Line Art: Meet the Artists Behind Burton’s Newest Board Graphics
Let’s face it—
While performance is paramount, graphics play a major role in the selection process of a new board. It’s another way we as snowboarders get to express ourselves on-hill, and, if you’re anything like the rest of us, on the walls of your home. At Burton, we believe snowboards are rideable works of art. And it’s why we approach this element of the design process subsequently—like the blank canvas it is.
From working alongside our in-house photographers and riders to collaborating with some of the world’s most respected artists, we’re constantly searching inward and outward for inspiration. Surf culture, outdoor muralists, and even our close friends all played a part in the creative process for this upcoming season.
As we look to the winter ahead, here’s a little look into the stories behind our latest board graphics.
Custom X by Brendan Monroe
Most commonly known for his large-scale murals, Los Angeles-based sculptor and painter Brendan Monroe has long been an inspiration for us at Burton. Whether it’s his small-scale illustrations of interstellar proportions, or his sprawling, black and white murals that feel like microscopic views into the amoebic world, Monroe has a knack for blending fine details into broad and dynamic conceptions. It’s the perfect representation of the Custom X—a precise and powerful board designed for tackling technical terrain, wide open faces, and everything else in its path.
I’ve always tried to define surface textures in different ways and there’s something about the way water moves that's very mesmerizing to me. Making drawings and paintings like this is like solving a visual puzzle, of choices of where to place each line and how to fold each thread. All together they fit to make a convincing image and if I’m lucky, I can capture the essence of movement in there too.
Blossom by Baltimore Loth
When the Blossom bloomed last season, we tapped artist and team rider Neils Shack with the role of art director. This season, Neil brought in a little extra help. Collaborating with fellow snowboarder, skater, and rising artist, Baltimore Loth, the two of them set out to design a graphic that captures the essence of their current generation of riders: young, weird, and wild. And for us, it’s the perfect portrayal of the current snowboard community zeitgeist—the apple may not fall far from the tree, but that doesn’t mean any two apples should be the same.
Talent Scout by Nani Chacon
When we first encountered Nani Chacon’s work, we immediately recognized a bond between her and the Talent Scout’s own persona: elegant, powerful, and badass. As a Diné and Chicana, Nani’s art explores themes of Indigenous cultures and identities by—oftentimes—bridging contrasting images and depictions into a cohesive and unsuspected concept. We were humbled to have her collaborate on this installment of the Talent Scout—an unsuspected canvas for this outdoor muralist, and one we couldn’t be more proud to unveil.
Feelgood by Jesse Dawson
For a third consecutive season, we worked closely with Burton photographer Jesse Dawson and team rider Kelly Clark—two close friends who were brought together by their shared passion for standing sideways (and their dogs 🐶). Reflecting on a recent backcountry mission near Clark’s home turf at Mammoth Mountain, Dawson’s dreamy imagery perfectly captures the positive spirit of the go-anywhere, enjoy-everything personality of the Feelgood. And what better way to do just that than alongside your closest friends this upcoming season?
Deep Thinker & Free Thinker by Scott Lenhardt
Surf culture has been a constant source of inspiration for the snowboard community, and we’re far from an exception. After all, this is now the second board we’ve mentioned in regards to surf inspo. Continuing his collaboration with artist Scott Lenhardt, Danny’s duo of signature boards integrates the airbrush graphics prominent in 70s-era surf culture, while speaking to his legacy and personal sources of inspiration. The Deep Thinker’s Wizard represents Danny himself—a seasoned vet of the Burton team who seemingly pulls tricks out of his hat, while the twin-tipped Free Thinker pays homage to his pair of pets—Layla and Jerry—who we see appropriately depicted as a twin-headed pup.
Good Company by C.M. Coolidge
Is there anything on this earth more timeless than a cambered, twin-tipped snowboard? Well, maybe C.M. Coolidge’s 1903 Poker Sympathy. Unless you’ve lived under a rock for the full extent of your life, then surely you’ve come across any number of Coolidge’s Dogs Playing Poker paintings. It's the ultimate kitsch (so much so, that one of Coolidge’s paintings is the first image that pops up on a google search of the word), but also the perfect depiction of what the Good Company board is all about—the simplicity of a having a good time with your friends. After all, days on-hill are only as good as the company you keep. Round ‘em up, strap up the Good Company, and get back to lapping that park.
Listen, we know graphics shouldn’t be the first factor to take into consideration when choosing a board, but we also know it shouldn’t be a compromise. As that vehicle for expressing ourselves, we think it’s pretty vital to be psyched on how it looks strapped beneath your feet.
That’s why—like every other season—we invested endless hours, energy, and passion into this piece of the creative process. Whether it was hitting the drawing board with our riders, connecting with some of our favorite artists, or even breathing new life into a century-old painting, we found every hour of it to be worth it. And we hope you do too.