Our Journal — blog

Only a handful of people have successfully made a name for themselves in Hong Kong Skateboarding. We recently had the privilege of talking with Piet Guilfoyle - where he talks us through growing up in Oz, the struggles of migrating to a new city, being a misfit and how a near death experience jump started it all.

There's a calm-cool vibe about our next artist - but not in your typical surfer dude persona. Only a few people embody the true hustle of working for yourself and getting shit done. From making music to running a surf lifestyle brand - to being on the road and raising a family - from afar Bryant Vallejo looks like he's got it all locked in, but taking a closer look you realize he's just like the rest of us, charging through everyday life.

I met Bryant around 2009 when I first moved back to...

There are many people to meet, many stories to hear in Hong Kong. That's why it's always nice coming across like-minded artists moving towards the same goal of creating and inspiring. We take a minute to chat with Ollie Rodgers (Mr Koo) and how skateboarding was the springboard into his journey into artistry.

One of the pillars that Gahyao was founded on was to push ourselves, both creatively and physically - to always try something new.

Growing up in the 90s, skateboarding and punk rock were definitely a subculture in HK (more so in Manila), so I was naturally drawn to graffiti and tattoo culture too.

Graffiti was something I always admired from a distance, I never thought I’d have the hands or the skill set to get something up from scratch.

Last October I decided to take that insecurity and break it, to go out there and try it myself.

The...

We swung by the newly renovated Lai Chi Kok Skatepark to take some snaps and to test out the park. It goes without saying, this spot is top notch. Good for all levels of skateboarding and just the right amount of space. It's the first @SLS certified skate park in Hong Kong, designed & built by @caskateparks.  

It's definitely a great milestone for HK Skateboarding.

Photos shot with a Fujifilm XT-10.

Enjoy the #photodump.