“Skate | Create: The Art of Skateboarding”

The GWC Art Gallery is pleased to present a monumental exhibition exploring the art and culture of skateboarding with “Skate | Create: The Art of Skateboarding.” This exhibition will highlight the historic and contemporary art and artists that have been contributing to this major sub-culture in Southern California since the 1960s. Skateboard culture has always gone hand-in-hand with art and design. The youth cultures of Southern California have helped this once underground sport turn into a mainstream lifestyle that is celebrated in festivals, sporting events, music, art and fashion. In the exhibition, “Skate | Create” will highlight the major artists and designers in the Southern California skate scene to explore the aesthetics, attitude, and life force of skate culture. 

Starting in the 1960s, surfboard manufacturers in Southern California realized the skateboard market was something to capitalize on, and started building skateboards that resembled small surfboards. They assembled small skateboarding teams to promote their new product lines, and people latched onto to the phenomenon immediately--Orange County especially. In the 1970s and 1980s, Orange County became a hub for this growing underground sport. Anaheim was one of the first places to house a publicly-accessed skate park, Surfer's World and also was home to other skate areas, like Sadlands, that drew hundreds of skaters from all over the Southern California area. The U.S. Open of Surfing has been taking place in Huntington Beach, aka "Surf City" for over 100 years now. The OC offered expansive space and room for growth for many surf and skate companies such as Vans, Etnies, RVCA, Volcom, Thirdchoice and Quiksilver, making this area an epicenter for skate art and culture that has continued to thrive today.

“Skate | Create” will include art by talented and respected artists such as Shepard Fairey, C.R. Stecyk III, Jeff Ho, Jason Maloney, Lance Mountain, Richard “French” Sayer, Haunted Euth, Tina St. Claire, Ed Templeton, Jules Muck, Jennie Cotterrill, Joey Belardi, Tim Shelton, Matthew Perdoni, Catherine Kaleel, Jonathan Hunter, Joshua Moreno, Art of the Endangered, Tristen Adamson, Brian Averill, and more.

“Skate | Create: The Art of Skateboarding”

Aug 26 – October 5, 2019

Opening reception: Thursday, August 29, 2019, 5-8pm

GWC Art Gallery

Golden West College

Fine Arts Building, Rm 108

15751 Gothard Street, Huntington Beach, CA