As we all warily scratched our heads at the Olympics last month, watching perfectly polished ramp tricks that bordered on the robotic, one thing was clear: skateboarding had been parcelled to the public as a sport. I guess we knew this all along, gritting our teeth at mainstream misunderstanding. But after watching those glossy performances at Tokyo, I realised that now, more than ever, we need to keep skateboarding creative - to celebrate it for what it is: an art. The innovative network that surrounds skating is what drew me to it as a child. And to witness the next generation carry that torch inspires me to keep going. Amongst those who use skating to stretch other creative muscles is Finn Deedman, a talented artist on and off his board. For the 6th instalment of journaled, I talk with Finn about his whimsical drawings, and the ways they’ve shaped his skating into an art, never a sport.

A true creative disrupts boundaries, mapping their own unique and individual paths. They aren’t motivated by money or recognition, but by a true passion for what they do. Zane Crowther’s work - spanning multiple disciplines - is a true testament to this. Whether it be skateboarding, drawing, or filming, Zane’s ability to throw himself head-first into all projects is what inspired me to interview him. For this fifth instalment of journaled I had a catch up Zane to talk about his past and future projects, and all the crazy journeys in-between. Truly one of a kind, he’s a guy to keep on your radar.

It’s crazy what can sprout from the smallest of seeds. There are success stories, like an incredible Brighton skate vid chock full of homies, that sprung from just a 10-minute project. And then the less fortunate tales, like leaving the house to do laundry and finding yourself locked out in your pants for half an hour. Both of these have happened to Brainstorm creator Cole Flynn Quirke. It was in the midst of his trouser-less excursion that I arrived to do this interview. After waiting in a nearby coffee shop we eventually made it through Cole’s front door to talk about his expansive list of creative projects, the beginnings of Brainstorm, and why you should never leave the house without a key. (This one also includes a special shout-out to Joe Dyson, who’s currently stuck in hospital with a broken leg - I hope this interview is a decent distraction!) Go to the Journal skate blog now to read all this and more in the latest installment of Journaled with Cole Flynn Quirke of Brainstorm

You know that feeling you get when you stumble across something special? You can’t quite put your finger on it, but when you feel it, you know you’re lucky to have found it. That feeling sums up the work of Dougie George. His skating is a sight to behold, and yet off the board he is still the most humble homie. It’s the special kind of mix you don’t find everyday! I sat down with him to talk about growing up in America, skating mini ramps with Steve Caballero, and much much more.

How do you begin to describe Harrison? A true individual and a force to be reckoned with, he’s certainly a pleasure to watch on a skateboard. We sat down to talk about his time growing up next to the crazy world of the level, money laundering employers, Brainstorms new video, and more...

Visited Dan to talk about his new part, getting on Adidas, Gucci parties, and more...