Today we’d like to introduce you to Rafael.
Hi Rafael, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been an artist and skater, for as long as I can remember. Music, art, and skating, just generally creating things, have always been core passions of mine, fueling everything I do.
Things changed when I survived being hit by a train. Took a while to learn to walk again, slowly progressing from wheelchair, to a walker, to crutches, and finally a cane. It has been a long road that has taught me so much.
Thanks to my Physical Therapist, David (shoutout Apogee PT in Greenville!), I was able to recover and graduate to the cane, but the end wasn’t in sight. He said himself that I’d deal with these struggles for the foreseeable future.
Didn’t miss walking as much as I missed being on a board! The freedom of riding is what I craved the most. To even push a board was too painful, couldn’t even try any tricks. It was a long time before I could do anything close to what I used to, but I couldn’t give up and have that taken from me.
To put a very long story short, I discovered alternative forms of skateboarding, longboarding, and other board sports, like Long Distance Pumping, SurfSkating, even took influence from Skiing! These require little to no pushing, pure momentum generated from the body. No batteries required! All with the power of “pumping.”
From freestyle to freeride, downhill to dancing, I began collecting all the information I could. Then I would turn all this knowledge into physical actions, combining multiple methods from each into my own version of skate.
I implemented these all together to develop a unique way to ride that maximized the recovery of my body. Without needing to push, I could just hop on and go! Once I learned the art of pumping, I discovered that it worked and moved every hurting part of my body in the best way.
The most damaged part was my pelvis, multiple fractures and healed back kinda weird. But from my entire core, pelvis, my bad shoulder to my bad leg & ankle, all of these damaged areas were actively and simultaneously being worked out, flexed and moved! No longer was I only exercising only one part at a time, it was all in one!
Even David, my PT, was impressed! I showed him videos of the way these unique forms moved my body. He couldn’t believe how unbelievably perfect this was for me, the movement involved required every part of my body to be involved in a way that was actively helping the damage, bad gait, aching, literally healing my body! He said himself that as long as I kept this up, I wouldn’t need him anymore!
I took this and rolled with it, skyrocketing my recovery. What was once an expected 10+ year recovery was virtually cut in half! I would still need a cane to get places if it wasn’t for this. The undying need to share this with others like me and help as many as I can is unquenchable! Whether trying to live again after a life-altering accident, or picking up a board for the first time, I’ve helped so many and want to help so many more.
This journey has opened up doors, now working to develop this program officially, host more local meetups and events, so many things spilling from my brain! Even working with companies I’m passionate about, like Waterborne, Synergy, Qwik Truks, and more! An absolute dream come true! Even building a community and collective of mad scientists like me that dive deep into tuning and modifications, getting into the nitty gritty details, specs, and science of gear through research and development.
The plan is to grow the community, reach more people and get networking going! It’s been very small and intimate so far, but my plan is to host more official gatherings focused on all-wheels-welcome meetups. Judgement-free, all-welcoming gatherings that focus and advocate for mental and physical health, recovery, and so much more. I’ve been going it alone since 2020, doing everything from video & sound design, graphic creation, and so much more on top of the product creation too! The plan to grow bigger is already underway.
I’ve combined my art into this and created awesome pieces, from custom griptape art, to complete custom boards! Developing a signature line of modified boards made like the crazy ones I ride, for others. Doing what I can to support the community. As things grow, you’ll start seeing more of my stuff at Blazer Skateshop in Greenville!
I’ve been restoring and recycling old skateboards since my very early days of skating, using everything I’ve learned every day! Some of my favorite projects have been ones where I revived an old, closeted board into a whole new feel while keeping true to its roots! From reviving old, or crafting something completely new, I absolutely love what I do.
That’s not very brief, ha! It’s a very long story with lots of lessons learned. But I am so grateful it has led me here!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I used to say “I wish” to questions like that. But looking back now, I wouldn’t take back all those battles fought and lessons learned. The knowledge has helped me time and time again, after the fact.
Plus, come on, it’s SC. Not many smooth roads around here! Haha!
