Cherievalenzuela pubdesign spring13 sp

ISSUE ONE SUMMER 2013 US $5.99 UK £11.99

MIKE GIANT: ETERNAL

VOLUME I M AY / J U N E 2 0 13

SCHULMAN, GRIMES, SIGNAL SNOWBOARD’S F A S H I O N S H O W, AND THE BRILLIANT MINDS BEHIND COACHELLA’S LATEST INSTALLATIONS.

THE TATTOO ARTIST TURNED GRAFFITI LEGEND TURNED CLOTHING DESIGNER TALKS TO US ABOUT HIS NEW BOOK

U S $ 5 .9 9 U K £ 1 1 .9 9 M A D E I N T H E U S PHOTOGRAPHY ROB SMITH

+ JULIUS

F O R T H E C U L T U R A L LY & V I S U A L LY D A R I N G GLANCE.COM

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table of contents

SUMMER

2013 006 giving credit where credit is due 007 letter from the editor she loves you so, so much

009 coming up for air a long overdue coachella recap

016 wish list all the glorious things you never knew you needed

022 electric youth

how to dye your hair every color of the rainbow

026 mike giant: eternal the legend himself dishes on his new book, rebel8 and the big move to LA

034 a sense of space world reknown photographer julius shulman and peter gossell sit down and talk retro architecture

018 getting a foot on the board signal snowboard puts on a fashion show displaying fidm students’ work

021 free music feat. Grimes the webby award winner herself sets the mood for summer 2013 4

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COVER: Mike Giant photographed by Alexa Chung; stylist: Mike Giant; photographer’s assistant: Sparrow Crommett; shot at 3rd and sunset in LA.

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GL A NCE

letter from the editor

BY CHERIE VALENZUELA

Creator, Founder and CEO CHERIE VALENZUELA President and Editorial Director Cherie Valenzuela Vice President and Executive Editor Cherie Valenzuela Art Director Cherie Valenzuela Writers Cherie Valenzuela, ETC ETC Photographers and Artists CheRIE VALENZUELA MIKE GIANT ETC ETC

Founding Partner Cherie Valenzuela

Creative Support CHERIE VALENZUELA Event Support CHERIE VALENZUELA

Press Mahcer CHERIE VALENZUELA Public Relations CHERIE VALENZUELA

IT CHERIE VALENZUELA

Distribution Manager CHERIE VALENZUELA Executive Director to the CEO CHERIE VALENZUELA

Operations Support CHERIE VALENZUELA

Sr. VP of Events CHERIE VALENZUELA Sr. VP Sports and Entertainment CHERIE VALENZUELA

Reservationist CHERIE VALENZUELA COD CHERIE VALENZUELA

Marketing Coordinator CHERIE VALENZUELA

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Villa Support CHERIE VALENZUELA Production Support CHERIE VALENZUELA

VIP Ambassador CHERIE VALENZUELA

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Publisher and Brand Ambassador Cherie Valenzuela

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Marketing: In House Ideas Cherie Valenzuela

Accounting CHERIE VALENZUELA

VOLUME one ISSUE one Copyright 2013. No part of Glance Magazine by Cherie V. may be reproduced in any form without prior written consent from the publisher.

Glance Magazine’s liability in the event of an error is limited to a printed correction.

Vault Magazine 933 Grattan Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015 T: 408:637-6657

“Valentines” by Cherie Valenzuela, 2012. Pen and Ink. Commissioned for the Valentine’s Day Indie Pop Show in San Francisco.

CHERIE This is the first issue of Glance, a magazine focusing primarily on people, places, drastic transitions and the beauty of hand drawn illustrations, the most influential of those being Los Angeles. I very recently moved to Los Angeles from the San Francisco Bay Area, two months ago from today actually.

A week later, I began to design Glance and gather material for it which felt like fumbling around for my keys in the dark honestly. Looking back to that point now is so bizarre to me because I feel like I’ve been here for years, and I have a somewhat clear sense of what a magazine about LA looks like because I’ve completed one.

