Lola The Illustrator
Lola Glass didn’t know much about skateboarding before her mother gave her a book by skateboarding hall of famer Cindy Whitehead: It’s Not About Pretty.
In that book, she saw girls like her — creative and tough — as street artists and skater girls.
“This book made me really feel awesome,” Lola said. “I already knew there were a lot of street artists and skater girls out there, but it felt reassuring to see this book full of them.”
Lola said she’s loved art since she was three years old, but didn’t become a street artist until she was six years old — although that was never the exact plan.
One day, the curator of a Brooklyn gallery caught her using a spray marker to write on someone’s detailed background. It was Joe Ficalora who caught her “white handed” — the founder of the outdoor gallery the Bushwick Collective.
Instead of reprimanding her, Ficalora invited Lola to join the Bushwick Collective. For her first assignment, she turned to her favorite book for inspiration.
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Lola, who’s known as Lola the Illustrator in the art community, incorporated her love for skateboarding in her mural — literally and figuratively. She copied a pose from Whitehead’s book for her skater girl mural and added acrylic lines using a pair of board wheels.
Lola said it was “easy and recognizable” — a girl mid-flight, holding her board to her feet with one hand while she soars through the air, with her long, pink hair flowing behind. Lola’s style is all her own, with bright colors and happy subjects.
“You should just start off with your style and what you like to do and then, as you get bigger, then you can look at what other artists paint and then you can mix that up with your style.”
Since painting her first wall with The Collective, Lola has continued to practice street art and even has a mural at her favorite place that serves as a big source of inspiration — Coney Island.
Lola’s skateboarding journey has also come full circle as she’s now an ambassador for Girl Is Not A Four Letter Word — the female skateboarding brand created by Cindy Whitehead — and said her art is another way for her to help spread the skater girl revolution.
“I want to inspire more girls to skateboard,” Lola said with a smile.
Photo Credits: Instagram
