@lostartshop / @uselesswoodentoyssociety
Corey Bartle-Sanderson is a skater and artist living in London.
Corey’s fine art is abstract but by taking a longer look at it you see there’s more to it than what appears on the surface. On a similar tip, his creative style of skating is low impact but he does unique tricks with a refined style that like his work is strikingly different.
We’ve been fans of Corey’s artwork for a while so we thought it was a good time to make him a No Comply member and talk to him about the meaning behind his work, how he makes his art, his process, get his views on skateboarding and discover what inspires him to create.
Read Corey’s interview to learn about his skating and art, perspectives on some of his signature pieces, his found photography, his first skate crew, Vaughan Jones and Guy Jones, Fred Lambert, The Wirral, Liverpool, lurking in Lost Art and creating graphics for them, Mackey, Charlie Birch, Stevie Williams, Mark Baines, skate trips and travels to Hungary and New York, passing time over Lockdown his art platform ‘It’s Kind of Hard to Explain’, future projects and his favourite photos, videos, spots and clips and more.
Read The Corey Bartle Sanderson Interview to find out for yourself.
Corey, Ollie: shot by @torta_sk8
What’s your full name?
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in West Kirby, on The Wirral, but I live in London now
Cool, so why did you move to London?
I moved to London in 2011 to study Fine Art at Kingston.
When did you first start skateboarding?
I pretty much always had a skateboard as a kid. I remember going to primary school on my knees and stomach on a fish tail shaped board but nothing came of it until a bit later when people around me where doing it. Then I started to skate properly.
What was your first setup?
When I was around 9-10 years old, my mum’s friend got me a Powell Angel Boy complete, I was stoked.
Where did you first go skate and who was in your crew?
Safeway car park in West Kirby – it’s now a Morrisons.
It was a great spot to grow up with. So much variation for a beginner. You had the general car park essentials, curbs, manny pads and gaps but then it also had some walls that were varied in height which you could use as drops or ledges or that you could skate out of a banked shaped part of the pavement as well.
They were made of this crusty brick material so they were pretty hard to grind. Eventually after years they got better to grind, but were still super rounded.
It was right by the beach also which was pretty cool.
Who would skate down there?
Just a few classic hometown heroes, don’t think any of them still skate anymore. It wasn’t till a bit later on I met Vaughan and Guy Jones and everyone.
Shaun Witherup would be down at the carpark sometimes as well, not sure if he lived in the area though or why he was there haha.
What kinds of art did you make growing up?
Paintings and drawings. It’s the only thing that got taught at my school really, so it was all I knew at the time.
What inspires you to take photos of the objects you find?
I’m not entirely sure what it is exactly that draws my eye towards certain things.
Sometimes it can be quite banal or something quite strange and look out of place to me.
I like things where human intervention has taken place – like a plate that’s been left outside that’s been collecting rain water, cigarettes and croissants.
Photo by @coreybartlesanderson
What is the most unusual object or sign you’ve ever shot?
I wouldn’t say any of of the things that I shoot photos of are more unusual than one another, they are all pretty normal.
But by taking them out of context or isolating them, it makes them seem unusual to people looking at them.
Photo by @coreybartlesanderson
You’ve got a great SW BS Heel who’s got your favourite?
Haha cheers, hmmm…Daniel Castillo maybe.
Dan Fisher Eustance had a really good one as well in his new part!
What about Nollie FS Heels, how did you learn those?
I used to be unable to Nollie Heelflip and when I first starting trying to do them I’d always turn Frontside, so it came from that basically.
That was the same thing with Switch Heels. I never knew how to keep them straight and I would always turn Backside.
But I recently learned how to do them which I’m hyped on.
Who’s got your favourite Nollie FS Heelflip?
Mark Baines and Stevie Williams
Sick, so why do you include animals in your work?
Most of the time it’s a graphic that I’ve seen which I like. I think that’s what is interesting – rather than the animal itself.
Like, I really like the frog that’s on car air fresheners.
Why do you like to include found items in your art?
I just really like ‘things’, I wouldn’t say I’m a hoarder but I do like to keep hold and collect certain objects. There’s so much great stuff that exists in the world.
