Vince Skelly makes sculptures out of wood, oftentimes using a chainsaw. Some look like chess pieces, some look like furniture, some actually are furniture. They can be seen in a lot of interesting places, and we’ve been seeing more and more of them in recent years.

Vince’s sculptures embody a timeless spirit, one that conjures West Coast energy into form – natural, clean, serene. One that’s clearly organic but somehow perfect for a streamlined midcentury living room, bringing to mind the term hippie modernism (a truly amazing book BTW).

Also, (and this is a big ‘also’) - we just found out he skates. Vince grew up skating at the storied Chaffey High, of all places.

This week, we talked to Vince about his path to making the work he does, chainsaws, the skate to graphic design pipeline, the mixed blessings of working with galleries, and how you know you have great friends when they send you photos of roadside wood piles. And, of course, we play This or That™.

For the third time in a row, our guest will be involved in Slow Impact 2026, which is fast approaching. Hope to see you there.

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The academic life - it’s pursuit of many. A lot of days, you get to be the smartest person in the room, and on other days you get to hang out with the other smartest people from other rooms. It seems great.

In previous generations, the idea of a university professor who skates would have been out of the question. Isn’t that stuff for kids?

More and more, as the dynamic of this whole world we inhabit grows and changes, we know of folks who excel in both academic and skate spaces. Maurice Crandall is one of those people.

At top of his field in History, specifically the history of Native American cultures of the Southwest, he’s taught at Dartmouth and Arizona State University, is published plenty, and is active in his community. Also, the dude rips.

We talked to Maurice, or, as many know him, Mo, today on the pod about academic life in general, Native American cultures (and what people get wrong about them), working at a casino, how skating entered his life, and what it’s like too exist in both the worlds of academia and skateboarding. We also engaged in a spirited round out This or That :)

Additionally, we talk about his involvement in Slow Impact, which is only a couple weeks away. See you there.

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How do you know when you’re doing too much? It has to be hard balancing a career as a professional skateboarder while being the founder of one of our world’s best events (and, we truly do mean best), all the while finding time to complete endurance challenges that most of us, even at our respective peaks of physical health, would shudder at. Or is it? Today’s guest, Ryan Lay, does all the things referenced in the previous paragraph, and does them all quite well. One gets a sense from listening to him talk about these disparate activities that he gets a unique brand of fulfillment from each, and most importantly, truly enjoys them for what they are.

So, is it hard? We’re not the experts, Ryan Lay is. Check out today’s conversation with Ryan and judge for yourself.Tickets to Slow Impact 2026 can be found here.

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We’re all creative in one way or another (especially the listeners of this pod) – some write, some build, some paint. However, there are times that even the most creative among us are stopped in their tracks by someone who truly creates on a different level.

Today’s guest Scott Warneke is one of the rare individuals who could certainly engender such a response. Some kids played with trains, he built the tracks. Some draw shoes, he constructs them from scratch.

I talked with Soctt about his journey as a creative person, how it’s been informed by skateboarding, how a pair of Etnies (probably) changed his life, and about how working as a designer of skateboarding footwear for Nike, Vans, Lululemon, and now adidas makes for as niche of a career path as one could imagine. We also play a game of our new favorite game, This or That™.

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Launching something new at this time, no matter what it is, is…hard. Doing it with conviction and an entirely new way of manufacturing that’s based on values rather than instant profit? In this economy? Impossible.

Unless (wait for it..) you’re Unless Collective. They’re making high quality gear - hoodies, pants, tees - all of your favorites, made with organic materials, and zero plastic. Let’s say that again - zero plastic, which, unsurprisingly, is in basically all clothing made today. Their gear biodegrades, you can bury it it next to your tomatoes, and it’s also great to skate in – hence their tapping industry heavy hitters of Silas Baxter-Neal – let’s all revist his Origin part – and Albany, NY’s own Mike Falco to launch a skate program.

Today on the pod, we talk with Silas and Mike making gear in an intentional way, skate camping trips in the Pacific Northwest, and how crazy it is to watch Evan Smith skate in person - he’s on the team as well :).

