Marc McKee

New Deal 1990 Exhibition
*Artist Interview

When, where, and why did you start skating?
I started in the early 80s in Lucas Valley in Marin County, California. My first board was the Banzai “Rimrider”. It was this board they had with a wood inner core and fiberglass plies laminated on the top and bottom.

When and why did you start making art?
I guess from an early age like most kids. Probably even before kindergarten. Same reason as skating—fun.

What are your first memories of New Deal Skateboards?
Well, New Deal started within the first year or so that I started working at World Industries, so naturally there was some kind of rivalry there. I recall Ron Chatman and Jeremy Klein being pretty competitive with Ed.

What is your favorite medium and why?
In the studio, acrylic with a nice brush or airbrush is my favorite. They’re both so fun. Outside the studio, spray paint is the only way to go.

How did art and skateboarding industry come together?
I was doing graphics for this BMX bike company called “Bully Bikes” and the owner (R.L. Osborn) was renting out two of the rooms in his house to Steve and Rodney. This was around 1989 when World was only like a year old and they had no money or place to live on their own.

Was there a defining moment in your art journey that drove you to make it your full time life/career?
Probably 30 years ago when I did my first graphic, the Vallely Barnyard.

What is your best art memory of all time?
I can’t really say—it’s all been pretty unbelievable to me after all these years getting to work with all the different pros.

What is your best skate memory of all time?
Skating around the reflective pool at the Washington Monument in D.C. one night on the Big Brother East Coast Tour. That was in 1995—they’d probably never have kind of lack of security there now.

• What is your favorite medium and why?
For board graphics I think silkscreening is the best. The process of having to print each different color separately and keep them all lined up kind of requires that you need to have strong thick black lines in the art to keep things in registration. It’s how all the classic graphics were done in the 80s.

Tell us about your piece for the exhibition? Painting, print, deck, etc?
It’s a 10” x 14” acrylic painting on matte board, based on Andy’s “Susie Switchblade” character from a Justin Girard graphic he did way back when….