Artful Dodgers was a monumental event celebrating the convergence of art, skateboarding culture, and community spirit, curated by the visionary Steve Olson. Held where Pacific Ocean Park Pier once stood, the night paid homage to the origins of skateboarding with its distinctive art and rebellious attitude.
The evening, presented by Juice Magazine in conjunction with Red Bull Origin, and sponsored by Zig-Zag, and Vibes Snacks, drew over 1,000 enthusiasts who gathered to witness a spectacular showcase. Among the featured artists were titans Jim Ganzer, Craig Stecyk III, Stacy Peralta, Steve Olson and Lance Mountain, each renowned for their profound impact on both art and skateboarding.
Attendees were treated to an exclusive experience, receiving gift bags overflowing with treasures including a limited edition zine by Juice called ‘A Westside Story’, as well as massive offerings from Zig-Zag, Vibes Snacks, Red Bull, Obey, Dogtown, Suicidal Tendencies, Vans, Made In Venice Movie, Bones, Powell Peralta, Shepard Fairey, Francesca Quintano and Mini Logo.
The event was a who’s who of the creative world, with notable artists, authors, skateboarders, musicians and surfers in attendance. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement as guests mingled and immersed themselves in good vibes, rich nostalgia, awesome art and skateboarding history.
Beyond its celebratory nature, Artful Dodgers had a philanthropic mission. A portion of the proceeds from the event benefited the Dolphin Project, underlining the community’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
Artful Dodgers was more than just an art show; it was a cultural milestone and testament to the enduring spirit of creativity and community in Venice. This historic gathering will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most legendary nights in Venice’s vibrant history.
– Words by Dan Levy
On Friday, May 31, 2024, in conjunction with Red Bull Origin, Juice Magazine proudly presented ‘Artful Dodgers’, an extraordinary art show featuring works from five titans of skateboarding culture: Jim Ganzer, Craig Stecyk III, Stacy Peralta, Steve Olson and Lance Mountain.
Steve Olson, who is widely credited for bringing the punk aesthetic to skateboarding, was the curator of this one-night-only exhibit at the Rose Room located at 6 Rose Avenue in Venice, CA, near where the Pacific Ocean Park Pier, playground to many of the Z-Boys, once stood.
Sponsored by legacy brand, Zig-Zag, who is celebrating its 145th birthday, the evening’s festivities, ran from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM, benefitting the Dolphin Project, a vital nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of dolphins worldwide.
In addition to the breathtaking art on display, the evening was electrified by the sounds provided by special guest DJ, Scott Oster, and Red Bull DJ Jacques.
‘Artful Dodgers’ offered an evening of art, music, and community spirit at the convergence of skateboarding culture and an opportunity for attendees to contribute to an important cause.
It all began with the private press preview at the Rose Room in conjunction with Red Bull Origin and Skateboarding Explained, followed by an art gang luncheon with the Artful Dodgers hosted by the California Locos, then a Zig-Zag Lounge and VIP Gifting Suite lit up with Vibes Snacks partnering with Juice Magazine to fundraise for the Dolphin Project at the Waterfront. Thanks to all involved. It truly was a night to remember.
As “Artful Dodgers” curator, Steve Olson, said “Artful Dodgers” was an art show featuring five artists… Jim Ganzer… Craig Stecyk… Stacy Peralta… Steve Olson… Lance Mountain… From all walks of life… Iconic each in their own right… The common thread being that of boardsports… Skateboarding & Surfing… As well as the making of Art… From the ‘60s, into now… Different approaches from each… Paintings to photographs to mixed media… A must see… With the will… there’s a way.”
