Intricate intarsia on bold boards
- Jānis' practice heavily relies on technical precision
- His boards are exclusively made to order
- Alongside his skateboard making, he creates sculptures and lamps
Jānis Jirgens creates personalised skateboards and longboards that bring together engineering and art. He spent his childhood in his grandfather’s garage, where he learned that anything could be built with the right tools and a bit of creativity. This early fascination with building and mechanics blossomed at Riga Crafts Secondary School, where he studied traditional woodworking techniques. As a teenager, unable to afford skateboards, Jānis started crafting his own, fuelling his passion for both woodworking and extreme sports. He further refined his skills in the years he spent working in carpentry and furniture restoration. Today, Jānis’ lifelong passions are united in his workshop, where his boards offer each rider a unique blend of function and beauty.
Interview
- How do you distinguish your work in a world of mass-produced boards?
- Nowadays, the skateboard market is very broad, so I found my place by delivering quality, not quantity. My boards are not available for purchase anywhere, they are all made to order. I guarantee exclusivity by personalising my boards to each client.
- How do you balance technical requirements with decorative elements?
- I have focused on precision skills my entire career, so it is natural that I aim to achieve the level of technical precision necessary for the board. The artistic aspect follows the same logic. I work with the intarsia technique, a form of wood inlaying, which perfectly matches the technical precision needed for board making.
- What made you apply the Intarsia technique to your boards?
- I wanted to make a board that had a sporty, fast and elegant vibe. I was inspired by the two stripes of the Dodge Viper and decided to make it with different veneers. I loved the results and started making more complex designs, such as portraits and intricate geometry.
- What does the future of skateboard making look like?
- The skateboard has created a big, passionate community that goes beyond the sport. It has its own cultural expression. Materials are changing and techniques are evolving, so it is hard to predict the future of the craft. However, the skateboard culture is too strong to fade away now.
Jānis Jirgens is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2002
Where
Jānis Jirgens
