Creative genius rarely comes without at least a few drops of madness. With little exception, many of the most significant artistic contributions to the world have come from people the rest of us would describe as being “weird” or “a little off.” Dali kept pet ocelots and publicly walked anteaters, Van Gogh lopped off his own ear, Michelangelo seldom changed his clothes and Howard Hughes maintained two inch long fingernails. It’s almost always these hyper-creative (or simply crazy) visionaries who toggle between having one foot in the nut house and the other in the public eye who generally end up being the ones to shatter the boundaries and pioneer future styles.

Skateboarding, like art, is the perfect refuge for the anti-social. It’s a fiercely independent activity, often solitary and there are no rules to follow. As one of skateboarding’s lead documentarians, Patrick O’Dell has spent the latter part of his career finding, researching and revealing some of skateboarding’s most heroic, celebrated and, yes, sometimes eccentric characters in a way that few can. His work reveals a side of these skateboarders that goes well beyond their talent—often delving deeply and sometimes dramatically into their personal lives, childhood upbringings, and daily routines, to uncover a side of skateboarding that’s seldom seen in the glossy pages of magazine ads or in half-baked editorials.

Starting off in the hallowed halls of Thrasher Magazine’s photo department to his current job as the producer and host behind Vice‘s Epicly Later’d documentary series, O’Dell has unique insight into skateboarding and skateboarders that make him the perfect mouthpiece for voicing opinions on that razor thin line between artistic brilliance and sheer madness.

words by Cullen Poythress
video by Zachary Marshall

Had an awesome time speaking at the IASC (International Association of Skateboard Companies) Summit today – I would like to thank Per Welinder, Don Brown, Josh Friedberg and the rest of the IASC that invited me to speak on the state of skateboarding, social media, and this crazy essay…  If you were in the room today — tough crowd! — but I appreciate the time and participation.  If you weren’t, well, maybe you missed out.  Here’s to what’s next for Skateboarding.  Long Live Skateboarding.

Per and Mike West (686):

You’re stoked that Steve Van Doren (VANS)’s on Instagram now, but so bummed you have to sit through photos of ME!

Some new friends at NHS and 1031 Skateboards!

and my bretren, Jim Thiebaud (REAL Skateboards / Deluxe) and Scotty Trillllllllllll:

by bobbyhundreds