Artful Dodgers Featured Artists:
JIM GANZER
Jim Ganzer is a Malibu surf legend and an underground LA icon. He and his group of surf friends inspired the 1978 film, Big Wednesday, written and directed by John Milius. When the Coen brothers were developing The Big Lebowski, Milius introduced them to Ganzer, who influenced Jeff Bridges’ famous character, The Dude. A graduate of Chouinard Art Institute, Jim Ganzer emerged as an artist when the surf and skate culture-inspired world was not yet a billion-dollar industry, but an afterthought in a mostly hardware-focused segment. He became the voice of the subculture in the ’80s for inventing cult garments under the brand, Jimmy’Z, combining form with function. Ganzer lives in the winding, steep hillside canyons above coastal Malibu in a true “surf shack” that is overgrown with native plant life and has many indoor/outdoor features where his art and relics of the past are stored like buried treasures in an Indiana Jones film. He has shown his art in many esteemed group and solo exhibits in California and all over the world since 1971.
“Trim, look good, pull out… Natural born ‘imagineering’… Live life, with the gusto of POW… Deal with what is dealt, cross step through life with determination… Make good with your vision, and see it through… Allow it to be yours… Let the talents given, flourish violently… In the end, the rest will see… Take a look, and let it be yours… This is JimmyZ.” – Words by Steve Olson
STACY PERALTA
Stacy Douglas Peralta (b. 1957) explores his own skate history with his new paint on paper series of contemporary works. Delving within his personal collection of ephemera Stacy mines for those intangibles that delineate the line between animate and inanimate objects. Extending and compounding on his previous accomplishments in film, skateboarding and storytelling, this artistic language is his most personal to date. A focus on the oft discarded and decaying artifacts from the birth of skateboarding and extending to overlooked city dumpsters, this collection will be debuting at the ‘Artful Dodgers’ group show, with a solo show set to open in the fall of 2024. Stacy lives, works, and still skates in California.
“I was told by my sixth grade teacher that I wasn’t going to make it in life, that I was going to flunk out of high school if I even made it that far. In eleventh grade at Venice High School, I discovered on an aptitude test that I was reading at a seventh-grade level, which forced me into a remedial reading class. At age sixteen, I was arrested for pointing a toy gun at a stranger, the crime being Disturbing the Peace. My choice made early in life to become a surfer and then a skateboarder only added to my estrangement from society; both were then considered anti-social dead-end sports with no future. How I got anywhere in life is anyone’s guess, including my own, and how I ended up with a paintbrush in my hand at this point in my life is even beyond anything even I understand. I’m known to spend up to 10 to 12 hours a day painting simply because I love the process of being alone and doing it. These paintings simply represent my hand-built skateboards that have belonged to me since the tender age of seven. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoy painting them.” – Stacy Peralta
C.R.STECYK III
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 numerous international exhibitions and his work is in the collections of the MOCA LA, the Oakland Museum of California, the National Art Gallery of New Zealand, LACMA, the King Stephen Museum in Hungary, and the Israeli National Museum.
Stecyk was involved with a number of boardsport manufacturers where glyphs he created helped to establish the graphic styles of both surfing and skateboarding. A surfboard designed and painted by Stecyk resides in the permanent archive of the Smithsonian. Other boards he designed were presented at MOMA in New York, The White House in Washington D.C. and at The Olympic Village in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
He pioneers characteristic icons such as the Lance Mountain skull, the “Vato Rat”, the Dogtown cross and the “Skate and Destroy” marks. C.R. was a writer and production designer on the Sundance award-winning documentary film Dogtown and Z-Boys and is one of the founders of Juxtapoz magazine. Stecyk has written and photographed extensively on the topics of art, surfing, skateboarding, custom car culture and obscure California history.
“Art is artifice, artifice is subterfuge, subterfuge is bending the truth, changing the dictates and trying to find new ways of doing things. That’s the essence of skateboarding. Arguably, it was once the essence of surfing, even though surfing goes back to the Stone Age. I’m just here trying to promote world peace.” – C. R. Stecyk III
STEVE OLSON
Steve Olson’s work confronts and exposes the way society constructs and imposes a traditional hierarchy of cultural values and meanings by critiquing contemporary society and our relationship with it. His body of work continues to explore power and the way economic and social forces exert that power by shaping the identities of individuals and culture.
