Kyler Garrison
Photos and interview by Isaac Randozzi
Over the past couple decades there has been a proliferation of skateparks across the country. Their presence is a boon and a curse. A boon for the kids that want to roll on smooth transitions, grind perfect ledges and immaculate flatground. There is nothing wring with that, most skateparks are a paradise of sorts. The curse, is the loosing the lessons of the streets. The ability to adapt to different situations and explore the towns and cities in which we live. Some of our most iconic spots have been found in back alleys and side streets. Thankfully, there is a generation of kids that have been inspired by the past and not just the fashion. Youngsters like Kyler that have a searcher’s lust and wanderer through stinky alleys and lonely rooftops. Hunting for something untouched by urethane. He and his crew based out of Denver’s Emage shop have an average age birthday post 9-11 but their skating, ideas and tools of documentation are (mostly) older than they are. Kyler’s interests are on the artistic side of the skate spectrum. With a more than passing interest in creative use of his time - painting and videography he follows in the skater/artist tradition that goes back to Neil Blender. Combined with the support and encouragement of a tight crew and a shop he has a solid foundation upon which to grow and learn. He was recently bumped up to full AM by Hopps and over the past year has been putting out a lot of respectable footage, culminating in the recent Hopps edit. The Covid pandemic has put a pause on the world but somehow I don’t think that will stop this young urban deviant and his back alley antics and search for stoke and good times.
How old are you and how long have you been working at the Emage shop?
I am 18 and I started doing work-study when I was in high school, when I was 16.
Where you here part of the school day?
I went to an online high school so I got work study credit for being here.
Do you have to take a test to get into it?
Not really, you just have to sign up. It is part of DPS (Denver Public Schools) so it’s not a private school or anything like that.
Is there a grade level you have to maintain otherwise you have to go back to regular school?
Yea but it’s pretty easy to maintain it. A lot of it is timed and you have to show your work, submit photos of your work. They have a small campus attached to another school which you go visit once a week for help, or just for work time. I enjoyed it.
You’ve been with the shop, coming up on three years. Is that how you got hooked up with Hopps? Or did you send them a sponsor-me edit?
My friend Alec shoots photos and he works for Vans. He has the same position as Mark delNegro has on the East Coast and through mutual friends we got in contact. Alec and Mark put in a good word with the dudes at Hopps, and after sending some footage I guess they were stoked.
So it wasn’t a rep-flow thing, was more direct?
Kinda, I would get stuff here and there when Emage would get Theories shipments. Just as long as I stayed productive and sent footage and stuff they would hook it up, which was sick.
How did you get into making videos?
Just being a little skate park kid with all my friends and having the internet growing up skating. There has always been an overwhelming amount of skateboarding on the internet, and it always got me stoked to try and make videos with my friends.
Where you using your phones to film them editing them on your computer?
I got a little handy-cam before I had a phone, and was always trying to put stuff together using that and iMovie on the family computer. My friend Sam eventually got a VX1000 and was super productive with it, it always got us stoked to go out and film whatever we could.
What do you prefer, being behind the camera or in-front of it?
I think both, it depends.
The video that was recently posted here on Theories, was that the first project you made and put out there?
Yeah, I used to post stuff to YouTube when I was younger with all my friends and stuff but this was the first project I tried to release in a more formal skate video fashion. We had a bunch of footage and we hadn’t done anything in a couple years so we thought we might as well do something with it.
Was there any specific videos or films that inspired you in anyway?
A lot of what my friends put out. Seeing what they do and working off that. I just like seeing my friends do cool stuff and want to reciprocate that.
What did you film it with?
It was a VX1000.
Have you or your friends had any issue with the camera, I understand it can be a little bit, um… testy at times.
My friend Sam had three or four different ones due to them breaking, getting stolen, shit like that. I got one in high school, 9th or 10th grade or something and it just went out a week ago. So I’ve got to figure that out.
It doesn’t seem like Emage has an official team, is it more of a family thing than a formal vibe?
At first Brendan (the owner) was trying to promote a solid team but at some point, people move away, people move in and it became more of a homie thing. We all think its better to not take shit like that serious. It’s a good way to do things, especially with the small skate community in Denver.
How many times have you heard, “back in my day” at the shop when you work here?
Too many [laughter].
You’re 18, why Hopps? Why not Real or one of the larger California based companies?
It’s just sick that it’s always been authentic. A lot of shit in corporate skateboarding, I feel like, is kind of forced and I think it’s always been about style and not doing the biggest and best thing. Which I enjoy a lot more than seeing someone jump down a bunch of stairs.
You recently got bumped up to full AM, was it discussed or did it just happen? How did you find out?
I was on vacation in Hawaii kicking it with my sister and Mark sent me a message about being a part of the family and I was like, whoa, and then I saw that they posted it. I didn’t hear about any of that before hand, I knew they were trying to make moves and put some people on the team, but I didn’t think that was going to happen.