From learning to walk again, skate again, in the midst of learning to be human, while trying to establish a small business, is rather interesting! Emotional rollercoaster. But we really must keep riding the wave!
The biggest battles were ones with myself, honestly. Battling anxiety and CPTSD, among other mental battles, while tackling everything else in a world that wasn’t built for me. But, there’s nothing else to do but to keep pushin’!
To build something out of a niche, within a niche, is a big challenge. The financial aspect is hard to get through, and the biggest challenge for any skateboarding industry. I have come to understand the meaning behind “the starving artist.” Not to mention, debilitating social anxiety and sales don’t really align well. But, to say that I don’t do this for the money, doesn’t even cut it. It has been pure passion gone into everything that I do, and I don’t even know how to stop! This is everything to me.
Social Anxiety & Speaking to the Camera Fear Pro Tip!: I pretend I’m talking to my closest people when I create content, especially with voiceovers or speaking to the camera! It’s really the only way I can even look at or talk to a camera, just shut out the world and pretend it’s just me and my homies, nerding out over skate gear! Hope that helps!
The rough roads with weird obstacles are my jam. Just a nice layer of sketchy sprinkled over top of everything. Gimme the challenge, the obstacle, the beaten path, so I can face it head on and see what I’m capable of! Ever since the first taste of that feeling, I can’t get enough. Arguably, that’s what skateboarding is all about, no matter the form.
Let’s Rise from the Ashes together!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a creator and artist, I just can’t stop creating things and helping others!
I’ve been developing a signature line of boards, integrating different board sport disciplines into hybrid solutions, and just making my mark in appreciation to how much skateboarding has helped me.
From a completely unique, personalized custom board that screams your personality and feels like an extension of your feet, to whole restoration and revival of that old board you loved so much. The amount of love, soul, blood, sweat and tears put into my work shows.
Some of the known pieces are my griptape artworks. Either something crazy, cut up from multiple different sheets of grip like mixed media art, to painting a completely custom piece.
Also building a community & collective of like minded folks that can help take skating to another level! Plus, hosting events, doing demo rides of gear and boards, meetups, lots of fun projects.
I’m working on soon developing a program focused on helping others like me get back on the board, a unique recovery and therapy program (though I don’t have the degree to call it that officially)! In the works, any support is appreciated, so stay tuned!
I help grow and promote companies I’m passionate about, helping people maintenance, repair, and even upgrade their gear. Creating content like tutorials, showcase videos, riding tips, all kinds of stuff.
Even within the videos I make, I take my art skill and experience in graphic design, Audio & Video production, VFX & SFX, and more to make everything a piece of art in its own way! Art & creation bleeds on everything I make!
The feeling and love I have for this, simply goes beyond passion.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Wanna know what’s crazy? My favorite memories were watching the trains pass by, mesmerized by the graffiti.
You’d think after getting hit by a train that wouldn’t be a great memory anymore! But yet, it’s engrained.
Originally from New England, up north the trains run on these things like bridges, most times made of metal, like in the movies, but sometimes they’re made of brick.
When I was little, I’d stay with my grandma some weekends and there was a brick one right by the building. The train was loud, shook the place, but I loved it. Most of all, I loved the art! I’d watch for what seemed like hours, trying to read the words and seeing how each artist chose to do their lettering.
I’ve always had a fascination with graffiti and tag art, despite all the stigma. There are some incredible pieces out there, just left out for the world to see and admire for free. It’s always been a big part of my art and style.
Pricing:
- Griptape Art – Strips or Full Sheet – $10-50+ depending on size, material, & detail
- Radicalized Custom Boards – Price Negotiable depending on material, level of customization, labor, etc.
- Retro Resto (Old Board Restoration) – Price Negotiable depending on material, costs, labor, etc.
- Local Meetups & Events – Donations Appreciated
- Personal Lesson Session and Tuning / Maintenance Course – $25 per Sesh or $100 for 5 (Price Negotiable for youngsters and other specific needs)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/boardbuslife
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashskateworks?igsh=MWt6aWp2ZTAyamVsMQ==
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@ashskateworks?feature=shared
Image Credits
Rafael Hernandez (Me!)
