Jon is a like-minded searcher. He’s a film maker, artists and activist. His work is varied and his efforts to support the skate scene he loves are laudable. Jon’s dedication to the sport and it’s creative roots are second to none.
When did you start skating?
I started skating in January of 1987.
What was your first skateboard?
My first skateboard was a Ken Sigafoos Brand-X.
When did you stop or slow down significantly?
I stopped skating or really slowed down in 1994. Skateboarding had gone through a weird phase of big pants and little wheels and it became frustrating to me. It wasn’t fun. Plus, I was busy with art school at the time.
What do you do for a living?
I run a non-profit called ThreeSixteen Skateboarding and I also do a little part-time house painting.
When you are not skating, how often do you think about skateboarding?
Skateboarding always seems to cross my mind, even when I’m not skating. I think it comes from not only being an activity, but a lifestyle. I could be in a deep conversation with someone at a coffee shop and just glance across the street at some unique architectural city wall and think to myself, “I could skate that.” Haha.
How did skateboarding affect the direction of your life?
Looking back, I really feel that when I picked up a skateboard for the first time, it gave me my own identity. It gave me a different perspective on life. I didn’t have to feel corralled by the mainstream norms. Life became more adventurous. It brought out my creative side, which eventually lead me to art school and pursuing my creative abilities: oil painting, photography, and eventually film making.
What is the connection between skateboarding and creativity?
I think that is a great question. I feel skateboarders already are creative people. I think most of them are born that way. Their born as creative individuals. Skateboarding comes along, and it is a creative outlet. I think that’s why you see many skateboarders gravitate to other creative outlets as they get older. Some become musicians, or artist or photographers. Maybe some of it is because of trends, but honestly I feel it is just in the skateboarder’s make up. That’s why you have Mark Gonzales, people like Neil Blender, Ray Barbee and more. The question I like to ask is…Where does creativity come from in general?
More about Jon Crans
Woven Skate Film, ThreeSixteen.com
Connect with Jon Crans