Someone who really helped clear the fog for me was an amazing guy by the name of Mike Giant. He recently moved his clothing warehouse from San Francisco to Los Angeles and did a lecture at FIDM. He spoke a lot about positivity and trying to perceive the world around you as a constant flow of inspiration and harnessing it to work in your favor. That lecture was the first good thing of many that I experienced in Los Angeles.

The amount of life experience I’ve gained here is enormous, and the growth I’ve seen in myself as a designer, writer and even an editor reflects that. Finally, thanks for taking the time to look through this, unless you just skipped to the end like an impatient jerk.

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TRAVEL

COMING UP FOR AIR

by Morgan Odle

A long overdue recap of Coachella 2013

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Major Lazer puts on the most energetic show of alll the acts at Coachella, hands down. Coachella is only one stop on their world tour for their new album, “Free the Universe,” out in April.

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When thinking of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, headliner bands, incessant thumping of DJ sets and that everglowing sun instantly come to mind.

But as the infamous desert music festival enters its adolescence, event planner Goldenvoice continues to push the boundaries on new, innovative art installations, placing greater effort and resources into their design and selection. “We are looking for the biggest, most dramatic, creative pieces of art that we can possibly build in ten days,” says Paul Clemente, the Coachella Valley Music and Art Festival’s art director for the past eight years. “We want to blow peoples minds.”

Outside of the festival’s twin Tesla coils, which have become a staple of the event, all of this year’s main art installations were indigenous to Coachella, having never been seen prior to the two weekends of festivities. This year, Los Angeles artists -- maybe more than ever before -- continue to dominate the festival’s main areas.

Perhaps it’s a marriage that is born from proximity. But Clement, who also helmed the “Mirage” art

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project -- a life-sized mid-centurystyled Palm Springs hacienda -insists that the festival is becoming Mecca for festival artists, not just the hottest musical acts.

He entertained some 300 proposals from across the world last year for the 2013 Coachella festival, the most since the event’s inception in 1999. “[Coachella] is a great opportunity for exposure for your art, no doubt about it,” Clemente says. “We are also funding these projects 100 percent. That is very interesting for artists.” Now in its 14th year, the festival continues to expand, selling out this year in a matter of hours and playing host to 180,000 revelers over two weekends. The huge crowds, coupled with the festival’s location on the expansive Empire Polo Club in Indio, create an ideal combination of engrossed eyes and open space for large art installations, Clemente adds.

Some of the festival’s artists, like Cynthia Washburn of Poetic Kinetics, say Coachella has slowly become a must for artists looking to break into the global festival art scene. “With all the exposure here, I think Coachella is becoming as attractive for artists as it is for

Left: Grimes performs hit songs “Oblivion” and “Genesis” for a packed tent at dusk, the last show on her “Visions” tour. Her eccentric brand of electro-pop make her an artist to watch for 2013.

the musicians,” says Washburn. Her team built two installations this year, including a giant praying mantis and glistening snail. “Art has become a huge part of the festival... we are honored to be here.” Called Helix Poeticus, the slow moving, oversized invertebrate has a Twitter feed: @CoachellaSnail.

So what does it take to showcase your art at Coachella?

From a shimmering giant snail to a recycled tyrannosaurus, here’s a closer look at a few of Coachella’s Los Angeles-based artists and the stories behind their installations: To some, the thought of a giant, 30-foot-tall iridescent snail slowly inching its way toward thousands of unsuspecting people may seem menacing, even the stuff right out of a bad horror film. For the Poetic Kinetics team, however, the snail dubbed Helix Poeticus was simply a decades-long art project in the making. Built on top of one of the variable reach forklifts used to set up the festival, the 80-footlong silver-skinned mollusk is the latest edition of an idea hatched at Burningman, a popular desert celebration, in 2002. The snail dominated the horizon at this year’s Coachella, able to be seen from hundreds of yards across the polo

field and kindling uncontrollable joy from those who stumbled upon it. “We wanted to build a really large, moving sculpture for this year’s event,” says Washburn of the art company Poetic Kinetics, the art team responsible for the snail. “A moving object of this size has never been seen here at Coachella.” As if the sheer size of the Helix Poeticus wasn’t enough, the snail’s glittering canvas skin was covered in graffiti and performance-based mural art.

