Yesterday I had my boy FATSOH do a piece for our new tradeshow booth for Vegas. He layed it down with a quickness and I took some pics for the cult to glimpse. Big up FTS!!!

Letter to Barack Obama  from Alice Walker 

Nov. 5, 2008

Dear Brother Obama,

You have  no idea, really, of how profound this moment is for us. Us being the  black people of the Southern United States. You think you know,  because you are thoughtful, and you have studied our history. But seeing you deliver the torch so many others before you carried, year after year, decade after decade, century after century, only to be  struck down before igniting the flame of justice and of law, is almost more than the heart can bear. And yet, this observation is not intended to burden you, for you are of a different time, and, indeed, because of all the relay runners before you, North America is a different place. It is really only to say: Well done. We knew, through all the generations, that you were with us, in us, the best  of the spirit of Africa and of the Americas. Knowing this, that you would actually appear, someday, was part of our strength. Seeing you take your rightful place, based solely on your wisdom, stamina and character, is a balm for the weary warriors of hope, previously only sung about.

I would advise you to remember that you did not create the disaster that the world is experiencing, and you alone are not responsible for bringing the world back to balance. A primary responsibility that you do have, however, is to cultivate happiness in your own life. To make a schedule that permits sufficient time of rest and play with your gorgeous wife and lovely  daughters. And so on. One gathers that your family is large. We are used to seeing men in the White House soon become juiceless and as white-haired as the building; we notice their wives and children looking strained and stressed. They soon have smiles so lacking in joy that they remind us of scissors. This is no way to lead. Nor does your family deserve this fate. One way of thinking about all this is: It is so bad now that there is no excuse not to relax. From your happy, relaxed state, you can model real success, which is all that so many people in the world really want. They may buy endless cars and houses and furs and gobble up all the attention and space they can manage, or barely manage, but this is because it is not yet clear to them that success is truly an inside job. That it is within the reach of almost everyone.

I would further advise you not to take on other people’s enemies. Most damage that others do to us is out of fear, humiliation and pain. Those feelings occur in all of us, not just in those of us who profess a certain religious or racial  devotion. We must learn actually not to have enemies, but only confused adversaries who are ourselves in disguise. It is understood by all that you are commander in chief of the United States and are sworn to protect our beloved country; this we understand, completely. However, as my mother used to say, quoting a Bible with which I often fought, “hate the sin, but love the sinner.” There  must be no more crushing of whole communities, no more torture, no more dehumanizing as a means of ruling a people’s spirit. This has  already happened to people of color, poor people, women, children. We see where this leads, where it has led.

A good  model of how to “work with the enemy” internally is presented by the  Dalai Lama, in his endless caretaking of his soul as he confronts the Chinese government that invaded Tibet. Because, finally, it is the soul that must be preserved, if one is to remain a credible leader. All else might be lost; but when the soul dies, the connection to earth, to peoples, to animals, to rivers, to mountain ranges, purple and majestic, also   dies. And your smile, with which we watch you do gracious battle with unjust characterizations, distortions and lies, is that expression of healthy self-worth, spirit and soul, that, kept happy and free and relaxed, can find an answering smile in all of us, lighting our way, and brightening the  world.

We are the ones we have been waiting for.

In Peace and Joy,

Alice  Walker

While home for the holidays this year I couldn’t help but notice an over abundunce of cameras littering the road sides here in the greater Phoenix area.  They even have cameras now that have speed sensors and take your photo when you speed past them. I don’t have all the facts but people around here seem to be outraged, just another reminder that big brother is always watching. Here is a nice holiday clip of a group of santas spreading some holiday cheer.

We’ve had a fun weekend hitting all the major hills around Seattle after the epic snow started dumping. Duffy, Lem, Stephanie, Alli and I threw snowballs, skitched behind trucks, and scared the neighbors. Here are a few pics of the fun times.

It’s been snowing in Seattle. Aly Lenon spotted these amazing sculptures made out of snow on people’s car windows.  made by pressing into the snow with faces and bodies.

Randa is a girl with a seriously possitive outlook on life and how things can all change in the matter of seconds.

