Young, Dumb, and Rad

I've been actively pursuing a career in the arts for well over a decade now, and when I look back on the past ten plus years, the things that make me smile the most are the friendships I've made along the way. And one of my most favorite art friends that I've had the pleasure to buddy down with is a dude named Jeremy Fish.

I first saw Jeremy's work in Thrasher magazine in 1999 when he was a senior in college (and when I was also a senior in college), and I was totally bummed, because I saw some pretty major similarities in our illustration techniques and chosen imagery. Which, looking back on it now, isn't all that surprising. We're only five months apart in age and we both grew up with almost exactly the same interests and artistic influences. Skateboarding, art, rap music, Dr. Seuss, Maurice Sendak, Richard Scarry, Jim Phillips, Victor Courtland Johnson, Todd Francis, Sean Cliver, Marc McKee… (insert more nostalgic stuff here). We also both grew up in an internet-less age so there was very little likelihood that we would have known about each other without actually meeting or having mutual friends. Weird concept nowadays.

Anyway, when I first saw Jeremy's work I was really concerned. Essentially, there was already a dude out there drawing images similar to mine, except he was doing it better than me, and he was already being recognized for it. I thought I was doomed. But rather than crawl into a corner and cry, I followed Jeremy's work very closely and tried to make my own imagery different enough that nobody would confuse the two. Although, to be honest, if somebody told me today that my work looked like Jeremy Fish's I'd be honored. Because I love the dude.

I bring this up because Jeremy happens to be in Austin this week, and I live in Austin. So, like, we're totally bro'ing down, bros. Jeremy flew down here to paint over a mural I painted (jerk) and while he was here he also stole my thunder and did a Print Addiction party at Industry Print Shop. Seriously, dude. Get your own ideas…

I forgot to bring my camera to the Print Addiction party, but Bart Kibbe was kind enough to send me some images he shot of the event. Thanks, Bart.

And here's some in-progress photos of the mural that Jeremy is painting while he's in town. You can read more about the Frank art wall in this previous column if you're so inclined.

I met up with Jeremy yesterday while he was working on his mural and threw out the idea of doing a quick five-question email interview to accompany these photos. He said he was into it. So last night around midnight we started emailing back and forth and very quickly compiled a fairly proper interview instead of a quick surface-level Q & A.

So here's an interview with Jeremy Fish that I'm pretty stoked on.

I read an interview with you recently where you mentioned you were glad you've moved beyond skateboarding with your art career. I completely understand the desire to continue to grow professionally as well as artistically as you get older, but do you think a statement like that alienates your earliest followers? Or do you even care since skateboarders don't buy art? Or was the quote out of context? Or am I totally remembering the whole thing wrong?
I am super sad if that statement was at all misinterpreted. First off, I am eternally grateful to skateboarding for having any "career" in art whatsoever. I wouldn't be where I am if it weren't for Jah skateshop, Printime, Think skateboards, DLX, and High Speed Productions. What I meant in the interview you read is I am happy to also have an audience outside of the skateboard community. To be able to have shows in galleries and museums is beyond my wildest dreams. I am proud and stoked to have shows in skate shops, bookstores, and smaller galleries, and would be sad to think exposing my artwork to other people in different venues would alienate me from skateboarders. I still do board graphics occasionally, but I am 38 years old, skate like a fat pear troll on wheels, and don't feel as in touch with young skateboard dudes as I did years ago. From 2001-2008 I made over 300 skateboard graphics, and I'm more proud of that than any art show I've ever had.

Well put. As I get older I find myself continually more alienated from contemporary skateboard culture as well. I love it more than ever, but sometimes I feel like the old dude at the dance club. That being said, what advice (in three sentences or less) would you give to the 16-year-old art kid lurking out there who is destined to replace both of us in the world of skateboard art/graphics.
I would say "Fuck yeah, dude. Get yours, son." Contributing to the culture that helped make you who you are has the greatest rewards. Fuck money, fuck art—make T-shirts for your homies, and board graphics… whatever. Just make stuff, put it out there, MAKE IT ORIGINAL, and enjoy being young, dumb, and rad. Because someday you will have 20 kids and a peg-leg. Live it up, mutherfuckers.

I'm sure there are a handful of old skate nerds out there (like myself) who are reading this and wondering what the nail in the coffin was for you in terms of not focusing your energy solely within skateboarding. I'm sure that when The Unbelievers folded you were crushed. Did you ever consider trying to jump back in the skateboard game and roll the dice on your own dollar? Or were you just over it at that point? I only ask because I think your skateboard graphics were awesome and I miss seeing them regularly.
The Unbelievers was like that ex-girlfriend you will never forget. For me and Scott it was a labor of love, and when it ended I was totally at peace with skateboarding. Scott Bourne is my favorite skateboarder of all time. Our friendship and collaboration was what made that company special. When I think about my regrets in skateboarding, they tend to be more about not bombing 17th street without putting my foot down, and never ollieing the four at Wallenberg. But regrets grow grey hairs, so fuck that shit.

Opportunities in the "fine art" world started to unfold as the Unbelievers folded, and I tried to hustle and just kept things moving. My "art" career has unfolded fairly organically, so I tend to walk through doors that open, as opposed to knocking on doors with lofty goals.

Could you really have ollied the four at Wallenburg in your prime?
No fucking way in hell. But I wanted to do that more than I wanted to graduate from art school. I would have traded my soul to be more radical on my skateboard. Instead I blew my knee out and broke my ankle.

What year did you move to San Francisco? Did you move there mainly because of skateboarding, or were you already aware of the "Mission School" art movement that was happening?
1994. I moved there because of skateboarding, SFAI, and Barry McGee. He had just done the cover of SLAP, and it made me want to move to SF.

Was it difficult for you to explain to your professors what "skateboard art" meant at the time? It seems like if you're a skate kid in college right now, you could just loan your professor your copy of the Beautiful Losers documentary. I remember getting some really confused looks from my professors when mentioning anything about skateboarding back in the 90s. They just looked at me like I was a sweet little idiot child.
I never actually said "skateboard art" at SFAI for fear of being laughed at. I mostly was just making art, and skateboarding in the meantime. It was something I respected and admired so much. Sean Cliver, Mark Mckee, Pushead, Jim Phillips, Andy Howell, Phil Frost, Thomas Campbell… they all had a huge impact I couldn't explain to my professors at that time.

I don't think I ever actually used the term "skateboard art" for the same reason, but anytime I tried to explain where my influences were coming from I got really weird blank stares. Speaking of skateboard art, do you ever paint on skateboards anymore? Or do you feel like that concept has been bastardized beyond belief?

***Note: At this point in the interview it was 1:54AM and Jeremy stopped replying to my emails and text messages. I'm guessing he went to sleep. But, in his defense, this was one of the last text messages that I received from him:

"Hot Dogs, Bacon Infused Whiskey, Lone Star, and Sunburn. If I moved here I would be dead in 6 months. Respect."

Like I said, I love that dude.

P.S. if you don't know who Jeremy Fish is, just do a Google image search for "Jeremy Fish art" and be all like, "Ohhh yeah, I know that dude."

Next Week: Denver Revisited

Previously - Generations Bridged

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