“We saw some photographs from an artist that had painted graffiti on live snails, and that was part of the inspiration for this snail concept,” she adds.

Along with her confidante Patrick Shearn, Washburn and her team worked for roughly two months straight to build the snail and praying mantis installations, the second of the team’s projects.

The team is also in the process of editing a video from Helix Poeticus’ point of view on the first weekend of the festival.

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homes with every light and appliance on -- behind him, Syd Klinge throws the switch on the CAUAC Twins, a pair Tesla coils set in the heart of Coachella that brought festival goers to their knees.

Generating some 5 million volts between the two, the arcs of the coils are able to connect from 40 feet, creating several awe-inspiring beams of blue colored energy. The pungent, yet indecipherable smell of ozone hovers over the installation, defining one of the marquee art pieces of the festival.

“At that voltage, it actually sets the air on fire,” Klinge says. “It’s like a lightening strike.” Klinge has been bringing his Tesla coils to the Coachella Valley Music and Art Festival for 10 years, continually building on his earlier models to provided revelers with a fresh experience.

He says he relishes the task of making his coils more efficient and powerful.

“As you would imagine, you are wrestling with much more than the visual,” Klinge says. “There is some serious engineering and technology that you have to work for and it’s been evolving.”

Klinge says he is inspired to continue bringing his coils to the festival by looking at the faces of those seeing them for the first time. “Some things just remain amazing to people. No matter how many times you see it, the coils are still incredible.”

Since the inception of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, event planners have struggled with waste problems, chiefly the disposal of recyclable materials like plastic water bottles at the conclusion of each day.

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would be knee-deep in bottles,” says Johny Amerika, creator of Recyclosauras Rex, a massive, bionic Tyrannosaurus Rex made exclusively from recyclable materials. “This project aims to stave off some of that. It aims to make recycling less of a chore and more fun for everyone there.” that lasts only a short period of time,” Clemente says.

For Clemente, “great lengths” was transplanting two 50-foot tall palm trees, planting them on the field and building a real-sized structure around them.

He also pointed to the 50,000 lbs of solid granite his team of nearly a two-dozen -- including a dozen local carpenters and a half-dozen projection operators, among others -- used as landscaping.

“People came up to this weekend and said, ‘where’d you get the fake rocks?’ And I was like, ‘naw man, they’re real,’” Clemente says.

In the waning hours of the evening, the PK-107 Mantis’ illuminated eyes are seen from a distance rising up into the dusty night sky, a photographer placed snugly in a basket between them. The second of two art installations built by the Poetic Kinetics team, the PK-107 Mantis was inspired by the group’s previous festival work, chiefly last year’s giant flower, “Solitary Inflorescence.”

“We wanted to do something a little more menacing than flowers,” Washburn says.

“We were watching praying mantises and we’re like, ‘they are really creepy.’ So we came up with this whole idea of the Mantis.”

Much like the giant snail, PK-107

Mantis was built on top of the heavy machinery used to set up the festival itself. Able to be controlled from both the ground and the man basket, the crane extends some 125 feet into the air, disturbing the night sky by cycling the colors of its LED lights.

Washburn points to the inherent personality present in heavy machinery as the reason her team decided to build on top of construction machinery.

“The work we do for festivals is purely whimsical and seeks to evoke a sense of play,” Washburn says. “We wondered how we could capitalize on this equipment that is already here and turn it into something amazing?”

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far , go together. “

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WISH LIST

A COLLECTION OF THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW YOU NEEDED.

Punk: Chaos to Couture A look at the huge impact of punk’s classic aesthetic of brutality on high fashion. Karmaloop, $9.99.

