Clothes maker pools its resources

Costa Mesa-based apparel company Hurley will on Saturday enlist the help of some of the world’s best skateboarders when it hosts the second show in its Against the Grain artist showcase series.

Some 27 skateboarders-turned-artists will come together for “Pool Rules,” an art show designed to pay homage to pool skating, which is arguably the root of modern skateboarding.

“Realistically pool skateboarding set the stage — there would be no vert skating, no X Games and no big vert ramps if it wasn’t for pool skating in the ‘70s,” said skateboarder and artist Steve Alba, an influential skater who specialized in finding abandoned pools to skate in throughout the 1970s and ‘80s.

Skaters and artists — including Duane Peters, Steve Olson, John Lucero, Christian Hosoi, Tony Alva, Peter King, Chris Miller and Joe Wood — will have their photos and artwork on display.

“There are all kinds of guys coming — it’s pretty crazy actually,” Alba said. “In all actuality it’s really hard to get this many skaters of this caliber in one room, and that in itself is pretty cool.”

The artwork is for sale, and all proceeds will go to the Grind for Life Organization, which is a charity for cancer patients and their families who have to travel long distances for treatment. The organization was founded in 2003 by Mike Rogers, a competitive skateboarder who battled sarcoma cancer and lost his eye, his cheekbone, part of the roof of his mouth and some teeth to beat the disease.

Besides the obvious benefits of hosting a charity event, Hurley staff believe that the goodwill generated can boost the company’s creativity and introduces the community and the world to their passions.

“We’re supporting creative people,” said Joe McElroy, director of global branding for Hurley. “Creativity is kind of like the backbone of Hurley, and we just enjoy working with creative surfers, skateboarders and musicians.”

Powerflex 5, Alba’s punk band, will also play during the event, which is free to the public.

“Pool skating just has been overshadowed a lot in the past, and it’s good to get recognition,” Alba said.