proud to use ACE TRUCKS exclusively on our personal setups (Jef Hartsel, Bob Lake, Geoff McFetridge, and Yong-Ki Chang at the Solitary Arts all ride ACE's).   Today, we're honored to offer you 7 various sizes in the ACE family from 00's to 66's!  Thanks to Shrewgy and Joey Tershay for their constant support.  

Geoff McFetridge created a Solitary Arts x ACE TRUCK MFG shirt in celebration.  Handmade on 100% organic cotton shirts with water-based ink.  Fits like an American Apparel shirt but these are organic Econscious shirts that we used for this run.  Check our Mini Skate Shop for the trucks and our T-Shirt Shop for these very limited, hand-screened tee's.  

I went to visit my friend, Todd Francis a few weeks ago while he was in town working on a mural for the Oakley store on Market Street in San Francisco.  Needless to say, Todd is an amazing artist and has been named in the current TOP TEN SKATEBOARD ARTISTS' list of workhorses in skateboarding (Todd is Number 5)!  Check out all available artwork from Todd Francis at his site and at the Equal Dist. shop.  

Thanks to my friend Rene Matthyssen, co-owner at FITTED Hawaii for the care-package... A team shirt, an "Aloha Served Daily" sticker and their newest lighter pack.  Mele Kalikimaka! 

Rod at Blue Hawaii told me about, "Tiny Bubbles" an opening for artist, Russ Pope this coming Friday, December 9, 2011 at their Kalihi location with sponsors STANCE and Shakas & Alohas amongst others.  

Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 6-9PM in New York at The Vans DQM General on Grand Street with photographs from MOFO, C.R. Stecyk III, Lance Dawes, and Tobin Yelland.   

Jai Tanju made a mini-movie, inspired by the Curb Thief graphic for the Solitary Arts, by Geoff McFetridge.  You get a chance to see where the thief is heading with his prized curb... Mahalo Jai! 

Also, Bob Lake was getting a session at Portrero a week ago and witnessed this permanent Curb Thief below!

We have some of our shirts left in sizes Small and XLarge but have made a special pack with 1.5" circle-cut stickers made by Duane Lamb of Silverline Prepress, in San Francisco. Go to our Mini Skate Shop and get a set of 4 stickers for $3, which includes shipping worldwide.