I created this painting for the LRDG Love-Skate Relationship Art Auction August 18th. The moment I fell in love with derby was giving my first solid hit, but I know I feel appreciation and love for my fellow skater when they knock me off my feet. This is a suspended moment in the chaos that is derby; before contact with the floor, where the anticipation builds and you either love derby or hate it. Once you’ve taken your first big contact fall, you know for sure whether the sport is for you. You can literally fall in love with derby.
It started very painterly and I had intentions of keeping it that way, but it didn’t feel right. So I went with my gut and the style soon shifted into this weird combination of graphic and sketchy, but I think it suits derby. I don’t think it can be fit into a category, and neither can this painting.
Yoy should make it into a print! You should work on a digital print like that for Art Walk. I think people would find that pretty fascinating.