RHS students’ designs decorate skateboards

After a professional artist judged a skateboard design contest, three Richmond High School students received skateboards featuring their art.

In February and March, RHS students were among visitors to Richmond Art Museum’s “Empower Slide: Art and Design” exhibit featuring art by Latosha Stone-Keagy.

Stone-Keagy, a painter and graphic designer originally from Greenville, Ohio, owns Proper Gnar skateboard shop. Her art and designs have been featured on DC Comics, Zumiez, the HBO show “Betty” and in galleries across the country.

Richmond Community Schools and RHS partner with RAM each year so all RHS students see the museum’s winter exhibits.

As part of that experience, nearly 100 students participated in a skateboard design contest. Stone-Keagy selected the top three original student designs. She then digitized the students’ work and had the designs created into physical skateboards.

The winners, Lindsey Lear, Na’Myia Carico and Cayden Meyers, received their finished boards in August.

RAM staff say the contest is an excellent example of how the arts and arts education can enrich curriculum and student life, giving teens concrete examples of how artwork and design are used in the commercial world.

“Seeing their work start from a blank page skateboard design template to a finished skateboard will hopefully be a highlight during their high school lives, and something they always remember,” museum staff said in a news release.