Allison Karczynski
Artist Statement
I am always thinking and trying to cope with life. Sometimes I walk into my room my
mind starts racing so I leave my room and I go longboarding, I come back and make art. It
seems like everytime I go longboarding some guy asks me “ Do you actually longboard or do
you just carry that around” I want to show to everyone that women can longboard just as
skillfully as men can. I started making longboards because I wanted to incorporate the two
things that help me cope with my anxiety, art and longboarding.
My interest in using longboarding in my art came about through a project I was working
on. Last year I started making hands out of ceramics along with paintings . I wanted to promote
sign language and communication .Each of the paintings portrayed hands signing . However , I
was not sure where to go with it and I was having trouble. Later on last year I started
longboarding and I loved it. I thought why not incorporate the things I love and that help me into
my show. I still hope to tie in communication into my show. I want to not only promote women
longboarding but show that it is a way of communication.
When I am making art im not thinking about the process or where things should go.
Instead , I think about how I am feeling in that moment and what is going on .Why I am anxious ,
depressed, or mad. I use my bright colors to give a sense of hope and to push out my sad
feelings that are put into my art. When I am longboarding however , I get the feeling that I can
do anything . Going so fast down a hill makes me feel like time has stopped and that nothing
else matters. I feel the wind in my hair as the breeze chills my body. This is what makes me
happy. Nothing in that moment matters. Longboarding has also made me less anxious. I have
met many wonderful people through the longboarding community. It has helped me in so many
ways and I hope to express that in my artwork.
Derek Keenan has been an inspiration to me lately. He is from Denver, Colorado. He
takes reclaimed skateboards and makes jewelry , along with sculptures . He also does other
work as well. He has varieties of colors and pieces small to large. The process is truly inspiring
as well. His work is memorizing.
I hope to have over a dozen longboards in my show with my experiences painted on
them.