Questioning the nature and extent of our freedoms or lack there of, his art challenges our acquiescence to authority and conventional thinking. Bold imagery, layered textures, deconstructed materials and a playful relationship between art, language and meaning gives his work a contemplative dimension beyond its visual impact.
“My art conjures up self-made style icons and gleefully trashes conventions of beauty and society while pick pocketing from the coolest underground styles and beliefs of the precious centuries…” – Steve Olson
LANCE MOUNTAIN
From Mountain to shining C, Brigade to President, Father of a son, Husband to Baby. When one plays King of the Mountain, you try to get to the top, right? But when you play the same game with Lance Mountain, it’s hard to win. Competitive, that’s an understatement. Passionate, his picture is in the dictionary. Talented, well, that’s easy. Yes. Committed, slightly, and very… ”til death do he part ways with his skateboard”… Goofy, Disney owes, know what I’m saying? Loyal, ah yeah, duh, I mean… Should he be the first man knighted in skateboarding? Just think of the way it would sound… “Sir Lance Mountain”… Off with his Head. – Words by Steve Olson
Coincidental mishaps… In cowboy star John Wayne’s former office on Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach sits Lance Mountain’s meticulous miniature recreation of the Nude Bowl. Genuine desert dust resides in its’ deep end. The English film director Peter Hamblin and his film crew are laboriously recording the aforementioned artwork for a documentary about Carissa Moore the Olympic Surfing Champion. The production is being underwritten by the Austrian based Red Bull Media House. Somehow through all of this, a convergence portal sorts out infinite dilemmas.
Elsewhere Mountain, the man, is tortuously submerged in an ice bath in preparation for an upcoming exhibition, that also involves cultural artifacts by Steve Olson, Jim Ganzer, Stacy Peralta and this writer. Are we approaching the juncture where aesthetic provocateurs are transformed into misplaced sportsmen? Is skateboarding an example of found performance art?
Lance’s oeuvre continues to advance itself. He doesn’t waste time equivocating the battle between fine art and commercial artifice. Skateboarding remains a crime in most places. Do extenuating circumstances ever invalidate or eclipse legal regulations? Is life a working laboratory or a static museum? – CR STECYK III
ARTFUL DODGERS EVENT PARTNERS:
JUICE MAGAZINE:
Since 1993, Juice Magazine has been dedicated to the core of skateboarding, surfing and punk rock with a focus on in-depth interviews by the icons of skate, surf and punk rock culture. The Juice Magazine crew includes a line-up of surf and skate legends, and the honest approach of their stories and photos make Juice Magazine more than just a magazine. Juice Magazine is committed to giving credit to the true pioneers and innovators of skateboarding, surfing and music and keeping it punk. For more information, please visit juicemagazine.com.
RED BULL ORIGIN:
Skateboarding’s origin story could not be described without mention of the sunny streets and vibrant culture of Venice Beach, California. In the 1970s, the Santa Monica/Venice Beach area (also known as Dogtown) became a breeding ground for the Z-Boys and similar groups, birthing the punk and skate subcultures that reverberate through skateboarding today. Now, in the present day, Venice remains a beacon of counterculture, drawing the next generation of skaters to its storied shores. Join us as we pay homage to the pioneers and iconic spots that have carved the way at Red Bull Origin, a challenge-focused event format set against the backdrop of iconic Venice Beach skate spots meticulously replicated for an unforgettable session. Don’t miss your chance to witness the evolution of skateboarding unfold in the very place where it all began. www.redbull.com.
