Jake Selover is from Bend, Oregon where the pines scrape the sky. There is green stretched for as far as the eye can see and Jake rips urban terrain wherever it lies between the lush of Bend. Rain or shine, his approach remains speedy and kinda mind-bending on transition. So we asked him about what’s on his mind, creating neo-expressionism paintings, finding a home on Welcome’s team and where he’s headed to next.

What’s your current state of mind? Doing well man.

What’s winter been like at home in Oregon? Obviously skating, but I am trying to branch out into other worlds like painting. I don’t know trying to figure the other avenues of life.

What tones do you like to paint? Everything like neo-expressionism… kinda abstract kind of stuff. I’m into all styles of that shit.

Is there a connection between times when your painting and drawing lines while skateboarding? Yeah, I think that shit is comparable like the cool thing about art and skating there is not set way to do it. You can take it anywhere you want to go with it which is kinda while I’m attracted to both of those things.

Have you always lived in Oregon? Yeah I’m born and raised here it’s a place called Bend probably about two hours from Portland so I live here but I am back and forth a lot. Because there is not a huge scene where I live. Fortunately, now there are building more shit so like backyard bowls and there is also a brand new park here too. It’s growing but it’s not the same as the scene out there.

How were you introduced to skateboarding? Yeah, I grew up down the street from some kids that were skating and saw them doing it and thought it looked sick. Then I got a board for Christmas when I was seven or something from there it spiraled on. I loved it immediately.

Are you Basque? I am actually!

Photo: Richie Valdez

Have you ever been curious about your heritage? Definitely, I have been trying to get to that area actually soon maybe this summer.

There are some fun spots in Bilbao, have you ever wanted to check any of them? There is so much shit out there! There is a park that might be in Bilbao, I’m not 100% sure but it’s right on the beach and looks insane I have seen so much footage out there and I have always to go there.

What’s your favorite thing about skateboarding at home? Probably I’m fond of shit here… in summer it’s pretty unbeatable like there is a lot of stuff I skate here all the time. I really like the fact that there is DIY here like backyard bowls and the imperfections. Granted the most known ones like Burnside really translates over to other stuff. (5:00) That makes other stuff mellower.

What’s one place you would like to travel to next? Fuck dude, I really want to go to Copenhagen that’s number one on my list.

It’s perfect for holiday out there. Exactly. I’ve had a bunch of friends who have gone and I just need to make it happen one of these days. I’ve been claiming it for three years I think I’m closer to a position of maybe doing it this year.

Photo: Matt Price

Word is that you’ve been working on your Welcome part for a bit, how’s it been going? I’ve been getting hurt more than I would like to like on and off nothing super major. Just some injuries here and there.

What was your last injury? Probably my ankle on Thanksgiving just doing some stupid shit skating flat ground. Basically healed up for like a month and did physical therapy.I went to California for two and a half weeks, get out of the rain and shitty weather for a little bit.

What was your impression of the scene out there? It was like a year since I was out there, so it was really good to get back. I’m really trying to move down there in hopefully the next year I imagine it’s kinda where everything is happening. Being able to skate down there it’s motivating.

Photo: Tyler Orton

How do you like everyone on the team? Everyone I have met is really cool. I’m stoked be apart of something like that. I was trying to find a home I guess and Welcome is really cool because it feels cohesive and everyone is down to be on the same page. Also the similarities between people, I love it and feels like an actual home for once.

How did you get on? My friend Chris, two dudes and I from up here made this video and when that video came out online I got a phone call from Jason the owner of Welcome and he was interested in seeing if I was interested in riding for Welcome. Of course, I was super down to do it and fucking went from there! Just blessed to be in that situation.

What’s next for you Jake? Just save up some money, get back on the road, and travel the most I can! WY

For more check out Jake roll through WJ Skatepark: