I just found this over on Vimeo same time as last weeks Alva post.
C. R. Stecyk III is a multimedia artist widely acknowledged as a major influence within the genres of graffiti and street art. He has participated in more than 300 international exhibitions and his work is included in a number of public collections. A surfboard shaped and painted by Stecyk resides in the permanent archive of the Smithsonian. He was also a writer and production designer on the Sundance award-winning documentary film Dogtown and Z-Boys.
Stecyk co-founded the innovative Zephyr atelier, where the boards he painted for individuals such as Skip Engblom, Miki Dora, Jay Adams, Jeff Ho, Tony Alva and Joel Tudor helped to establish the graphic styles of both surfing and skateboarding.
Stecyk lives and works in Ocean Park, CA.
Directed by Felipe Lima
Production Support from Susanne Melanie Berry & Ashley Fenton
Music by David Lantzman & Andrew Miller
Thanks Michael Leon, Colby Poster Printing Co.
Stecyk and I last Novemeber - photo by Randy Dodson
BONUS: Never released Stecyk scene "rough cut" from the DogTown and Z-Boys Documentary:
This clip is a very rough cut of a deleted segment from the Z-Boys documentary that talks about the original DogTown articles that C.R. Stecyk III wrote for the original SkateBoarder magazine. It begins with some material that will be familiar to those who have seen the film, in it's rough cut form, but then goes on to show various quotes from the stories and an entire scene that is an homage to the DogTown godfather Craig Stecyk that was cut from the film. Craig Stecyk is the reason the DogTown Z-Boys became famous. Stecyk is the one who wrote the stories and took some of the very first photos of the Z-Boys that were seen across the globe. His words inspired legions and helped shape skateboarding into the sport/art it is known as to this day. Those interviewed in this clip include Craig Stecyk, Henry Rollins, Jeff Ament, Ian MacKaye, Glen E. Friedman, Marc Reiter, Stacy Peralta, Nathan Pratt, Jake Phelps (Thrasher magazine), Fran Richards (Transworld magazine). This is the roots of skateboarding.
Hi Glen
ReplyDeleteI would appreciate your input as primary research for my dissertation. I am a mature student studying Graphic Design at Leeds College of Art in the UK. I am undertaking a critical analysis of Vans the brand from its authentic roots in the USA in 1966 through their association with the subcultural Zephyr skateboarders to mass consumption in the late seventies/ early eighties. Right though to the hyperreal world it now occupies; made in Vietnam but appealing to today's youth culture through its California/surfer/skater roots.
I have watched the Dogtown and Z-boys documentary and also read Skateboarding, Space and the City by Iain Borden. I cant get hold of any archive copies online of Skateboarder which I am sure would also help.
The reason for contacting you is your association with the Zephyr team and skateboarding. Although I know the Zephyr team started wearing a uniform of Levis, blue vans and blue t shirts for entering competitions I cant find the real trigger for Skateboarders wearing Vans or indeed the year it actually started.
Was it the association with Surfing/the sea? I have found stuff about their 'usability' ie the waffle grip sole. I also notice the original Vans store is in Anaheim only 40 miles from Venice Beach. Was there some other link? Did the guys know anyone at Vans, for example before they started paying the team to wear the shoes after Off the Wall? Or was it pure Youth Culture happening in California at the time.... a signifier.
Any facts or ideas which you would like to contribute at this time would be greatly appreciated.
Best regards
Lisa Whitaker
you can send an email via my website contact page so i can reach you back, perhaps then i could help you a little bit. we'll see.
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