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Olson Art in the Making: “High Noon”

Steve Olson, the ultimate jack of all trades, is at it again. In between surfing and skating with his bros, creating new skateboard graphics for Santa Cruz, making a video commercial for Milk Studio’s MADE music project, introducing his own signature Independent truck (again), playing bass in a new band called the 169ers (with Salba, Pineapple and Brian Brannon) and doing interviews for Juice Magazine, he has been making incredible works of art.

For the last few months, Olson has been quietly brewing up a one-of-a-kind skate sculpture to adorn the new Grindline park at Spring Park in Houston, TX (the largest skatepark in the United States at 78,000 square feet) due to open on Oct 17, 2014. Entitled, “High Noon” the final piece will be riding a steel full pipe that will be permanently displayed at the skatepark. In the vein of the legendary Duke Kahanamoku sculpture that graces the shores of Hawaii, Olson’s innovative bronze skate sculpture is sure to spark a new era of permanent tributes to skateboarding worldwide.

By hand-shaping the foundation of the structure, Olson brought this monumental piece to life by profiling the natural movement and agility of a skateboarder, as only a real skateboarder could. Steve transformed traditional chicken wire and Plaster of Paris to construct the base of the form, while adding depth and authenticity to the piece by including his own jacket and Chuck Taylor All Stars that he wore for his cover shot of Juice [#71] double truck grinding Arto’s bowl.

The sculpture has a flowing feel with the bold and striking body language of the skater taking you to the heights of being inverted and barreling through a full pipe at top speed. The dramatic detail of the frame and contrasting smoothness of the bronze create a delicate balance of perfection. The organic lines of its shape will draw you in and mesmerize you while inspiring you to jump on your board and skate. Steve Olson is the epitome of a contemporary artisan with an endless supply of ideas that will always make you wish you’d thought of it first.

[*Olson would like to thank Shawn McKinney, who assisted in the endeavor, as well as Robert and the good folks at Artisan Bronze Foundry in Oxnard.]

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mitchlandry,jjstraub,olson,joshporter
Mitch Landry, JJ Straub, Steve Olson and Josh Porter with Olson’s completed skate sculpture “High Noon”.

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3 Responses

  1. Good going Steve!! Congrat’s on the commission! Hopefully there will be more to come! Remember to check out the Mole Bowl (google earth: 28 Tango Rd. 87506), just 20 minutes north of Joe Leim’s Skate School next time your in New Mexico! Also can do your smaller waxes in cast lead crystal here at my home studio/business. Sincerely, Richie Mole

  2. Bronze in motion looks as fast as the real thing. This is going world wide Steve’s ahead of the curve. Skateboard art and thank you to Juice Magazine for the report. Award winning results. Andy Kalik Venice CA

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