Randa was coaching at Hood last summer on day one, when she set her line at a jump near the bottom and went for it. She overshot it in a bad way and broke her neck… Her life and lively hood changed in a second.

Talking to Randa about the experience, I realized that she is one strong lady and was determined to come back and continue to snowboard, but also learn about herself through this life changing injury.

We are so glad she has recovered fully… let’s go ride some soft POWDER!

Roll down to evo in Fremont this Thursday night and finish up your x-mas shopping. Lots of local artist will be creating limited edition stuff to auction off. Spacecraft’s own Ryan Davis and Stefan Hofmann will be creating pieces along with 200 other local artists. Hope to see you all down there. Check out the flyer.

Redbull has had it’s hands into some surreal projects over the years and carries some of the most gifted athletes on planet earth. Spacecraft was honored to be commissioned by Redbull to create an instillation for the Redbull suite at Quest Field. Spacecraft artists, (Stefan Hofmann, Ryan Davis and Duffy) stepped away from their computers, pulled out the wheat paste and paint brushes and went to work on a two sided mind bender that is sure to turn more heads than our slumping sports team here in Seattle. Thanks to Redbull and Dave Goto for trusting us to decorate their baller room.

click here to see

Here’s a pretty sweet little edit including our homie Scott Fuller. If you enjoyed Fresh Fish, here’s Refresh.

DIGBMX.COM EXCLUSIVE: REFRESH EDIT >>

The guts of the NW Spacecraft Rabbit discovered a new way to print images.

Here is the mix: 4 parts party liquid, (making sure that there is a fair mix between beer, hard liquor and wine coolers) 2 parts sweat, a large sharpie marker and ending the night on a linoleum floor.

It was discovered by the Rabbit, that if you spend hours in the Rabbit suit with the above formula, dehydrate yourself, get drawn on and then “fall asleep” on a wet surface, you can transfer images permanently.

You must be 21 years or older to attempt, and we suggest that you don’t. Also remember that the image will print in reverse and you will impress no one, except me.

Thank you Rabbit for making us smile by going the extra mile.

All About (B)Us

Get on the Bus

Put yourself on a bus full of young people and experience first-hand the revival of hope and energy in Washington politics. It’s not just any bus, of course. It’s the Washington Bus. And on any given Saturday it rolls into a town somewhere in our state, full of volunteers eager to work for positive change. The Bus provides a platform for young people to make their voices heard on issues that speak directly to our shared values: health, education, fairness, peace and prosperity.

This spirit of civic engagement is turning an unresponsive system into something that reflects the values of young people all around Washington. The Bus is developing leaders by helping them catch the buzz that comes from making a difference. Believe it. Or, better yet, be a part of it. Donate your time and skill. Contribute cash to help the Bus make stops in every corner of our state. Get on board and exact change!

Young people power

Don’t let statistics about youth voting fool you into believing that younger Americans don’t care about their future or their world. Roughly 40 percent of today’s 15- to 25-year olds volunteer in their communities. With all that competes for their time, that’s a very hopeful number.

The Bus exists to inject some of what is found in other volunteer opportunities into politics: fun, friends, festivity and the sense that everyone matters.

And it makes a huge difference: when 60 Washington Bus volunteers drop in on a county council race that has never seen so much support, the energy is palpable. And that feeling builds on itself. People who start the day as volunteers end it as agents of change. We see it happening. It’s magic.

www.washingtonbus.org

scotty just sent us his pics of his early morning surf today, killing it as usual.

Awesome!

ok i have this friend that loves to jump; she will jump anything, cars, snowboards motorcycles .. you get the picture.  the other day i finally posted up on one of her favorite spots that she hits from time to time // in her serously souped car, check the photo its out of hand.it its in sane.

The Danimal has been traveling all over the US this month.  He has been spotted shredding at Boreal on a Saturday in California, and then spotted the following Monday behind the wheel of front end loader in New Mexico.

Dan was spotted in Boulder Colorado over thanksgiving weekend; skateboarding and going to dance parties with friends.

