[ JAPANESE / ENGLISH ]

Special thanks_BRIXTON JAPAN

VHSMAG (V)：　First, what have you been up to lately? What does a typical day look like for you these days?

Ryan Townley (R)：　I’ve been skating a lot actually and getting ready for some trips that are coming up this year. Working on a video with a team announcement that will coincide with an article for Thrasher. I also got married a few weeks ago so it's been a very special month.
　As for a typical day my wife Delaney and I get up fairly early, I do a 15 minute stretch before taking our dog Blue to the park. Get home and workout, make a smoothie and go skate a park for a bit then either go to a spot to try a trick or come home and work on an art piece if I have a project going, do some stuff around the house, take Blue back out and hang with Delaney. Then have dinner and that’s about it (Laughs). Pretty mundane stuff.

V：　So you recently got married, congratulations! Has marriage changed the way you approach life, your mindset, skateboarding, art, or creativity in general?

R：　I did! Thank you! I guess I could say my mindset has changed a little bit. I think about the future more, how I can continue to skate at a professional level while also staying curious about what I will transition into after life as a pro skater. My wife and I both want kids eventually so we talk about what that looks like. As of right now though I feel really good and motivated to skate so I’ve been pretty consumed with projects and trips that are coming up.

V：　If you had to describe your skating right now in just a few words, how would you characterize it?

R：　Hmm that’s a really hard question to answer about yourself. I guess I would say blue collar (Laughs). I have to constantly work pretty restlessly for everything I do in skating.

V：　As you've gotten older and gained more experience, has what you look for in skateboarding changed compared to when you were younger?

R：　It's always changing, I would say when you’re younger you are just hoping someone will take a chance on you whether that be a sponsor or someone taking you on a trip. I would say now I feel more of a personal responsibility to push myself and show the brands that support me that I care and am trying to skate the best that I can while showing mutual support for one another.

V：　Have there been any skaters or video projects lately that have particularly inspired you?

R：　I’ve always been a fan of Benny Maglinao so seeing the videos he puts out are inspiring with the music choice, art direction and with how it all goes together with the skateboarding he’s documenting. I like the Laand crew as a newer generation, you can tell that that crew is very thoughtful with what they are producing.

V：　You've been riding for Brixton for about two years now. What is it about the brand that appeals to you?

R：　Brixton appeals to me because they are a brand that not only focuses on skateboarding but worlds that also coincide together whether that be art, music, or surfing. It's a heritage brand and I like how they support a lot of the things that exist within the creative sphere.

V：　Is there a particular experience you've had with Brixton that stands out in your memory?

R：　We all went out to Cabo once for a summer shoot, that was just fun because we all got to hang and party at a house on the beach (laughs). A lot different than punishing your body on a typical skate/ film trip.

V：　Do they support you not only as a skateboarder but also as an artist?

R：　They do, like I said in a previous question they value interests in not only being a skateboarder but also what the skater does outside of just skateboarding. It’s really great to work with a brand that supports and values who you are beyond just skateboarding.

V：　Your recent collage work stands apart from what many people typically imagine when they think of collage, especially through your use of resin to create three-dimensional pieces. What first inspired you to experiment with that approach?

R：　I've always been interested in different forms of art, I grew up drawing and painting and I’ve been creating collage work for years. During covid I kept seeing people work with resin in different forms and was curious to see if I could incorporate it with the collage work I do. I went down a rabbit hole of trial and error and just self taught myself what worked and what didn’t.

V：　From gathering materials to the finished piece, what does your creative process look like?

R：　I think it's more of a feeling, I will start digging through the books and magazines I’ve collected over the years and start cutting things out. I can start to get a general idea of what I will want the piece to look like. It's a different kind of process because you have to work backwards with the depth the pieces have so sometimes I will draw out what I want in the background or the shapes and borders and how to bring the piece to fruition.

V：　When looking at your work, it feels like there's a balance between chance and control. During the creative process, which of those elements do you tend to lean into more?