ZIG-ZAG:
Zig-Zag, founded in 1879, originated in France, and has transcended into an ongoing influence in pop culture in a variety of ways. Just to name a few, one of the covers of Zig-Zag inspired an alternate cover for Eazy-E’s 1989 single We Want Eazy, which went on to inspire the album cover for The Chronic by Dr. Dre. One of the concert posters promoting a show at The Avalon Ballroom featuring Big Brother and the Holding Company with Janis Joplin was done to look like a packet of Zig-Zags. Based in Paris, in 1882 the company built the Papeterie de Gassicourt, near the town of Mantes-la-Jolie. In 1894, they invented the process of “interleaving” rolling papers. They called their papers Zig-Zag after the zigzag alternating packaging process. In 1900, Zig-Zag was awarded a gold medal at the Universal Exposition in Paris. Now the Zig-Zag Vintage Apparel Collection honors its 145-year heritage, drawing inspiration from the historic artwork featured in its booklets and ads. It includes styles influenced by the famous “Boris”, the Zig-Zag man. In the next ten years, Zig-Zag is aiming to be 100% carbon neutral through initiatives in partnership with One Tree Planted, where they are working to plant a tree for every online order over $15 they receive at https://zigzag.com. Follow them on Instagram at @zigzagworld.
DOLPHIN PROJECT:
Dolphin Project is a non-profit charitable organization, dedicated to the welfare and protection of dolphins worldwide. Founded by Richard (Ric) O’Barry on Earth Day, April 22, 1970, the organization aims to educate the public about captivity and, where feasible, retire and/or release captive dolphins. Dolphin Project has achieved many important victories for dolphins over the years and brought the world’s attention to the brutal drive hunts taking place along the coast of Taiji, Japan, as seen in the 2009 Academy Award-winning feature documentary The Cove. Dolphin Project is actively engaged in our Dolphin Sanctuary Project, which aims to rehabilitate and release captive dolphins where feasible, and to establish sanctuaries to serve as permanent homes for captive dolphins that cannot safely return to the wild. In 2019, we helped establish the world’s first and only permanent dolphin rehabilitation, release and retirement facility for formerly captive dolphins, the Umah Lumba Rehabilitation, Release and Retirement Center in Bali, Indonesia. Your support is a vital part of our campaigns to put an end to dolphin slaughter and captive exploitation worldwide. Our mission today remains the same as it did in 1970: Let’s protect dolphins together. www.dolphinproject.com. Follow Dolphin Project on Instagram @dolphin_project
PEGASUS VODKA:
Pegasus Vodka, delicately inspired by the constellations and stars, in a bottle evoking the most celestial nights, inspired by a universe of stars. This vodka is truly a delight for the senses and will be sure to please even the most discerning vodka connoisseur. Enjoy it neat or on the rocks for an unforgettable experience. The Pegasus Vodka, with its unique purity and freshness, has been designed to be the most pleasant to enjoy in all circumstances. It was born from a long work of integration of local ingredients and the latest technological innovations in distillation. From the choice of organic cereals to the incorporation of water from our drilling, including blending at low temperatures, everything has been designed to enhance terroir through technology. Learn more about Pegasus Vodka at www.pegasus-distillerie.com. Follow Pegasus on Instagram @Pegasus_Distillerie
BOXED WATER:
Boxed Water provides the purest water in the most sustainable way. Pure. Convenient. Sustainable. Saving millions of plastic bottles from our oceans yearly. Boxed Water was the first to offer a sustainable alternative to plastic water bottles, changing the way water is shipped, sold and enjoyed. The most renewable option in the water aisle: the Boxed Water carton is made from 92% renewable materials. The water is sourced close to consumers to reduce carbon footprint. All cartons are 100% recyclable, refillable, and BPA free. Boxed Water is a proud member of 1% For The Planet and a partner of the National Forest Foundation and Ocean Blue Project. Together, we’ve planted over 1 million trees and cleaned beaches from Coast to Coast. https://boxedwaterisbetter.com Follow Boxed Water on Instagram at @boxedwater
VIBES SNACKS:
Vibes Snacks set out to reinvent snacking by creating the most delicious on-the-go flavorful and fruity and sour stars reflecting the ethos of Venice Beach. A snack with not only bold flavors and just the right consistency, but with thoughtful additional ingredients that are good for your mind, body, and soul. Vibes Snacks is a snack that not only gives you more, but is better for you! Gluten Free, Vegan, Low Sugar, and Non GMO. Vibes Snacks added Amla Fruit, Elderberry, and Ashwangada, to enhance its fruity and sour snacks, with a variety of new flavors coming very soon. Finally, and importantly, with love for our planet, and marine life, Vibes Snacks is proud to partner with and support the great work of the Hawaii Wildlife Fund. For more information, please visit https://www.vibessnacks.com. Follow Vibes Snacks on Instagram @vibessnacks
ARTFUL DODGERS & CALIFORNIA LOCOS ARTISTS LUNCHEON GRACIOUSLY PROVIDED BY DAVE TOURJE
This day was also the first meet up of two art gangs: the Artful Dodgers and the California Locos with Locos ringleader Dave Tourje tossing the opening gambit by buying lunch for the Dodgers at the Waterfront to kick off the festivities and he kindly invited the press and a few good friends too.
