Chase Jarvis Chase Jarvis
  • Photos
  • Projects
  • About
  • Blog
  • Book
Chase Jarvis Chase Jarvis
  • Photos
  • Projects
  • About
  • Blog
  • Book
chase jarvis travis rice

The Artist as Athlete as Artist –> Travis Rice on Creativity + Art Galleries + Taking Risks

—

reads

  • Total: 70
  • Facebook53
  • Twitter12
  • Pinterest0
  • Buffer5
chase jarvis travis rice

Yours truly and Travis Rice getting motley at the...um...airport

The name Travis Rice has for some time been synonymous with the best snowboarder in the world. Literally, of that caliber. Which for those more inclined to the details, that means insane big mountain snowboarding and epic snowboarding films and photoshoots all over the world (watch him on #cjLIVE here). While “artist” may not be a descriptor that comes to mind when one thinks of Travis, I beg to differ. Individual sports like snow / skate / surf are are incredibly creative BUT ALSO…in case there was any doubt… Travis’ latest endeavor takes the artist part of this whole message to another level. You see, Trav recently kicked off an art gallery representing / showing artists, photographers, painters, etc, who focus on these sports…called Asymbol. There’s a physical gallery (in Jackson Hole, WY) + an amazing (affordable) online gallery here (but more on that later). Since I’m someone who came up photographically through the action sports genre myself, it’s clear to me that what Travis is doing is connecting the dots – tearing down walls, really – between athlete and artist. This approach is near and dear to me, not just because of my respect for his vision, but because in my early career I really thought I had to EITHER be and athlete or an artist – and it wasn’t until discovering the punk rock ethic of the early action sports scene that I realized I could be keep my jock-y roots and go deep into art – that I didn’t need to fit into stereotypes, I could be my own. Travis is amplifying that ethos with Asymbol. Now, given my schedule and T’s schedule, connecting in person to chat about this new project was no easy feat, but we managed to wrangle some time over a beer and a shot of whiskey at…an airport bar recently (really – so you’d better read this whole damn interview) to ask him a few questions that will interest you, my dear reader.

1) Alrighty man, tell us about your new(ish) endeavor Asymbol. What is the name all about too?

Asymbol is a gallery + art brand I started with Mike Parillo a few years ago. It’s about honoring and connecting with the art of board riding culture – from snowboarding to surfing to skateboarding. There are incredible working artists who’ve emerged from this creative culture and are in the process of transcending it. We felt there wasn’t a gallery that was really focused on it, so we made one.

The name Asymbol has sort of a double meaning. On the one hand, it refers to the symbolic nature of art and what it stands for in terms of pushing cultural boundaries and challenging our beliefs. On the other hand, it also refers to the act of assembly, in the sense of building community, making products and bringing people and ideas together for a common purpose.

Asymbol Owl, by Hydro74 aka Joshua M. Smith

2) How is this different than creative pursuits of the past for you? You’ve made movies, done contests, been a part of companies…how is Asymbol different?

Asymbol is different in that it’s really about creating a community of people around the art and the artists we’re working with. Making a film (like the Art of Flight) or putting on contest like Ultra Natural are super intense projects, but at the end of the day, they’re still projects. Asymbol doesn’t really have a definitive end – it just keeps evolving as the art and the community evolve.

It’s also different in that we’re focused more on artistic curation than raw artistic creation – that’s the job of the artists we work with. As I see it, our job is to find ways to build support for our artists and their art so that they can keep on doing what they love.

3) What do you hope to bring to the world with this new company?

I’d be happy if people spent some time on the Asymbol website exploring who these artists are and what messages and meaning they’re trying to convey through their art. What I love is that each piece tells a unique story — about the artist and what they were thinking and doing at the time they created the work. It might be a painting by Scott Lenhardt or a photo by Danny Zapalac that look nothing like each other, but the common elements are the stories that relate back to the culture of board riding.

One of the things we’re trying to do is make art more accessible. So much of our audience is younger and doesn’t necessarily think of themselves as fine art buyers, so we’re focused on innovating unique applications of our art on things like screenprinted canvas, t-shirts, laptop skins, water bottles and cases for mobile devices. These things still allow people to connect with the art very directly, but also serve a practical purpose. Plus, they just look rad. [my note –> feel free to buy some fresh stuff here.]

