In 2020, Deluxe Distribution started the Sketchy Skate Shop Appreciation Program through which they’ve established the yearly tradition of enlisting an artist to make graphics exclusively for Skate Shop Day.

Last year’s selected artist Todd Francis took it upon himself to make board graphics for a shocking number of shops. In the spirit of passing the torch to this year’s featured artist Mike Gigliotti, we sat the two down together to discuss the Sketchy Skate Shop Appreciation Program.

Todd Francis: Mike, how intimidating was it to be the artist for this year's DLX Sketchy Skate Shop Appreciation program? Considering how wildly popular last year's board graphics were... huge shoes to fill, I'd imagine? I mean, the bar was set so incredibly high.

Mike Gigliotti: (Laughs) Dude it was! The bar was set extremely high, you had to draw stuff for hundreds of shops, I only had to drudge up one cartoon. I had it easy compared to you!

This years graphic by Mike G. Not too evil, not too nice.

TF: How did you decide upon the artwork you chose for this year's Skate Shop Day decks?

MG: The main drawing on the deck was a shirt design I did for a shop called Lottie’s. The shop closed and I felt the drawing would work well for a board, and at the same time pay a little homage to an old skate shop. Not too evil, not too nice. Riding the line a little bit. it was definitely difficult to choose a drawing that I thought many shops and kids would like, so if you hate it, well, that’s like your opinion man.

TF: For many kids, a Skate Shop Day skateboard will be their first skateboard. Talk about how that makes you feel, being a gateway drug for so many children across this great country.

MG: Is that true?! I hope kids go into shops and just get the board they think looks the coolest. My first board was from a company called New School, it had a giant 8ball on it and it was such a rad board.

TF: You created that amazing skate shop tee program when the pandemic first hit and the world was turned upside down,which directly inspired Jim Thiebaud and DLX to create their Sketchy Skate Shop Program. Please talk about being ripped off so blatantly and brazenly if you could.

MG: I wasn’t ripped off. Jim sent me a box of riser pads, so we’re good. That t-shirt thing was hectic! I remember people hitting me up like “Fuck you dude! You put a shop name on that shirt, and that shop is racist! They’re Nazis! You’re a Nazi!” As a Jew, that didn’t sit well with me, but I had no idea who or what they were all talking about. I didn’t deep dive into the moral and political backgrounds of each skate shop, I just put shops on there that I’d heard about or knew about through Instagram and stuff. Either way, most people and most shops were stoked. What DLX did with Gonz and you the following years was amazing. Jim Thiebaud rules.

Mike showing Todd some of his artwork in his studio.

TF: When you reveal to strangers you design skateboard graphics, do they ask you if you also design snowboard graphics? Do you sometimes wish you designed snowboard graphics instead just to make people relate to you better?

MG: I don’t wish I did snowboard graphics instead, but man that would be kind of tight! Snowboards are massive, they’re a bigger canvas to make some cool stuff. Forum Snowboards or Sims or whoever, if you’re seeing this, hit me up!

TF: Are there certain times of the day or night you prefer to create your artwork, and what do you do with your brain when the ink isn't flowing the way you want it to? Also, how do they make ink? It can't all be from squid.

MG: They make ink? I thought that shit came from trees. I mainly get stuff done in the early mornings. My brain functions best from like 6am-11am. After that I try to get some exercise in, skate, eat. I draw at night too, but only if the stuff isn’t hyper detailed work.

TF: You have the reputation of being an unfriendly man, someone who is quick to anger and rarely has a kind thing to say about your fellow man. How did you earn this reputation, and how are you trying to make yourself a better person these days?

MG: This is a constant battle I’m fighting and I’m not sure I’ll ever win. I like to think the people I have been a prick too deserved it. That helps me sleep at night. I once was rude to a guy when I worked at a skate shop and I felt bad about it for years. Then I interacted with that same person years later and he was an even bigger dickweed than I remembered. Moral of the story: trust your gut.

TF: Tell me the last great album you listened to, so i can put it on when I get home.

MG: Listen to the Baker2g soundtrack. It’s great. Also James McMurtry, Complicated Game.

TF: You always seem to have a lot of projects underway with Vans and Baker and a lot of other cool stuff too. Tell me about some upcoming projects we should keep our eyes peeled for.

MG: The Baker stuff is always going on, I’m working with Andrew Reynolds and Spanky everyday rules. I did the artwork for a big Vans snowboard contest that’s coming up, maybe this will be my chance to sew myself into the inner circle of the snowboarding scene.

Skate Shop Day 2023: Todd Francis & Mike Gigliotti