The Doomed Skull Shot Glass Your night of drinks will soon become deadly with this urban style skull designed shot glass.

Karmaloop, $9.99.

Modern Vampires of the City Vampire Weekend’s third record both celebrates sonic space and moments of silence. Karmaloop, $9.99.

I Can’t Sleep Journal A journal for passing the time when insomnia strikes and my brain is circling in on itself.

Karmaloop, $9.99.

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Giant: Eternal Mike Giant’s new book both celebrates sonic space and moments of silence.

Karmaloop, $9.99.

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getting A foot

IN THE DOOR

on the board MANI O’BRIEN

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he bold wooden sign hanging six feet high on the wall of Signal Snowboards’ factory in Huntington Beach lovingly expresses what makes the mountain accessories brand so unique, “Proudly Made in California.” FIDM Graphic Design Students Angelica Villegas (left) and Patrick Lee holding the snowboards they designed, custom built by Signal Snowboards for DEBUT 2013.

Boasting 15,786 YouTubsubscribers and more than 2 million views over the past two and a half years, Signal is celebrating its 10th year of business and has gained notoriety through ETT through which the company shows off its manufacturing process and transforms unusual materials (xylophone keys, Italian glass and Legos, for example) into one-off custom snowboards.

Through ETT, which is in its third season, Signal has developed a bulletproof board, a board equipped with solar panels to charge

"We’re breaking new ground by colliding two worlds together in such a unique way!’ electronic devices, and even a board-bicycle hybrid that allowed paralyzed former pro snowboarder Tim Ostler to get back on the slopes Made possible by Signal’s unique domestic manufacturing facility– a rare if not nonexistent practice in the industry– the show has served as a marketing tool that demonstrates the company’s commitment to innovation, which reflects the rebellious nature of the action sports industry they serve.

Fashion will be the focus of an upcoming episode of ETT, details of which will be revealed in April. In the meantime, 11 excited FIDM Graphic Design Students are thrilled to have been involved in a special industry collaboration with Signal who manufactured custom boards that will be unveiled to 10,000 people over three days at FIDM’s DEBUT Runway Show next week.

“Collaborating with FIDM has been a lot of fun.

We’re breaking new ground by colliding two worlds together in such a unique way,” says Signal’s CEO Dave Lee. “Through ETT, we are going from concept to design and onto the runway! A fun project for all involved.”

Models donning winter action sports attire designed by FIDM Advanced Fashion Design Student, Kelly Knagg, will carry the 11 boards at FIDM DEBUT, along with a special concept board that will be featured in the April episode of Signal’s ETT series. The DEBUT models will include Signal’s own team manager, Joey Yorba and pro boarder Pat Garvin.

Last week, five of the 11 graphic design students ventured to Signal Snowboards’ headquarters, located in the heart of the surf/skate/action sports apparel industry (down the street from Quiksilver/Roxy, Vans, and DC for example) to get a first-hand look at how Signal builds their boards from start to finish.

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free music

summer mixtape by grimes

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1. Doldrums / Lesser Evil

8. Mykki Blanco - Mykki Blanco and the

(It’s not out, but ive heard it and its fucking

Mutant Angels

awesome)

9. Everything Dev Hynes wrote (solange

2. Taylor Swift - Red

- losing you, sky ferreira - everything is

3. Julia Holter - Ekstasis

embarassing)

4. Lana del rey - Born to Die

10. Justin Bieber - Believe

5. Condo Man - Furnished Living

11. Ashley Ayers group - summer instagram

6. Swans - The Seer

goths

7. Anything Kitty Pryde made.

Download all of the above at Glance.com!

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Many if not most of us feel the urge, at some point, to whip out the Manic Panic or the Kool-Aid and dunk our heads in the sink. It’s the idea that, by changing our outward appearance, maybe we’ll be able to express some inward stirring that doesn’t quite make sense yet, even to ourselves.

