'The Art of Board' — by Rich Moorhead

Rich Moorhead, an avid skateboarder as a kid, grew up but never lost his inner child.

About two years ago he started collecting worn-out skateboard decks and making things from them.

The hobby has turned into what might well become a business, with over 100 pieces created to date and calls starting to come in from around the country for commissioned work.

Laura Urbani interviewed Moorhead for a story which appeared in the April 12, 2007 Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and follows.

Broken boards get new life as art

Rich Moorhead remembers the thrill of riding a skateboard — the freedom of flying down a ramp and the joy of completing a perfect ollie.

Although it has been years since he did tricks on a board, skateboarding is opening a new life for Moorhead. The Hanover, York County, resident recycles old boards and turns them into works of art.

"I was always good in art class as a kid," says Moorhead, who is a sales representative for a furniture manufacturer. "I never studied it seriously. I always created things on the side. This became a really cool way to express myself."

Moorhead's self-expression has been turned into everything from mirrors to tables to wall art. It began two years ago when he noticed the worn-out decks his nephews left scattered about their house. He collected the decks and made a picture frame and a hat rack as presents for his nephews. After he finished, he knew he wanted to make more.

"I really didn't take it too seriously," says Moorhead. "It was just a hobby. It relieves my pain of the day."

The hobby continues to grow. Moorhead sells his artwork in skateboard shops in Pennsylvania, Maryland and New York City. From the Ground Up in Greensburg and Pipes Skate Park in his hometown of Murrysville carry his work and collect used decks for him.

So far, skateboarders have responded warmly to Moorhead's art. Like the sport, Moorhead's art exhibits a feeling of freedom and excitement. He cuts the boards into small squares that are used for his mosaic masterpieces.

"I can use deck pieces like a ceramic tile," says Moorhead. "I don't stay with one brand. I like blending them for color and pop. A lot of color."

Color is important, but so are the marks left by the skateboarders. Each scratch is valuable to Moorhead.

"I incorporate the graphics created by the skaters," says Moorhead. "Those scratches become part of the art. The more scrapes the merrier."

Moorhead's greatest masterpiece is a large mosaic called The Art of Board. The artwork uses more than 300 hand-cut pieces from more than 50 types of decks. Skaters scour the mosaic looking for samples of their decks.

"The kids can look at my mosaic or pieces and see a board they used once or their buddy used," says Moorhead.

Tim Krupar, owner of From the Ground Up, was excited to see his shop's logo in the mosaic. In addition to selling the work, Krupar is happy to supply Moorhead with decks.

"Skateboards break pretty regularly," says Krupar. "The better you get and the more tricks you do, the more they break. I like that he's reusing something that would be thrown away."

Moorhead likes that he can help the environment, but his art helps in other ways, too. Moorhead printed posters of The Art of Board mosaic. Portions of the proceeds from those posters are donated to the Tony Hawk Foundation, which helps establish skate parks in low-income communities. Money also was donated to the Reid Menzer Memorial Skate Park in York, which was created by parents of a 14-year-old boy who died after being hit by a car while he rode his homemade street luge.

"I thought it was a good way to give back," Moorhead says. "It's heartwarming to contribute something to a family who lost their son. And I'm doing good things for the environment. It's a win-win situation."

In addition to his own ideas, Moorhead accepts commissioned work. He recently created a large corkboard for Robin Monroe, of Squirrel Hill. Monroe first saw Moorhead's work in a poster at Pipes Skate Park in Murrysville. As soon as she saw the colorful mosaic, she wanted something more personal.

"It's beautiful," she says. "It's so colorful. It's just not a piece of art. It's something I can use as well."

Moorhead finished the corkboard in two weeks, and delivered it during one of his frequent trips to his hometown.

"I come from a family of skateboarders," says Monroe. "It's representative of skate culture."

Moorhead, the father of three kids aged 3-8, encourages children to embrace skateboarding as a sport.

"It's an independent sport," he says. "It's freedom. I admire the kids doing what they're doing now. I never would have tried that. It's insane. It's a true sport, a true talent."

Although Moorhead may not be jumping pipes anymore, he loves that his artwork keeps him connected to his favorite sport. He has created more than 100 pieces from used skateboards. Word is slowly spreading across the country. He recently had several calls from California regarding his artwork.

"People calling me from the West Coast is the ultimate compliment," says Moorhead. "I have so many ideas where this can go. I have a plan, but it's always evolving."

Examples of Moorhead's work can be found on his Web site at www.regrind.org.

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That's www.regrind.org in case you fell asleep.