Craig Kelly Mural, by Scott Lenhardt

4) How do you run a business like Asymbol AND be a pro snowboarder? When do you sleep?

Sleep? What’s sleep? In truth, Asymbol is run by a small and dedicated team back home in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I stay connected to them when I’m traveling, but my schedule gets pretty insane. It’s hard to have a conference call from the back seat of an A Star helicopter, but we’ve done it.

5) Who’s this rockstar Alex Hillinger?

Alex came into Asymbol last fall as my partner in the business. Mike and I met Alex through the art and tech conference he puts on every year called the GOAT, so his connection to Asymbol was a natural one. We really wanted to take Asymbol to the next level and we needed someone who understood what we were all about. Alex is crazy about snowboarding and art and his background in online business is really important if we’re going to grow Asymbol to where we all believe it can go. [another note from me –> for those who don’t know, Alex has been a personal + professional advisor to me for years…helping make cjINC, #cjLIVE and even creativeLIVE work…hats off to him.)

6) What makes “Art” in your opinion?

That’s a good question and I’m sure everyone has a different opinion about what makes art. For me, it’s about being willing to put yourself out there and take risks. It’s easy to sit back and say ‘it’s all been done before.’ Artists don’t let that stop them, they create ways to express their points of view that require them to get outside their comfort zones. Making art is risky and forces us to confront our fears of failure and of being misunderstood. I have a lot of respect for artists who don’t play it safe. It may not always work, but it’s really the only way to get to a place where it does.

7) What parallels do you see in art and sport? People always assume that one has to be jock or artist – is that true?

It seems to me that a lot of athletes gravitate to art as a means of self expression. Being an athlete involves taking risks — especially if you’re dropping into a spine for the first time, or riding a giant wave somewhere in the Indian Ocean. There’s no reason there has to be a barrier between being a jock or an artist, and maybe that’s one of the things we’re saying with Asymbol. So many of our artists are also incredible athletes like Jamie Lynn or Adam Haynes. Parillo took gold this year at my luge course event, which was huge! The competition was fierce.

Red, by Chris Burkhart

8) Who are your influences as an athlete? Who are your influences as an artist?

There are so many — guys like Guch and Johan Olofsson and Craig Kelly who really pioneered big mountain freeriding. Terje and Jamie Lynn are still charging it today with style.

For artists, I’m way into the work of Andrew Schoultz, Carl E. Smith, Todd Glaser and of course, Mike Parillo who I’ve been collaborating with on graphics for years.

9) How is it running an art gallery in Jackson Hole, WY? Would it be better if you were in NYC or SF or something? Why or why not?

Jackson’s a big art town, it’s just mostly Western art of things like bronzed eagle sculptures and cowboys on horseback. I think it makes a lot of sense for Asymbol to be based in Jackson though. This place attracts people seeking to push the boundaries of athleticism and adventure that’s hard to do in a city. There’s an aspect of Asymbol that’s about freedom and openness that being in Jackson embodies in a lot of ways. It’s also nice for me in that Jackson is my home, so when I’m back from traveling, I can really focus on it without the distractions of a place like NYC or SF.

Thanks Travis. You are radical. Follow Travis across these channels:

Asymbol Website
Facebook
Twitter

Related Posts

chase jarvis diagram
Behind-the-Scenes Look at My ALS #IceBucketChallenge Shoot [Complete with Gear, Details & Photos]
Happy to Take on Some Ice Water for the ALS #IceBucketChallenge
rise of superman chase jarvis creativity flow
Unlock Your Creativity: 7 Stages To Experiencing “The Zone” + Why It’s Good For You
ChaseJarvis_TravisRice
Travis Rice: 60 Second Portrait of the World’s Best Snowboarder
chasejarvis_REdbulIllumeGeorge Karbus
Action Sports Heroes as Art [Red Bull Illume Photo Contest]
Be Bold, Be Different [chasejarvisLIVE re-watch with Snowboarding Legend Travis Rice]

17 replies on:
The Artist as Athlete as Artist –> Travis Rice on Creativity + Art Galleries + Taking Risks

Comments navigation

Previous
  1. bk-2c-b says:
    February 24, 2015 at 3:39 pm

    womens disco

Comments navigation

Previous

Comments are closed.

