This Strange Spring #3
14 May 2020
“I think that there are a lot of positives we can take from this experience. How nice is a walk in Seattle during spring time?”
This Strange Spring: It feels like yesterday (and a lifetime ago) that you had your prints on display at 35th North. And I just grabbed the deck you designed for the shop, which I'm excited to destroy now that the weather is improving. What have you been working on while we've been under stay at home orders?
Dane Nomellini: Fortunately, I've been able to work through the pandemic. I contract for Thrasher Magazine, so that’s sort of a new gig and I've been kind of finding my seat there. So these past few months have been a good learning experience. Other than that, I've done some snowboard graphics for K2 and working on some apparel stuff for some other brands. I'm always trying to keep making stuff for the shop, I think there is some new gear coming out with a few other artists, too.
Who are the artists that inspire you? Have you discovered anyone new since the pandemic hit?
So much inspiration. I bought a Margaret Kilgallen book so I've been looking at that a lot.
More recently, I've been really interested in Bill Rebholz’s work.
An artist I discovered during quarantine is Hide Kawanishi.
How have you been working your way through the weird and negative moments of quarantine? I've been aimlessly walking around, taking photos, which actually has turned out to be a positive experience. Has anything hit you similarly, in that weird bittersweet way during all this ugliness?
I'm fortunate that I've been able to share this experience with my wife Nancy. I haven't had any long periods of feeling dread or depression during quarantine. We have our routine, we take walks, we make dinner, we talk a lot. Honestly its how I've been living my life anyway. Aside from not working at the skate shop, not a lot has changed for me.
That's cool that you've been able to channel this thing. I think that there are a lot of positives we can take from this experience. How nice is a walk in Seattle during spring time? Its just the best.
What albums have you been listening to recently?
I've been revisiting a lot of Tortoise and The Sea and Cake albums. Those just feel good right now.
Have you revisited or discovered any skate videos during quarantine?
I recently purchased the Northern Co skate video "Helen" that my buddy Zach Chamberlin made. Real good.
Do you see us walking out of this pandemic into a kinder, gentler world?
I'm sure that all things are possible.
What's a question you wish someone would ask you these days? And if I'd been smart enough to ask, what would your answer have been?
The question is how does it all end? The answer is that it doesn't.