My first experience with unnatural hair coloring was in the eighth grade. I was being bullied in school, and with my mother’s permission (I wasn’t that rebellious) I made hot-pink strips in my nearly black hair. It started an obsession, and to this day I continue to externalize any internal tumult by cutting, bleaching, and dyeing my hair.

If you’re yearning for a drastic change, here are a few tips.

by H a n n

1. Be informed.

I’m not saying write a research paper on hair dye, but do a little Googling to find out what products are most likely to get you the results you’re looking for. Some advice from Marie Robinson, the brilliant and bananas-cool owner of the salon named after her in NYC: “For great crazy-color hair dyeing at home, Punky Colour, Adore, and Manic Panic are all great products.

But there are so many other great brands out there to choose from.

Kool-Aid also stains hair very well, but only if your hair is naturally pale blonde or has been previously lightened.”

2. Be prepared.

Get everything you’ll need before you begin. According to Marie, you’ll require: “(1) Vaseline to prevent your skin from staining; (2) old towels your parents don’t care about getting stains on, and 22

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electr ic youth

ah John

Hannah in a wig

by Manic Panic, $49. Shot by Hannah herself.

son

also for covering the floor (or sink if it’s marble); (3) gloves; (4) hair clips to keep your hair sectioned so it’s easier to work with; (5) a comb or brush for detangling; (6) first-aid eye wash just in case anything gets in your eyes; and, last but not least, (7) your desired hair color!”

3. Be yourself.

This seems obvious, but always go with your gut when choosing a shade. If you’re unsure about dyeing your whole head, test things out by coloring a few small sections or just the ends.

4. Be patient.

If you have black hair, you’re probably not going to get baby-blue cotton-candy-hued hair in one step. A bleach kit, like Manic Panic’s Flash Lightning (under $12, manicpanic.biz) will have everything you need and help you get closer to your dream shade. Just follow the instructions, please.

5. Be careful.

If you’re bleaching your hair, or if your hair’s already been treated (dyed, highlighted or relaxed), do a patch test, at least, to

make sure whatever you’re about to put on your hair doesn’t destroy it. At most, go to a professional.

When should you absolutely leave it to a pro? Any time you’re “going from dark brown to light blonde or red to blonde,” says Marie. “After you achieve your desired color then ask if there is an at-home hair color formula to retouch your own roots.”

Any nice and professional hair person should help you out here!

6. Make it last.

There are loads of products available to keep dye from fading. Invest in a great deep conditioner (like ColoristCure, $55 from Osyrium.com, or Clairol’s Nice ’n Easy ColorSeal, about $4, drugstores) to help with damage and keep your color bright. Or use your faded shade as an excuse to try a new one! It’s all up to you!

I wish you the best in your hair experimentations. Please send us photos of your coolest looks!

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BY KENNETH ASH pHOTOS BY ROB SMITH

THE INTERNATIONAL ICON OF BLACK INK AND THE SELF PROCLAIMED DIRTY OLD SKATEBOARDER HIMSELF TALKS TO US ABOUT HIS NEW BOOK, ETERNAL.

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Mike Giant recently made his way to Los Angeles from San Francisco. This tattooing and graffiti legend recently gave up tattooing to focus on his illustration work and his clothing line Rebel8... We asked readers to email in a few questions for this fix gear fixture to get the interview started. Thanks to everyone who submitted one. Mike will be showing in April at Magda Danysz Gallery in Paris with Dalek.

Be on the look out for that.

Have there been any experiences that stand out concerning your art career, especially the beginning stages, that made you go “Shit... that friggen sucked.” or “Shit... that was awesome!”?

Well, on the sucky end, I’ve had more than my fair share of nonpayment and loss of artworks. Most galleries are run by morons who don’t give a fuck about selling your work. They’re way more interested in throwing an arty party every month than developing your name and collector base.

On the awesome end, after working my way up through the hacks, now I work with great galleries that don’t fuck around, and they do the job they’re supposed to. I can trust them, and they can trust me. It’s cool, but it’s a recent phenomenon.

I really don’t care about the gallery world. I’m happy making t-shirts.

