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• Ed Bell
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When skateboarding experienced its second big boom in the early '80s, one of the main draws was the advent of actual art on the bottoms of the decks. Suddenly skaters could express their personalities through their signature models, and young kids became aware of the visceral power of art, all while working on their kick flips. Flash forward 30 years, and even people who never skated are entranced by the tall 'n' skinny dimensions of the skate deck as a possible canvas. Ed Bell of St. Charles' Threshold Tattoo has organized an exhibition of skate-deck art entitled Bridging the Gap. More than 100 hand-painted decks created by artists from across the world will be on display from noon to midnight at Ramp Riders Skate Park (2324 Salena Street; www.skatedeckartshow.com). The all-day affair features skateboarding and BMX demos, raffles and many of the local artists (a lot of people you'll recognize from the area's finer tattoo parlors) presenting their submissions. Admission is free for spectators, and if history is any indicator, you'll need your liability waiver, a helmet and $10 when the show inspires you to skate.
Sat., March 12, 2011