The culture of snowboarding and artistic expression goes hand in hand. From fine art to music to fashion, it’s all intertwined in the name of self-expression. It’s arguable that a snowboard without a graphic is just a piece of wood and resin, but it’s the artwork that brings it to life, gives it a soul, so to speak, and expresses your personality and ideology to the masses simply by them looking down at your feet. That’s where artists like Jeremy Salyer come into play. Jeremy has been leaving his mark on Never Summer boards for two decades now, and to those who connect with Never Summer, they have Jeremy to thank. His unique approach to design has helped Never Summer become one of the most dominant brands in the world, so we sat down with him to chat a bit about his process, the importance of a good graphic and what he likes to do when he’s not riding. -T. Bird

What, to you, is the importance of art and graphics on a snowboard?
Like riding itself, art is an expression and we hope that people like how we express ourselves in that capacity. In terms of the actual importance, that’s up to the individual, but we’ve found that overall, the graphic is of great importance to riders. Thankfully, many love how our boards are constructed and ultimately ride so there are other significant factors. 

Do you think it’s true that a snowboard isn’t a snowboard until it’s got a graphic on it? Meaning that the graphics really bring it to life?
I think it adds to it for sure! While some like a super clean top with very little in terms of art application, I think some kind of artistic take is still important so we try to offer several options, from clean to more complex to everywhere in between. And when riders are spending their hard-earned cash, I think they’d like to see some effort put in.

What was the first snowboard you ever designed?
Oh wow, that’s really throwing it back, I had my hands on every board in the 2004/2005 lineup from start to finish, but the Premier freeride board was probably the first one that I officially completed. 

Where do you draw the majority of your inspiration from when creating graphics?
The world of design is constantly evolving, so I definitely draw inspiration from various cultures, trends, as well as timeless, classic themes. And being that Never Summer was founded 33 years ago, we also have a strong foundation of what works for us and how to approach things differently than other companies.

To you, what is the most important step in creating a graphic?
Without a doubt, research initially. Research regarding what riders like to see from us and gathering information from design culture worldwide to produce appropriate graphics for each board. A close second is constantly gathering feedback from tons of people domestically and internationally, we don’t work in a vacuum—we very much rely on the constant flow of opinions coming back to us.

What’s the best part about working with the whole Never Summer team?
That we operate like a tight family in terms of honesty and communication. Everyone is hardworking and wants to reach common goals while having fun. We genuinely have a great time hanging out together, joking around and catching up about family life, travel etc. 

Lastly, what are you working on when you’re not working in the snow space?
At my core, I love design and art so I’m always looking up various artists, following fashion, visiting museums and just keeping my eyes wide open to what’s going on. I occasionally help friends’ with their design needs. Aside from that just enjoying the outdoors and working on anything those outdoors’ hobbies require!

Thank you!