I think I’ll always respect the aesthetic opinions of my fellow street-level folks more than any highbrow art world schmucks.

Any advice for people

LEFT: MIKE POSES IN A GALLERY IN SAN FRANCISCO NEXT TO SOME OF HIS OLDER WORK. PHOTO BY ROB SMITH. 28

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considering relocating or having an extended stay in the Netherlands or another European country?

It can be mad difficult to make the move, but still, I met lots of people that have been floating in Europe for decades. Don’t trip.

Remember that most nations in Europe are seeing way more immigration from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa; and those immigrants need to work, regardless of the legality.

Since I was simply making drawings in Amsterdam and e-mailing the finished graphics to the REBEL8 office here in SF, then getting regular deposits to my account in the States, I was only bringing money into their economy, not taking it out. That kept me super low on their radar, but I knew they had a paper trail of withdrawals from ATMs in Amsterdam. The best way to roll is cash money, but rolling with mad cash is a security issue.

When I spoke with Immigration and my lawyer in the Netherlands about my situation, they told me I had to open a business, which I was in no position to do, since I already have a full-time job drawing graphics for REBEL8. So I just decided to fuck it and lay low. Had I decided to stay longer, I would have just avoided flying in and out of Amsterdam. If you travel by train once you’re in Europe, it’s easier to avoid problems with customs officers since they don’t scan passports. When you get your passport scanned at airports, they can see where else you’ve been scanned and when. So, if you’re in the EU for more than 90 days, just avoid airports, until you’re ready to come back Stateside for 90 days again. Legally, it’s 90 days in the EU, then 90 days out before you can return. That’s their deal.

" The next BIG thing will simply be a remix of shit from the past , because none of us are really all that imaginative anyway.”

Also, obviously avoid the Police.

They can check you out and have your ass deported in minutes.

I always get a list from friends of people to contact in foreign cities before I get there.

They are always the most helpful They can get you settled, and let you know where the grocery stores and bike shops are. You’ll also need a chill place to stay for a few weeks while you look for an apartment.

It’s almost impossible to rent an apartment in Europe without papers or fluency in the local language, so you’re best bet is Craigslist (how I scored my houseboat). Landlords that speak English are super helpful, and you’ll find them on Craigslist.

God Bless It. You can also hire apartment finders, who generally charge one month rent to get you sorted, which is reasonable considering the nightmare of trying to deal with local landlords that don’t want the hassle of renting to a foreigner without a local bank account or work visa. Cash talks though, but you have to watch out for scams. The world is full of shady motherfuckers.

Is there a relationship between art and meditation?

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connection, it’s easy to do. When I do formal meditation practice, I simply try to let my thoughts come and go without attachment, using my breath to come back into concentration when my mind wanders. I have found great benefit in doing the same practice when I’m drawing, because it keeps me focused and light-hearted.

I used to let my mind create all kinds of hateful thoughts when I would draw, using the art making experience to further my loathing, to soak in it. But I can see now that when my mind is tense and angry, it’s horribly distracted from the simple joy that art making should always be.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to understand that my creativity runs smoother when my mind is relaxed and not caught in unwholesome thought. That was a profound breakthrough for me. I no longer see the merit in allowing unwholesome thoughts to manifest in any form. And frankly, since this enlightenment of sorts, the time I spend making art has been exponentially more surprising and inspiring.

Mike, i have been a huge fan and collector of your work. after your last trip to Australia It was great to meet you and also see your fan base grow down here. Do you think you will be planning another show here, and would you create any artwork based on Australia? I really love your architecture style illustrations, and would love to have a Mike Giant special of a Melbourne alleyway.

I would love to show in Melbourne again someday. I love it. It reminds me a lot of San Francisco great art scene, cool bars, rad people, hills, and great weed.

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I’d love to get back to Melbourne someday and bomb around on track bikes with PAM and The Serps!

I had a great time illustrating the cover of Monster Children from an architectural photo I took while I was in Sydney.