When did you start drawing and painting on things?
I’ve always been into art. I think I learned I enjoyed having a creative outlet aside from skating when I was trying to become more independent after school, moving out, etc. I think its good to have an alternative outlet, especially in the winter when you can’t skate.
How has Colorado’s cannabis legalization affected you and your friends?
[Aside to his friends] Do you guys think we’ve become less productive since weed became legal? I don’t really know the answer to that.
What about the decriminalization of shrooms in Denver?
I think it’s a real Denver thing to do. But you know, do what you do.
You’ve helped spread the word about Nike quickstrikes by skating in the shoes for Emage promotional edits. Are they hooking you up at all or is this just you helping out your shop?
It’s kind of both, I just like having something to do and go out and do something productive. Also Colton is a boss at projects like that. When Brendan has the opportunity to promo a couple shoes he’s down to hook it up or share footage.
Not too long ago you went to NYC and met Jahmal. How was it, were you able to hit all the spots you wanted to? Was that your first trip there?
That was my third time in New York. It’s overwhelming being there, there is so much shit to do. Which I think is sick but there are things I would still like to do, places I would still like to visit. Jahmal is a peaceful ass dude. I remember a bug landed on his head and he was trying to get it to fly away without hurting it.
What were some of the first skate vids you saw? Personal favorites?
Dude this is going to sound fucked up but the first skate video I remember coming out when I started skating was Extremely Sorry. That was the first video that came out when I got really into skating. But I don’t know, I like watching old stuff but I don’t know much about it. I need to see more videos.
What’s your take on skating being in the Olympics? Good thing, bad thing, don’t give a shit?
Make your money. It’s whatever, chase your bag.
There has been the conversation about how big money, Nike, Adidas etc has changed skating but when you’re out there pushing around is there any of that shit in your head?
I don’t really care. It’s easy to see what becomes money motivated which can go both ways. I think it’s cool that it’s become a way to get more money and business to local shops and whatnot.
Denver has really been growing in the past five to ten years have there been more spots pop up and helped the scene, or do people tend to skate the same shit?
Most of the OG spots are gone and all the new shit is a bust so it is what it is. A lot of the same spots get skated but it’s whatever. There’s always a constant hunt to finding new spots out here.
Colorado and the Denver area have a lot of parks, do you hit them up much?
We end up getting stuck skating parks more often than intended. It’s nice to have for sure, but I think a lot of people would rather have a good plaza or two than a bunch pf parks.
It seems like there has been a push to keep the kids in the parks by building more parks.
It is nice when you are growing up and skating the parks with all your friends after school. I think a lot of kids get use to that and I see a lot of that in Colorado, but people are just having fun.
You mentioned your camera is busted, are you going to get a new one, get it repaired?
I would like to. I might try and get it fixed if I can get money. That’s where I’m at now, the first step getting money to resolve the issue.
Have you ever done any photography or do you just dig the video stuff?
Photography is hard, I’ve tried. You’ve got to have the right touch and know what you are doing. I think it’s sick but I’m not good at it.
You prefer paint, marker and pencil?
Yeah.
Who are some of the artists you got stoked on? Do you pay attention to contemporary art, or done much looking into the past?
I don’t pay a whole lot of attention to what is going on in the art world but there are a handful of people that I think are sick. Whatever my friends put out gets me stoked.
Sounds like you have a solid group of creative folks around you that’s a perpetual self-stoke machine.
Yeah, exactly. All my friends are dope.
Have you guys done or thought of doing a crew video?
Yeah, we’re at that point where we are starting to get some more stuff and we’d love to put something out. It’s just a little hard to get that in motion sometimes but when it does, it’s awesome.
You’ve been filming a fair amount over these past weeks, between the snow storms that is. And there are rumors of an upcoming Hopps project circulating. Care to comment?
I only know as much as I was told and I wasn’t really told much. I think it’s a crew video with all of the new dudes. I’m stoked to see Faheem skate and everyone else, should be cool!
If Josh (Stewart) could get you into Tampa AM would you skate it?
Haha I don’t really know.
Have you skated in contests before? Something about a Volcom contest?
Yeah it was funny, I was like 12 or 13. It was a contest at D-Park (Denver skate park) and I placed well and then went to California for the next round or whatever. Watched 10 year old kids flipping into rails at the park. I skated off and did some other shit, just seeing those kids doing kickflip backlips on a 10 stair rail is kinda overwhelming.
Are there any spots you’d like to check out?
Paris. I would love to go there. I want to skate that curb hubba that goes down like twelve stairs, that looks so fun. I’ve never been out of the country, so hopefully one day. Really any plaza actually, there aren’t any in Denver.
Any thank you’s or cats you’d like to mention?
Shout out to Emage and Brendan! Shout out Grant, Blake, Valen, Gary, Colton, Alec, Fun Club, Hopps, Mark, Isaac, and everyone else.
Peep Kyler and the rest of the Hopps crew below in "Into the Sun"