In my work I am trying to understand the materiality of these everyday objects and resources, either by making something heavily influenced by what I see or taking something and repurposing it.
‘I didn’t see you there (an ode to 103 Greenbank) 2021′ stands out, where did you source the components for it?
This work involved a few different processes. The gate latch, is scaled up 3 times its regular size and its based on the one that was on my house growing up
It is constructed through a mix of woodwork and 3D printing, finished in a hammered paint style to make it look as if it is made out of metal.
The frogs, as I mentioned before, are standard car air fresheners and they have a ring on them that I carved from wax to be made from bronze.
I didn’t see you there (an ode to 103 Greenbank) 2021, ABS, MDF, hammered paint, bespoke bronze ring & car air fresheners
The ring is part of an on-going series I plan to make every year. I have 2020 and 2021 ones made in wax at the moment but haven’t got them cast yet.
Your works’ titles are abstract, how do you come up with them?
The titles are often found statements or phrases that are tweaked to reference what the work is about.
Interesting. How did you come up with bread gloves?
This was based on an internet meme of this fake advert for gloves made of bread.
Bread Gloves: Shot by @maxnlee
Right. So, your piece ‘Your Lotto your Life goes up in Flames’. Is that a World Industries Flame boy reference?
Yeah it is. Similar to how I look at objects, I look at graphics. I like to collect things with graphics on, whether it be cartoons or whatever.
What inspired you to make that piece?
I guess similar to the frog and rat works, but with this work it combines The Lottery and the World Industries logos. It’s just a little nod to my skateboard life, although this doesn’t happen often.
You include a lot of food in your pieces, why?
I’ve always loved graphics of food and the way food is photographed for commercial use.
We are surrounded by it all the time, it’s something which is readily available so makes it an easy subject.
Also watching cartoons, especially old Disney and Tom and Jerry stuff there’s always food involved. I love how they transform food and how the shape and description of it in that medium doesn’t look like something that is set it in stone.
It’s similar to the scene in the film Hook where Robin Williams doesn’t see the food at first but then when he imagines it, he gets to grips with it.
I don’t understand sunglasses at night, 2018, Pewter & peach
Anthropomorphism plays a big part in your work, why?
I like the goofiness of it, it’s pretty funny seeing an egg with eyes flexing his muscles.
For sure. So back to skating. When did you first go into Lost Art?
It was way back when it was in Quiggins (RIP). Lost Art was on the top floor, by the cafe.
Or maybe it was the location they had previous to that but the shop I mentioned was the one that I remember most as it was when I started to lurk in there.
Who’s your favourite skater on the Lost Art team?
Everyone is the best but I will have to say Charlie Birch at the moment.
He seems to be doing something new and keeps it coming out every week and it’s all banging!
What’s your favourite trick by Mackey and why?
Mackey‘s push or the Pop Shuvit he did into this bank at the Uni in Liverpool shot by Stephen King AKA Kingy.
There’s a bollard right at the end of this super thin bank at the side of some stairs, with a car to one side. It doesn’t really make sense to be honest.
What’s your favourite Mackey skate section?
Mackey’s part in East Skateboards’ Vapors video.
I had that video on repeat constantly growing up so it’s an obvious choice.
You designed a Lost Art Hot Dog graphic that was featured on a series of decks and clothing, how’d you come up with the idea?
Similarly to Bread Gloves I had seen something online, it was a stock image of a hot dog with a celebrity’s name on it, can’t remember what it was now though.
Maybe John Travolta or something.
Fred Lambert is a sick skater and a good mate of both of ours. What’s your favourite trick by Fred?
Fred‘s Varial Heelflip or Nosegrind – the Nosegrind that Fred did outside of Lime Street station in Liverpool is worth a mention
Right. What’s your favourite Guy Jones trick ?
Guy’s Switch Heels.
I always wanted to do them like him, there’s one he did in a line in Manchester down an elongated five stair. The floor was made of these loose paving slabs which made a pretty satisfying and memorable noise.
Also the Wallride he did in Liverpool at the Scaff Banks is so so fucked.
