Salisbury’s 3rd Friday event was full of smiling faces, unique vendors, food and entertainment, and while we enjoyed the 3rd Friday festivities, we were eager to stop in the Tony Weeg Photography studio for the Skate Deck Art Show. The event was a huge hit, with crowds pouring in to get a glimpse of the unique array of artwork on the walls. Local and visiting artists contributed to the event, which aimed to raise money for the construction of the Salisbury Skate Park. With roughly $4200 raised at the show, we’d say it was certainly a success (We even walked away with a win from the silent auction!).
Artists were charged with turning the bottoms of skate decks into works of art. Many of the artists were local, but the group was also rounded out by artists from California, England, Illinois and South Africa, yielding a truly eclectic mix of artwork. Each of the decks on display were available for the silent auction. One deck topped the charts, bringing in $300. Also on sale were show prints created by local artist Brian Robertson on his old school letterpress. Robertson also had a board in the show which was the winning prize for the raffle (the raffle ultimately brought in $400). “Artists ranged from tattoo artists to street artists,” said organizer and artist Tony Weeg, praising the artists and everyone involved who donated their time, money, and efforts. “Everybody came together 100 percent – it was really awesome,” said Weeg.
The Salisbury Skatepark is to be located on S. Park Drive, with plans calling for two phases: phase one will consist of the first 6,000 square feet of the park, while phase two will round out the remaining 8,000 square feet. The push to build a skatepark in Salisbury first arose in 2008, when a group of concerned citizens of Salisbury and the Eastern Shore decided to band together to form the Salisbury Skatepark Committee Inc. The non–profit group has worked since that time with the City of Salisbury and with Eastern Shore residents to raise funding for the proposed park through grants and fundraising. Currently, the committee is raising money for phase 2, which is where the money from the Skate Deck Art show will be allocated. For more on how you can donate, visit www.salisburysk8park.com.