ZIG-ZAG LOUNGE AND FUNDRAISER AT THE WATERFRONT WITH GIFTING SUITE SPONSORED BY VIBES SNACKS
As the private VIP artists and press luncheon took place inside The Waterfront patio, Zig-Zag and Vibes Snacks hosted an exclusive gifting suite complete with fundraising efforts to benefit Samantha Baglioni, Seven Adams’ mom, and the Dolphin Project. The Zig-Zag lounge featured the Juice State of Skate exhibit and with collectible and an extensive collection of rare artwork by Shepard Fairey, as well as art by VCJ on skateboards from Powell Peralta. A Steve Caballero Dragon Powell Peralta skateboard was hand-signed by Stacy Peralta and George Powell, while Jim Muir autographed a Dogtown Bigfoot board, and hand-painted two slick metal-flake paint Dogtown boards, one featuring artwork by Wes Humpston. There was also a limited edition Dogtown Ozzy Osbourne deck in the auction that was scooped up quickly. Limited edition prints were available by Jason Brown of Cycotic Youth and S.T. Tattoo while Ivan Hosoi and Christian Hosoi donated original artwork for the Samantha Baglioni fundraiser. Cris Dawson contributed limited edition posters from the Skateboarding Hall of Fame while a hand-painted skateboard by Seven Adams was also on display. Arbor Skateboards decks featuring art by Greyson Fletcher were on auction as well as Andy Anderson Powell Peralta decks personally autographed by Andy in addition to out of stock collector’s Powell Peralta Metallica skateboards. Jeff Ho donated a Zephyr skateboard and a very sought-after navy blue Zephyr Competition Team t-shirt. Jay Adams model with the original Z-Flex shape was also on display from Rob Dog’s personal collection. Artwork by Tim Jackson including a Dogtown tribute board and a piece of art in tribute to all of the Westside legacy brands was up for bid too. Powell Peralta also graciously donated a Ray Bones Rodriguez skateboard and a VCJ Ripper for the silent auction. Photography by Dan Levy featured Craig Stecyk, Jeff Ho, Devo, Suicidal Tendencies, Jesse Martinez, Bennett Harada, Leandre Sanders, Jamie Quaintance and many more was on display, in addition to hand-painted skateboards by Juice Dan. Vibes Snacks Jonathan Segal bid on and won a print of Jeff Ho while Scott Rothchild bid on and won a very rare Christian Hosoi skateboard signed by Christian to benefit Seven Adams mom, Samantha. Carver Skateboards contributed a rare C7 Yago Fire Goat 30.75″ Prebuilt Surfskate Complete which went home with a determined bidder. Some of the most brilliant art in the show was by Chloe Trujillo and Lullah Trujillo and Kevin Taylor who each hand-painted unique artwork on skateboards to raise money for the Dolphin Project, and all were won by lucky bidders to raise money for a great cause. No one left empty-handed, and VIPs rolled throughout the night. Thanks to the Waterfront and the Rose Room for the exceptional hospitality, and thanks to all involved!