Guy Jones, Wallride: Shot by @ashwilsonphoto
Rad. What about your favourite trick of Vaughan Jones?
Vaughan’s Frontside Flip Spar 7 and Bold Street double, shout out Farmyardz Da Barn!
Vaughan Jones, Ollie into the Bank: Shot by @reeceleung
Okay. So what’s your favourite spot in Liverpool?
The old Pier Head spot was perfect for everything, white marble floor, ledges, stairs, recycled plastic benches, good views of The Wirral and large grass area to chill. Could just stay there and skate all day.
Sounds fun. What’s your Favourite Liverpudlian band?
A Flock of Seagulls.
My friend – who was also in a recent Bisto advert, his Dad was in the band.
Also Clinic and OMD, although they are from from Meols not Liverpool.
Fair enough. So you rip at skating low impact spots. What’s your favourite thing about skating curbs and smaller spots??
Haha thanks, my favourite thing about low impact skating is how it takes minimal effort and you get maximum enjoyment.
You can grind to manual to grind, what’s your favourite thing about connecting tricks?
I wouldn’t say I enjoy doing this as such but it’s fun when you are pissing about at low impact spots and curbs.
You’ve got a sick Nose Manual who’s got your favourite?
Chris Milic. I always found it so sick how he can drop from a Boardslide down a handrail and land in Nose Manual.
How did you meet Greg Herbert?
I met Greg Herbert through skating and going out drinking when he came to study in Liverpool
Right. So how did you meet Jake Lafolley through Greg?
Yes, I met Jake through Greg. I think Jake was visiting Greg whilst he was home for Christmas a few years back.
Are you working on any upcoming shows right now?
Myself and Steven Gee have a show based on food within cartoons called ‘Why does animated food always look so tasty?’.
It will hopefully will be happening this year. The work has been made for a while now but we keep running into complications which is prolonging the show.
Fingers crossed it happens soon though.
What is ‘It’s Kind of Hard to Explain’?
IKO is a curatorial collective currently run by myself and Steven Gee. It was started in 2017, I was invited to be a part of it by Steven and Oliver Durcan.
We work with early career UK artists and writers on curated group exhibitions, online projects and printed media content.
What’s the ethos of IKO? Is it an art exhibition platform?
IKO is like an extension of our practices. We are interested in viewership and challenging how artworks and exhibitions can be engaged with. In the past we have fabricated specific framing devices – literal and conceptual – to house artworks within a single entity.
Our projects reject the showroom model of presenting pre-made artwork in white rooms and work closely with project participants to collaborate and build projects in line with a collective goal
Where is your favourite spot to skate in South London?
Currently anywhere with smooth ground, ledges and a curb.
I’ve become pretty lazy with spots but have been enjoying learning new tricks on flat or on a ledge.
That’s good. Do you have a favourite place to skate in the UK?
I haven’t been to too many places in the UK to skate but I like smaller places like Liverpool, Leeds or Manchester for example.
It’s fun to skate from spot to spot finding little bits on the way in London as well but spots are much further apart or the next spot you want to go skate is a bus and a train away or something.
Speaking of travelling. What was it like skating in Hungary?
The Rios Crew, everyone was so friendly and welcoming it really made the trip. All of those dudes are so sick!
I think it was one of our last evenings on the trip, they took us up to the top of the mountain on the old side, Buda, was about half an hour bus ride, in order to bomb the hill on the way back down. The whole journey they were shitting us up like you are going to die haha.
We got off the bus at this banging viewpoint just chilling waiting for others to turn up – and then once everyone arrived, there was about 20 heads just bombing this hill for a good solid half hour, was so sick. My legs were knackered by the end of it though due to constant powersliding.
You’ve also skated in New York City. What was that like?
It was so sick, 10 days wasn’t long enough. I made a classic mistake and got too excited and didn’t rest or sleep to sort out jet lag.
The place we were staying at didn’t help with that either.
Most of the sleeping arrangements were pretty bad, the airbeds were so shit, you’d wake up in the middle of the night and it was deflated, if you piled a few of those on top of each other though it was semi-okay.
FUCK MARIO!
Blinky still managed to destroy every spot we went to though.