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Mocean Skateboards of Portland, Maine grabbed our attention simply because their gear looks different (and, let’s be real, better) than what you’d expect from a clothing line based out of a skate shop. Their house brand features thoughtfully designed pieces made from high quality fabrics, made with skaters in mind and clearly referencing something different from the standard streetwear playbook.

Today we’re posting our chat with Mocean’s founder Jasper Tripp, who’s been skating since age 6 and spent his 20s riding for Rome Snowboards and filming the Strange Brew video series.We talk life in a vacation town, turning skate stoppers into obstacles for a skate contest, military gear’s surprising influence on clothing (shout out Avery & Articles Of Interest), and why making clothes from plastic is stupid.

“The homies in the 40s and 50s really knew how to dress.”

”…we based it around the arts and community, but then we blew it up with skateboarding.”

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UPDATE - Had the wrong audio on original post - here’s the right one!

It’s not every week that we have the inventor of one of Time Magazine’s Inventions of the Year on the pod - but we do this week, AND he’s a ripping skater.

Joe Hollier, co-creator of the Light Phone (check it out, it’s truly amazing and much needed in our current era) talks coming up skating in New Jersey, visiting the Brooklyn Banks back in the day, going from never hearing of art school to getting in to one and forming an art practice, how smart phones have changed the world ,and what he’s doing about it. Heavy inspiration this week!

“There’s definitely a DIY attitude ingrained in skateboarding that I resonated with as a kid - from making spots, making your own clothes, to making your own company.”

“I felt like from my own experience as a skateboarder, as an artist, all of my time offline, which is so special and different… I found when I brought the smartphone into the mix, I sort of lost myself a bit and lost my motivation in different ways.”

“Google had an experimental program and they invited some artists and designers. I think I was chosen as a wild card in the mix. They really encouraged us to make new types of technology companies.”

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit villagepsychic.substack.com/subscribe

It’s not every week that we have the inventor of one of Time Magazine’s Inventions of the Year on the pod - but we do this week, AND he’s a ripping skater.

Joe Hollier, co-creator of the Light Phone (check it out, it’s truly amazing and much needed in our current era) talks coming up skating in New Jersey, visiting the Brooklyn Banks back in the day, going from never hearing of art school to getting in to one and forming an art practice, how smart phones have changed the world ,and what he’s doing about it. Heavy inspiration this week!

“There’s definitely a DIY attitude ingrained in skateboarding that I resonated with as a kid - from making spots, making your own clothes, to making your own company.”

“I felt like from my own experience as a skateboarder, as an artist, all of my time offline, which is so special and different… I found when I brought the smartphone into the mix, I sort of lost myself a bit and lost my motivation in different ways.”

“Google had an experimental program and they invited some artists and designers. I think I was chosen as a wild card in the mix. They really encouraged us to make new types of technology companies.”

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit villagepsychic.substack.com/subscribe

Getting into skating can expose you to a lot of interesting people and get you into a lot of things. Skaters tend to go all in on skating and then find a way to go all in on everything from woodworking, art, writing, real estate, or…podcasting. But olive oil? That’s a first. We had a very good chat with Theophilos Constantinou of Psyche Organic, a maker of pinnacle-quality olive oil, where we discuss the sheer insanity of starting an import-based business in our current geopolitical reality, Copenhagen vs NYC, and how skating can connect you to the world in the most special of ways.

“If we’re being completely honest about it...I’m making this s**t up as I go every day. Nobody gave me the blueprint of how you start an olive oil company.”

“The coolest s**t to me is when I see somebody successful who actually built something real.”

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Today on the pod we’re joined by Leif Hauge, a footwear designer who’s currently making his mark at New Balance Numeric, as well as holding it down with own creative practice. Also, the dude rips. We get into starting with the goal of becoming a footwear designer, how unexpected projects can pave the way for your future, and why sometimes it’s great to just be a sponge.

“I told myself I wanted to work in skateboarding. And that was my avenue.”

“...this ability to be a sponge right now is so awesome. It’s actually one of the main reasons why I decided to stay in Boston is to be closer to the overall design community here.”

“I’m working with my favorite skateboarders. It’s one of the sickest things.”

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit villagepsychic.substack.com/subscribe