CBCA commissioned 10 Colorado-based artists to create original artworks on repurposed skateboard decks.

Johnny DeFeo bio/ artistic statement:

"I was fortunate to spend my youth in a home that abutted a small state forest in central Connecticut. My brothers and I could run across the manicured lawn, through the row of our mother's carefully planted hostas, and within moments be free from the ostensibly iron fists that ruled our small world. Under the cover of the thicketed hardwood forest we were free to construct slipshod forts, track animals for miles and play games of hide-and-seek (often "forgetting" to let our youngest brother know that the game had ended). As we grew older our house became the neighborhood hot spot for the asylum the wooded hills provided for our more scandalous deeds.

On school breaks, while most of my friends would travel to geriatric Florida beaches my father would use his penchant for logistics to systematically fly, drive, and otherwise move our family through the captivating rural and wild spaces of our great country with a focus on exposing us to the beauty and grandeur of the untouched outdoors and quirky places along the way. In between the business of being wrangled, fed, and simmered-down, each trip was full of adventure and taught us in a hands-on way about the abstract history and geology we were reading about in school. These places were also the way I began to develop a thoughtful relationship with the natural world through experience, observation and by making drawings of the wonders by which I was captivated.

As an artist, I believe my job is to illuminate the magnificence of the world in some way. My recent work documents a point in time when I feel a conflict between my deep connection with the quietude and immensity of the natural world, and modern comforts like warm fireplaces and comfortable furniture. By combining imagery of civilized comforts with impressions of grand landscapes I hope to raise questions about the meaning and importance of each, and the problematic relationships among desire, ownership, freedom, and control. Just as the Hudson River School painters helped to create significance for landscapes, I hope to reinforce the significance of these landscapes to the viewer. More so, I illustrate an undesirable future for the viewer to imagine in hopes of highlighting the importance of protecting and maintaining these significant landscapes through preservation and understanding."

Item pickup/ delivery:

Following the auction after November 19, the winning bidder may pickup the item(s) from the CBCA office. Delivery may be available in the Denver metro area upon request. If items need to be shipped, the winning bidder must cover the associated costs.