R：　I would say in the beginning it was definitely a chance because I was still learning the process of the epoxy resin, but now I know how to work with it so I have more control over the process. I guess there is still a chance in finding good images to use or what will work together.

V：　Do you find any similarities between making skate videos, searching for spots, and creating artwork?

R：　I do, what I can relate to skating and the work I create is in skateboarding you are constantly looking for a spot that will compliment the trick you want to do or vice versa, and with the pieces I create it's similar because I will find and image I want to use then I will be digging through more magazines and books to find images or colors that will work together or what I've envisioned the piece will look like.

V：　Is there a difference between what you want to express as an artist and what you want to express as a skateboarder?

R：　It's hard to say, I guess I hope that it expresses that a lot of time and effort has gone into the work I create and the skating I try to put out.

V：　Of the works you've created recently, is there one that feels especially meaningful to you?

R：　I recently was included in a group show my friend Aaron Jupin curated. The piece I made for that one was special because I made a custom shaped piece for it and I was really happy with how it came out. Aaron and I grew up together so it was kind of one of those all encompassing moments to be involved in a show with each other.

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V：　Out of all the video parts you've released over the years, which one means the most to you, and why?

R：　I would say my first real video part in Fetish. I figured out the skating I wanted to do and really pushed myself to put out a part I was proud of, I learned that spots are just as important as the trick that is done at them and I worked for tricks harder than I ever have prior to that. I felt like it set me up to understand how to go about video parts moving forward. It was also my first part to have premiered at a theater with my friends and family there. That one was special.

V：　You left Welcome. At this stage in your life, what do you look for in a team or the people you surround yourself with?

R：　Yeah I did. What I look for are people that are dedicated to caring about the ethos of skateboarding. Video parts, going on trips, and doing events like demos or video premieres, being involved with the community of skateboarding and what makes it so special. Going to shops and distributors and having human interaction with the people that sell your product and the kids that buy the brands. I do understand that social media is also very important but with doing all of the things I just mentioned they can all go hand in hand and compliment each other. All of those things can also be distributed into social media content. I feel like sometimes brands will only focus on one thing such as social media or numbers and I know it's a valuable asset to contribute to I also think it's very important to work on projects that showcase quality skateboarding with the artistry of it being documented well into a video that has an art direction and a brand identity.

V：　How do you view the process of leaving a team you've been part of for many years and stepping into a new environment?

R：　It was a strange feeling, but with everything in life you change as a person as do the people that run the brand. I had very special times with Welcome and the people who ran the brand and I am beyond grateful and thankful for the opportunity I was given at the company. I turned pro with them and I can’t thank them enough for that. 10 years is a long time with a brand, people came and went and direction was different so we both understood that we wanted different things.
　As for stepping into a new environment I think I needed it, I've already been friends with people involved in the brand I am going to and it felt like everything that was presented to me I aligned with so it has felt very natural transition and it has given me a spark that I've wanted for a long time. I’m also grateful to have this opportunity with the brand and that they wanted me to be a part of the team. I’ve been really excited and inspired to be involved with them

V：　Without getting ahead of any announcements, is there anything you can share about your current sponsor situation or future team plans? People have noticed you riding a particular brand board on Instagram.

R：　I feel like it has been hinted but they also want a bit of a surprise with everyone getting announced so I’m not at liberty to fully disclose it. We have a US tour coming up in 2 weeks along with putting out a video and an article announcing the team. We also have some other trips lined up later this year after the video comes out.

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V：　Have there been any moments recently where you've felt like you're entering a new chapter in your journey?

R：　Literally right now and these past few months (laughs).

V：　Looking ahead, what are some things you'd still like to challenge yourself with, both in skateboarding and in art?

R：　I’d like to challenge myself by being present and living in the moment of it all, embracing change when it presents itself but just to continue to try my best both in skating and creatively.
 

Ryan Townley
@ryantownley

Ryan Townley has earned recognition for his inventive spot selection and powerful yet precise skating. Alongside riding for Brixton, he continues to expand his creative practice as an artist. He's now entering a transitional phase in his career, with a new team announcement on the horizon.