We recently checked in with the Danimal who had this to say;  “I find myself with my people doing my sort of thing, Skating, Snowboarding, and partying. But at no time do I allow myself to not be myself. I really enjoy the freedom I let myself have, it’s like I’m not jailed to a certain identity, so I don’t have to feel bad in situation that are not prime for me. I love life.”

We at Spacecraft are inspired by Dan’s adventures, energy, and love of live.  We hope to hear more from the Danimal soon!

We were forwarded this nice photo of Gwen’s 2 year old, “Kingston” wearing a new Spacecraft beanie. Thanks for the support Gwen.

INNATE is a fresh shop in Bellingham WA that is run by creative humans that live it. If you are in B-ham this Friday, go check out the shop and the new art from Joe Briggs. Time, Light, Love is the theme of the show. Get there.

I have seen John in the Cascade mountains since I was a little grom and he was a grommet. John allways seemed shy and had a smile on his face. We had seen each other 100’s of times, but really never met until we hiked the Arm at Mt. Baker together while the Spacecraft crew did a little work bonding trip. That hike and that run was one I really remember and may have been the best day of the season for me. John is super nice and writes cool things for Frequency… other than that John can ride a shred stick pretty dang swell. Holy Oly shot by: Ed Herbold

Langer... going NW with his method

A Banked Slalom fixture

Check out the action!!

Isaac jibbing a b-ham death trap

Ay YO! Check this gnarly skimboarding out!

Bellingham is known for many things; snowboarding, mountain biking, and etc. etc. Skimboarding is one activity that many non-residents and residents alike may have overlooked.

Emile over a cone

The “beaches” in Bellingham provide the perfect medium for an adaptation of skimboarding you may not have known about. Skimboarders can be found in Bellingham Bay exploiting the many tide pools that are left as the tide recedes. The bay has no “official” access point but if you do a bit of exploring there are a few easy spots to access the beach.

richard sliding a muddy bank

When the snow is gone, and the skatepark is too crowded, grab the board you bought when you were 10 and go jib some logs!

Submitted by the spacecraft intern (sliding the bank)

More info on skimboarding

Whoa!

New Zealand’s Rob Thomson recently completed an 850-day, 7,555-mile journey on retro-fitted distance longboard through the USA, Europe, and China. On his two and a half year journey he wore through three pairs of shoes and three complete longboards. His travels were executed on a $15,000 budget…not bad for almost three years of traveling.

Rob Thomson and his longboard

In his travels Rob pushed through 124 degree deserts, busy cities, snowy mountain passes and just about every variety of concrete (or lack of) imaginable. With nothing but his skateboard, tent, and a limited supply of food and water, Rob relied on the generosity of the a long the way for food shelter and company. When asked what he missed most when traveling Rob said “Pushing across massive high passes, camping in the middle of deserts, even when I was spewing my guts out on the side of a deserted road due to food poisoning (that happened a couple of times). At the times when things were the toughest, I felt like that’s exactly where I wanted to be.”

Rob’s story is pretty amazing. He expended most of his net worth seeing the world and plans to write a book about his travels. Check out some of his travels at Rob Thomson’s Vimeo.

Part Nine - Guinness World Record Skateboard Journey from Rob Thomson on Vimeo.

paste projects.  love up

LG Action sports came to town a little while back, and had some lame action sports events with rollerblading and such. The only cool thing they lined up was a Pennywise concert that Saturday night. Most people have learned that you can’t have an event here in Seattle without the possibility of a giant rabbit magically appearing, and LG is no exception.

Next thing you know I am in the bowels of Key Arena and being rushed backstage, then onstage and… well the pictures say it all.

Go straight ahead. It’s your f**king life!

I made a journey 12 miles south of Canada in search of the spot where Lib Tech’s are made and retailers convert their trailer into PA boutiques. You can get your wood needs handled in more ways than one, from snowboard cores made at Mervin to neatly stacked assortments of fire wood for sale in the parking lot of the trailer below. Below is a visual of my adventure…

A PA retailer looking to be a Spacecraft dealer

The boys at Mervin are big fans of Lil Bush

Capitalism hard at work

I left my business card for Mervin

Somehow Spacecraft and Lib will collide

Thanks for the tour Mervin... that

the end is near

When did stickering first become a medium for your art?

