Creative Works
Art and other creative works from the community.
Danny Landers
Danny Landers is a skateboarder, visual artist, and published short fiction writer. He has belonged to the ridgeboiz community since the park’s inception, and cannot imagine a better place to call home.
Cole Leyva
"My latest work explores the tension between identity and consumption through a recurring character, the Blue M&M, otherwise known as “Bro” or “Big M” or “Headtapp”, rendered in oil and acrylic paint. The character becomes less a corporate mascot than a stand-in for the contemporary individual. The settings, situations, and mannerisms I present surrounding the character are all distinctly human. The works exist somewhere between familiarity and anonymity, which allows them to carry both humor and psychological weight. The paintings draw from the visual language of urban America, while borrowing the material sensitivity of traditional painting. At their core, these works reflect on the emotional consequences of consumer culture. The mascot, designed to sell comfort and familiarity, becomes a portrait of someone hidden behind an identity they have learned to perform." -Cole
Zack Henderson
As a 16 year veteran of the Ridgeboiz community, I take pride in the fact that the core values within BMX and skating have taught me how to approach tattooing, painting, music, and any general creative endeavors with a level of dedication and perseverance that only strengthens in the presence of hardships. Regardless of injuries and life circumstances, continuing down the path of riding and creating unapologetically becomes not only possible, but natural when surrounded by like minded individuals who support each other relentlessly. I have immense gratitude for Ridgewood skatepark and the people that have rolled through consistently over the past ten plus years, and the new young skater yet to walk through that gate we all know quite well. I will continue to show up and look forward to seeing what everyone is up to. I love you all.
P.s. If you would like to get tattooed by me, you can reach out via Instagram or just come by the shop. I currently work at Two Headed Dog Tattoo in Montville at 189 Changebridge Rd. Come by and we can watch Ridgeboiz clips while ripping tats.
Marc Ramos
My name is Marc Ramos, I’m a 27-year-old photographer from New Jersey and I have been shooting photos for the better part of a decade. Most of what I shoot comes from the world around me - BMX, cars, traveling, friends, and the random moments that happen along the way.
I’ve always been drawn to photography because it gives me a way to document my life through my own unique perspective. I enjoy being able to look back at photos years later and reminisce about where I was, who I was with, or what was going on in that moment. Being able to revisit those moments are really important to me, I don't want to forget the life I've lived.
A lot of photography for me is really just an excuse to get out, meet new people, see new places, and experience something different. I’m not always looking for the "perfect shot". I’m more interested in capturing things as they occur and building a collection of memories and stories that I can carry with me and share with others.
Jose Manuel Collantes
Ridgeboiz is an ongoing photographic series documenting a brotherhood of skateboarders in northern New Jersey. Centered around the skate park in Ridgewood, the series explores how a shared space creates community and identity among people from different backgrounds.
Working within my circle of friends allows me to examine our transition from adolescence into adulthood through an intimate perspective. The photographs explore masculinity, relationships, resilience, and belonging.
The chain-link fence surrounding the park becomes a recurring visual element, representing the tension between restriction and freedom. Though the space is physically enclosed, it provides an escape where individuality can be expressed. Ridgeboiz is both a document of place and a portrait of the relationships formed within it.
Jose Manuel Collantes is a 29-year-old photographer based in
Ridgewood, New Jersey.