I’d love to make a drawing of a Melbourne spot. I’ll add that to my to-do list. I love drawing buildings.

I’m glad you’re feeling those ones.

When i first got into graffiti, I would often mistake your last name for Obey Giant. Is there any correlation between the two giants?

We’re old friends now. We both started hitting the streets in the late ‘80s. I took the graffiti writing culture to heart, whereas Shepard has always been about stickers and posters. In the early days, it bothered me that some people didn’t realize we were different people.

But now, it’s just an easy way to pick out the toys.

If you ever got stuck in a jail cell for a year and all you got left was two spray cans (black and white), and a deaf jail mate who can sign yet can’t speak nor hear, what would you do in that cell with them?

I’d paint something really nice in our cell with the spray paint. Maybe huff some of it. I’d learn how to sign. I think the quiet would be nice. From there, I’d probably just meditate and sleep a lot. Do some yoga. Dream about my girl...

Plagiarism has plagued your art for many years. If you could have an afternoon alone with a biter, what would you do?

Nothing. I can’t be mad at biters anymore. Being a biter is it’s own punishment. To me it just shows a lack of depth and history.

"Don't believe everything you think.”

Copycats don’t get props. OGs get props. If you don’t come with your own shit, you’re wasting your time.

Of course, taking influence from the things around you is cool, and important. Biting to me is really particular. It’s so obvious, and childish, and unenlightened.

I’ve read that you completely start over if you mess up to preserve the badassery and quality of your illustrations.

With graf there’s ways around messing up your line work, but what are some parallels that you’ve found between working with a sharpie and working with aerosol? And, is it true that they’re coming out with herb scented Mike Giant sharpies?

“Badassery”. I like that.

I just figure if someone is going to pay top dollar for one of my illustrations, it better be as perfect as I can make it. If I fuck up, fuck it. Shit happens. Try again.

I agree that it’s not too hard to fix up mistakes with spray paint, but quickness is a big part of the graffiti game, and it’s always better to nail your outline straight away so you can get the fuck on to the next spot. In that way, lining pieces can be a lot like lining with Sharpies, or even a tattoo machine. It requires a directness of concentration that can’t be faked. Precise action.

And, yes, I am working on a weed-scented Sharpie. I’ve been testing the combination in my studio for many years, and I think I’ve almost got it just right.

(Just kidding, Sharpie Corporate! kinda.)

Everybody knows hipsters, graffiti, track bikes, etc are dead and pretty much played out. Where do you see the next trend/counterculture scene headed?

Gosh, that’s harsh, Kurt.

First of all, I’m a “grandpa hipster”, and it suits me just fine. And after dedicating almost 20 years to writing graffiti, I hope it never dies. And as for track bikes, there have been hip, cocky young men and women riding them around the streets of San Francisco for over 100 years! Look it up. None of this stuff is played out, dead, or otherwise. It’s ongoing. You’ll see for yourself as you get older. The next thing will simply be a remix of shit from the past, because none of us are really all that imaginative anyway.

What would the most ultimate

job or project be for you with unlimited budget?

Right now, I’m looking for a space where I could build a small velodrome for an art project. I’m also trying to get a crew together to make an adult magazine, which could sure use some funding.

TOP: MIKE POSES IN A GALLERY IN SAN FRANCISCO NEXT TO SOME OF HIS OLDER WORK. PHOTO BY ROB SMITH.

Just wondering what advice you have for other artists who want to do a clothing company and what are the right steps in order to make it as successful as yours - not sure if you willing to share your knowledge with us? Do you make enough money doing it and do you think you’ll be doing it for the rest of your life?

Find the right business partner. To make great art, you need plenty of freedom. If I had to run the business and draw everything, it would have to be a tiny operation. Also, it wouldn’t reach as many people. REBEL8 JUNE 2013

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wouldn’t grow if my buddy Joshy wasn’t taking care of the business so I can take care of the drawings.

It’s essential.

I make enough money to be comfortable without being lazy.

