Friday 29 October 2010

When One Door Closes...

...another door opens? After over ten years, Spine Skateboarding, Worcester is to close this weekend. Chris and Jo Bourke, (Waterhouse) will be closing the doors on a business that has, not only brought top quality skating goods to the city, but has provided it's skating fraternity with a lifeline to the outside world, in terms of creative culture. Jo and Chris installed a small gallery in the shop a few of years ago, called 'This is Ours'. The gallery drew me into the shop, (along with the fantastic book, 'Concrete to Canvas: Skateboarders' Art', written by Jo). The duo are responsible for me doing what I do now. They've become valued friends to Jo and me and I'm so grateful that Chris had the balls to open the shop and keep it going for as long as he has. It's thanks to the duo's encouragement and energy that I am an artist today. The shop will be sorely missed, I just don't think the local kids have realised it yet; it'll be too late when they do, the shop will be gone. Chris and Jo will carry on being the most creatively energetic people I know and their resources will be chanelled into other projects, I know. Watch this space.
gx

KEEP ON - Chris Bourke 2010