So I have always loved stickers, I remember being in day care on a walk down this alley and there was this old ghetto blaster in the trash and it was covered in stickers, I tried to climb in the dumpster to get it but they wouldn’t let me I pleaded with her and my mother after day care no one really got it,  damn I still wish I could have gotten that ghetto blaster. 
     Stickers really became a medium of expression in art school, I was studying sculpture at the time, I was spending the winters in the mountains snowboarding coming back at night to work in the studio, it was an amazing time working on art and riding everyday,  up in the mountains where I was spending all my time there was this old broken down snow cat in the parking lot, located right where you pop out of the backcountry, the backcountry is where we would hike and ride amazing lines in 3 feet of snow with friends for years this went down and that cat was parked there the whole time I kept seeing it and ended up taking some pictures of it, I was doing a lot of photography at the time for school. I started making stickers at kinkos to put around the school, I was using the image of the snow cat, at the time I was fasenated  with the idea that an image or object could if delt with correctly  imbue the viewer with the intent of the original idea, so I was making all these snocat stickers and plastering the city in hopes of bringing the magic of the mountains down. Over time the image of the snow cat became a label to set a lot of graphic work on.  

What was it about the sticker that attracted you as an artist?

I guess I have always just loved stickers, I grew up skateboarding, all through those years I collected the sticker art coming out of the culture at that time, I think what attracts me the most about stickers as a medium is there ability to have a kind of mobilized narrative taking place, the idea that you will see these graphic indicators relating to specific thoughts or stories that can be encountered spontaneously.  I work hard on creating tons of designs each year with interwoven stories and concepts I consider profound, I want to place these stories externally in hopes of motivating inspiring, protesting, laughing, etc.  .. I guess the interaction of these things is what I love, stickers are inexpensive they can be mass produced and distributed internationally. To me this subverts the classic language of galleries and brings an opportunity to interact and speak to a larger audience.  

The designs are insane, what are some of your inspirations, and how do you
come up with such a vast quantity of different designs?

Thank you for the props, the sticker designs come from everywhere, they are a way of working out design ideas and gestures, narratives etc.. It’s a place to jam on design and afford to get it out.  

How many different sticker designs do you come out with each year?

This year there were probably around 150 different designs produced

is the sticker sheet, the main focus of your sticker art? If so how is it
different than all the others?

The sticker sheets are a place to spotlight artists and people.  The gallery sheet works from the idea of a traveling show, it features artists from around the world, a kind of mobile gallery with the art making its way off  the sheets in to the world.  The all star sheet focus’s on people doing extraordinary things; riders like Mikey Basich with his self portraits of riding, or captain America Jones with his world record shallow dives; complete with flaming cape and rattle snakes in the pool, raising millions for charity and expanding the scope of human endurance and perceptions.          The sticker sheets are a way of interacting with the cultural mythologies of today, the specs on the sticker sheets are 15 inch by 18 inch laminated kiss cut, full color off set, vinyl.       

In what ways have you been pushing sticker design? I.E. the metal stickers
and the huge cobra stickers etc etc etc

We made some cool engraved stickers this year they look like small trophy plaques with super adhesive on back, they have been good for doors they look to good no one removes them, the gold plated ones look awesome.  We also made large road signs and reflective stickers for them and attached them with liquid nails and roto hammers to several hundred sings from Canada to California focusing on mountain resort areas, another good one, we found this amazing shop in Bangkok that sells sticker blanks ready-made designs, the most insane stuff you can imagine giant flourcent panthers and cobras, medusa skulls, stuff you could never afford to make, something that belongs air brushed on a t top camaro hood,  serious stuff, we hand pick around ten thousand each year and add more graphics and silk screens to them. We have had a couple gallery shows with gigantic [7feet tall]  sticker sheets printed up that was super fun.     

What came first the sticker or Bali?

The stickers came first, from kinkos and a friend,  who owns STICKER SPOT .COM, during art school I always made a lot of stickers and sent them everywhere.