On the first night we couldn’t work the keys out to get in the front door, they were dodgy and didn’t turn very well.
Everyone had a good 10 minutes each at opening it. Big Dave aka Dan West wasn’t in a great state hahaha so needed to get him in and watered.
The building was a warehouse sort of thing and had a roof you could chill on, so me and Blinky scaled some scaffolding at the side of the building in hope that the door to the roof was open and we could get in this way.
Luckily it was but not how I imagined getting in to our Airbnb haha, pretty sketchy as well as we’d been drinking a fair bit and were probably still jetlagged.
One good thing about the place though was the area, it was a pretty banging spot for food.
Tina’s cafe to start the day and this Mexican spot inside a tortilla factory to end with.
But yeah New York is the best, definitely going to go back.
Where did you enjoy to go skate the most in New York?
Blue park was nice, but there wasn’t a specific spot I thought was the best. I enjoyed going from place to place and exploring, that was the best bit.
Are you looking to collaborate with other artists?
Yeah always down to collaborate
Working on any new projects at the moment?
Just keep on getting by, eventually I would like to study again, but at the moment I am working on a few different things.
Right. So how can people contact you for a commission?
coreybartlesanderson.com or on my email
How have you been passing the time over Lockdown?
I made a rug for my room which was pretty laborious but good to pass the time. I could just switch off and do it whilst watching a lot of TV and films. When it’s nice weather I’m out as much as possible. I’m lucky to have a studio so I’ve been going there a bunch when I have the energy and working on new things there.
Cool. So who is your favourite skate photographer?
I have always loved Kingy’s photos, he’s taken so many rad photos.
Document Magazine was the best plus seeing photographs of spots and people I knew would always be so sick and get me hyped.
Here are some of my favourites:
Ash Brown (RIP) 50-50 in port sunlight: Shot by @skingphoto
Mackey’s Document Issue 50 cover, Nosegrind, a big orange number 50: Shot by @skingphoto
Also I only saw this photo recently but there’s a photo of Howard Cooke doing a Wallride to Fakie at the sketchiest spot ever.
I wouldn’t even call it a spot to be honest, but it was right behind my house growing up.
I think some BMXer’s built it, it’s a really bad DIY quarter constructed on stone ridden floor.
Howard Cooke, Wallride to Fakie @skingphoto
Where’s your favourite skate spot in the world?
The Old Pier Head spot in Liverpool
Do you have a favourite photo of all-time?
Leo Sharp‘s shot of Howard Cooke‘s Ollie at Pier Head.
It’s the sketchiest set up ever – two benches propped up on bins with a huge gap in the middle. What’s not to like…
What’s your favourite skate video ever and why?
Blueprint’s Lost & Found, East’s Vapors, and FarmYardz Da Barn, these were my three most watched skate videos whilst growing up.
Who’s your favourite skater?
Vaughan Jones or Fred Lambert? I really like watching my friends skate these days.
I do like watching others skate don’t get me wrong but I find when I know them personally it’s that bit more enjoyable.
Who has your favourite style on a board and why?
Not really too sure anymore. I like to watch anyone who looks like they’re having fun you know, someone skating fast or in a different way, like hitting rogue non-spots.
I guess any New York style skater, or Liverpool skater. Liverpool ain’t too much different than New York haha Central Park was based off Birkenhead park as well so.
But also Stevie Williams has always been a favourite of mine, and obviously Mackey.
What has been your favourite exhibition to visit and why?
Damn there’s so many, there’s two which have stuck in my mind for some reason or another though.
Camille Henrot – The Pale Fox at Chisenhale, 2014.
Laure Prouvost – French Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, 2019.
Do you have a favourite piece of art or artist?
My favourite piece of art would be impossible to choose, as you can maybe tell by now I’m pretty indecisive.
However, Brassaï’s Involuntary Sculptures, created in 1932, pops to mind when thinking of something which has been a great inspiration and stuck with me.
My favourite artist currently is Gabriel Kuri but also anyone who is around me, all my friends are my favourite artists.
What do you think about The No Comply Network?
It’s great man, good to see what others are doing, it’s a nice way to showcase skaters who make art and other creative things.
