Our first series comes from Iowa Longboards LLC. A local startup dedicated to making handcrafted one of a kind longboards for recreation, and in our case, decoration. Iowa Longboards works with local artists to produce unique hand-painted works that look great on walls and on pavement.
Kyle Patrick Dean Foote
Illustration/Digital Media Iowa State University
Keep it real, enjoy the ride, always do your best, and don’t listen to those who doubt what’s possible; these are words I live by. My name is Kyle Patrick Dean Foote. Coming from the small town of Osceola, Iowa, those words were the words that set me apart from my peers and led me to the world of art and graphic design. I studied art and design here at ISU and graduated with a degree in illustration and digital media. Currently, freelance art keeps me entertained and allows me to propel my creative energies toward economic benefit (that is to say, I don’t make much money with art right now, but it’s fun and I try to get paid for it when I can)!As a recent college grad, I’m always looking for new world experiences to diversify my inspiration pool. From hope I have is that my piece of this crazy tapestry might just make working night shifts at part time jobs, to taking lonely, one-man, weekend trips to Canada, I’m always seeking out the odd and untried avenues of life. I feel our lives are a tapestry of experiences and actions woven together, intertwining with each other in such a way as to change the very landscape of the world around us. The world is a better place. And those are words I hope to be remembered by.
Contact Kyle through: iowalb@gmail.com
Jaz Michael Hanson
Psychology Iowa State University
The Original Gangster (O.G.) artist of Iowa Longboards LLC
Becoming part of Iowa Longboards has been an incredible experience. I primarily work with airbrushing, stencil work, and hand painting for the company. We are all working as hard as we can and enjoying it every step of the way. Being a Psychology student, I don’t have much formal training with art, but it has always been a large part of my life. I make it a point to learn everything I can to expand my artistic abilities, whether it’s studying another artist, trying new styles, or using new materials. No rock should be left unturned in my eyes. Inspiration comes from all different places for me. I have a strong influence stemming from the Japanese animation scene and now the fine arts have started to catch my attention. I hope to keep up the hard work with Iowa Longboards and learn much more along the way.
Contact Jaz through: iowalb@gmail.com
John Grant
Graphic Design Iowa State University
John Grant was born and raised just north of Chicago IL, he has had in interest in art and design for as long as he can remember. Over the last few years he has been developing a variety of characters which represent everything from his hopes and fears to tree spirits and death itself. His work seeks to personify the abstract feelings and emotions we all experience and put a face on them so that we can better converse with and relate to these abstracts. Having graduated from Iowa State with a degree in graphic design John is currently freelancing and working on writing and illustrating his first book for children. While John doesn’t actually longboard (yet) he has been working to promote the inland skimboarding scene and loves to surf, although that can be hard to do in Iowa.
Contact John through: iowalb@gmail.com