I try to consciously live simply so my expenses are low. I really enjoy my present lifestyle, and I think I could ride out the rest of my life like this without regret.

Good times!

What projects are you working on? What do you have coming down the line?

Right now I’m drawing the graphics for the Winter 2009 REBEL8 collection. I’m also working on some stuff for Clark Magazine and 4130 Bicycles.

You recently moved to Los Angeles. How’s SF feel to when you used to live here before?

I lived around the Bay from ‘93 to ‘03, then returned last month. In the mid ‘90s, the City was still pretty tough. I got jumped on Upper Haight in ‘94, and robbed at gunpoint on Lower Haight a few years later. I saw lots of violence in those days. I also had lots of good times in the rave scene during the first few years here. That shit was awesome. I felt like you could feel the pulse of the City back then, for better or worse.

It feels like the City’s spirit was wounded badly during the Dot Com Boom. I watched the Loft Invasion, and it made me sad.

I saw a lot of really rad people leave the City during those years.

Some, like myself, split for the East Bay, which had a thriving scene.

It feels like SF is just now starting to come back around. I can feel the creative flow coming back, the grit. I’m hopeful that Obama can help lead us to better times, filled with more love, and less greed and corruption. Let’s go, 32

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people!

We know you practice meditation... Are there any centers here in SF you go to or do you just do it at home?

I like to sit with the Urban Dharma group on Fridays when my buddy Vinny is teaching. He’s great. Other than that, I don’t sit with a group in SF regularly, but I’m looking. I’ve done a few retreats at Spirit Rock in Marin, and I really recommend it. The retreat experience is the real deal, and Spirit Rock is a great place to do it.

As a lifestyle, I sit informally here and there throughout the day as need be to calm my mind, and practice Mindfulness as much as possible otherwise. Also, I’m offering a regular meditation practice every Wednesday evening at Dolores Park at 7pm, starting again on January 7th. I will post more info about it on the REBEL8 blog. I’ve had a few meetings already, and I look forward to offering it again.

Inspirations growing up in art and other fields?

Girly magazines from the 70s, BMX Plus!, Thrasher, Big Brother, Charles Burns comic books, heavy metal album covers and tour shirts, The Warriors, Wild Style, H-Street, Blind, Metallica, Public Enemy, KRS One, and on and on and on...

You used to work at Think doing graphics way back in the day.

How did you end up working in skateboarding and any interest in skating anymore?

I rode skateboards every day from ‘85 to ‘97. After that, I rolled around occasionally until about ‘03, had a gnarly injury, and gave it up. I still have a lot of love for skateboarding. I love watching the new videos, and I still like to

for skateboarding. I love watching the new videos, and I still like to check out the new decks at DLX or FTC. Skating rules. Always will.

I got the job at Think after I sent them some examples of my work. I sold them a few graphics while I was still going to college in New Mexico in ‘93, and they offered me a fulltime job later that year. I was psyched! That job set a lot of great shit in motion.

Words to live by?

“Don’t believe everything you think.” (I saw it on a bumper sticker, but it’s good).

TOP, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: “SKULL” BY MIKE GIANT, “FLASH ART” BY MIKE GIANT, “FTP” BY MIKE GIANT, “FLESH” BY MIKE GIANT, “CAT” BY MIKE GIANT. PHOTOS BY ROB SMITH. JUNE 2013

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A SENSE OF S P A C E WRITTEN BY PETER GOSSELL PHOTOS BY JULIUS SHULMAN

Photographer Julius Shulman’s photography spread California Mid-century modern around the world. Carefully composed and artfully lighted, his images promoted not only new approaches to home design but also the ideal of idyllic California living — a sunny, suburban lifestyle played out in sleek, spacious, lowslung homes featuring ample glass, pools and patios.

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OUR SPRING INTERACTIVE TABLET EDITION IS NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH ITUNES If you have an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch you really need to check out Glance magazine as an enhanced tablet edition. Our Spring 2013 Mike Giant issue is flying off the shelves but luckily our virtual newsstands will always remain stocked!

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