BUY NEVER PLAY IT SAFE NOW!

Get weekly, curated access to the best of everything I do.

Popular Posts

20250405_CJLIVE_SeeingWhatWeHaveBeenTaughtToIgnore_Micro_Thumb_16x9_v2.5Feeling Stuck in Serious Mode? Here’s How to Flip the Script with Play
20250224_CJLIVE_AreYouOnTheRightPath_Micro_Thumb_16x9_v2.5Overwhelmed by Doubt? Here’s How to Quiet the Noise and Trust Yourself
A silhouette of a person standing triumphantly on the edge of a cliff, arms outstretched, against a vibrant and colorful sky. The sky is filled with dramatic clouds in shades of blue, pink, orange, and purple, creating a breathtaking and awe-inspiring scene. The image conveys a sense of freedom, achievement, and connection with nature.Why Playing It Safe Is Riskier Than You Think
20240506_CJLIVE_ProblemsOpportunities_Micro_Thumb_16x9-webHow to Find Opportunity in Everything
The show's logo is displayed on the left side, with "THE CHASE JARVIS LIVE" in bold black text inside yellow rectangles, stacked vertically. The right side of the image features a robotic figure, resembling a humanoid robot, meticulously working on a canvas. The robot is painting or drawing a grayscale portrait of a human-like figure. The robot's detailed mechanical components are visible, and the scene evokes themes of artificial intelligence, creativity, and technology. The background is minimal, allowing focus on the robot and its artwork. The composition suggests an exploration of AI's role in creative processes.Is AI the End of Creativity or Just the Beginning?
A graphic for "The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show." The text is displayed in a bold, modern font with "THE" in a small, yellow box at the top left, followed by "CHASE JARVIS LIVE SHOW" stacked vertically, each word in its own yellow box. To the right, there is a stylized silhouette of a person running while holding a mobile device. The person appears to be disintegrating into small particles as they move forward, suggesting a sense of urgency or a digital transformation theme. The background is a light beige or off-white color.Stop Chasing Followers: Why Real Influence Comes from Mastery
On the left side, the show's logo is prominently displayed, with "THE CHASE JARVIS LIVE SHOW" in bold black text inside yellow rectangles, stacked vertically. To the right of the logo, the image depicts a dark, moody scene inside a room at night. A wooden table is at the center, on which a laptop is placed. The laptop is on fire, with flames engulfing the screen and keyboard, casting a warm glow on the surrounding area. The room has large windows with potted plants on the windowsill, and there is a radiator beneath the window. The lighting in the room contrasts with the fire's bright, intense glow, creating a dramatic effect.Hustle Culture: The Silent Killer of Ambition
Illustration of a person standing at the edge of a high cliff, gazing out over distant mountains under an orange sky, symbolizing contemplation, choice, and risk.How ‘Playing It Safe’ Almost Cost Me Everything (Don’t Settle!)
Chase Jarvis in mid-conversation, gesturing with his hands, wearing a casual maroon t-shirt. The background appears to be an indoor space with wooden beams on the ceiling and soft lighting. On the left side, a bold yellow and black graphic reads "THE CHASE JARVIS LIVE SHOW," with each word stacked in a column. The scene conveys an energetic and engaging atmosphere, with Chase passionately explaining something to the person in front of him.The Secret to Lifelong Creativity (Hint: It Doesn’t End After Your 20s)
20240607_CJLIVE_PayYourselfFirst_Micro_16x9-webSigns You’re Putting Yourself Last (+ How to Fix It)

Daily Creative Projects

© 2024 Chase Jarvis. All rights reserved.

My New Book Is Here!

This book is a powerful compass for embracing risk and creativity in all aspects of life. Chase shows us how to step out of our comfort zones and become who we were meant to be.

SOPHIA AMORUSO
Serial Entreprenuer
NYT Best Selling Author of Girlboss

BUY NOW!

My New Book Is Here!

This book is a powerful compass for embracing risk and creativity in all aspects of life. Chase shows us how to step out of our comfort zones and become who we were meant to be.

SOPHIA AMORUSO
Serial Entreprenuer
NYT Best Selling Author of Girlboss

BUY NOW!