Mike Parillo

• Where can I buy your artwork?

  www.asymbolgallery.com

Mike Parillo is a ripping snowboarder and an extremely talented artist. Lib Tech began working with Mike years ago as a team rider and over the decades we have had the privilege of working on many art projects with him. Mike and Travis collaborated on this years Travis Rice series art which looks unbelievably fantastic. Here are a few questions we asked Mike as he embarked on another project with Travis. What is the best late night art elixir? Now that’s a good question, after many years of poisoning myself I have arrived at the ultimate combo, Yerba Mate in a French Press, Meditation, and thoughts of the woman I love, are hands down the most powerful and productive combo ever. Does Travis’ energy surplus transfer into his artwork requests? Uh, yeah... Sometimes it’s a little overwhelming, I feel he really likes to challenge me, but because of the amazing creative connection we have and his confidence in my ability to translate his thoughts to images we seem to hit home runs and get better every time we collaborate. Riding with friends in the woods is said to be cathartic. Can you relay any personal experiences? Cathartic, magical, and soul filling. I feel it every time I get on the hill here in JH and out in our backcountry but I feel it absolutely the most at Baldface. I encourage everyone to get up to BC and make some stories of their own. Does the painting you did for Travis’ art have a story or title or paragraph that is associated with it? This time he gave me a few words of advice but he was so busy I really got to run with it. This being our fourth go at it, the psychic connection stepped in and did the work for us. That might be a good question for him though. I might have just forgotten what it was due to my last idea of what a late night elixir should be. What is your art process on a good art day starting with getting out of bed? Asudachi, love letter texts on my phone when my eyes open, green tea, pineapple, 10+ new paintings going all at once, the drive and ideas for all of them at once, dirty fingernails, $10,000 of art supplies at my fingertips, forgetting that time exists, Gilles Peterson in the air and all the spirits of all the great artists guiding my hand at every stroke. Best way to cure a nasty case of artistic blockage? Destroy everything and start over, it’s the only way, especially if you have hundreds of hours invested, you know I’m serious Pete, how many times have you seen me do it? Finest Czech beer? Best place to drink it? Pilsner Urquell, U zlatého tygra (At the Golden Tiger) in Prague. How do you know a painting is done? It tells me very clearly, or it doesn’t let me let go, no matter what I do, I do my best to listen to the feeling inside and whatever it says, no matter how hard it can be sometimes, I stay true to that. Long walk on the Laguna beaches or cross country skiing in the shadows of the Tetons? Long nights in the shadows of both would be nice. I’m really working on the balance of that. My ultimate would be 3 months at a time in each. Winter in Jackson, spring in Cali or Europe, summer in Jackson, fall in Cali or Europe? I’ve been told you gotta tell the universe what you want or else it doesn’t know what to give you. How did get you started as an artist? I remember one comment from a doctor who said I was possibly autistic, I thought he said artistic, I remember my grandma telling me, too, that I would be an artist, both of those came when I was about 8 or 9. Snowboarding made me an artist and gave me the avenue to have a voice, Pete Saari letting me do graphics and his unconditional support and love is hands down the biggest reason I have been able to survive as an artist for the last 15 years. When it comes down to it, if I really look inside and ask that question I would say it was predestined. You started out as a rider for Lib Tech, we have been hearing you are ripping harder than ever. What is the secret to your shred longevity? Being a LibTech rider is still one of my proudest achievements, I still kinda feel like I’m on the team, I know I’m like a fine bottle of wine that’s aging well, but I’m cool with that. I must say that having Bryan Iguchi as my mentor is a huge help, he is the role model for the true professional, life long committed shredder, not riding every day also helps, honest appreciation for every minute I get to be on the snow and being a bit spoiled with the blessing of riding only when it’s bang on. Favorite place to paint? So far this solar system has been absolutely awesome.

NEEDS GALLERY CODES!