Decks of Fairman's

• Posted on 24 June 2021
• By Fairman's
• 0

Skateboards have evolved.  But never did they change more significantly and rapidly than they did during the 1970’s and 1980’s.  That’s when I got involved.  The West Chester Renegade Art Coalition hosted a gallery of skateboard art in the fall of 2006.  The show was a monumental success and featured decks painted and created by some of our area’s most progressive artists and craftsmen as well as contributions from pro skateboard heroes.

When the RAC approached me to contribute a board to the show, I was reluctant because I had been away from the art scene for so long.  Rather than create something new, I chose to offer a retrospective of sorts.  This presentation is a result of that effort.

It all began in my father’s garage.  Due to his skill and guidance, I was fortunate enough to have access to wood working tools and machines at a very young age.  I built hundreds of skateboard decks in that garage.  At first they were very simple, however it didn’t take long before my friends required better boards to survive the steep hills we would ride and later, uncountable backyard ramps and early cement skateparks.

I thought all of this history of mine had disappeared until one day. not so long ago; my father delivered – from his garage to mine, several boxes of these wooden planks from my past.  The decks in this display are just a fraction of what I designed, but they represent a cross-section of work and a progression of skateboarding styles.

As Fairman’s skates into our fourth decade, I hope you’ll enjoy taking a look at how I got here.

Dave Fairman