I have set up an Etsy shop to sell prints of my illustrator work, please check it out and buy something if you like it :)
http://www.etsy.com/shop/NatAttackArt?ref=top_trail
Tuesday, 28 May 2013
Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Portfolio Website....
http://natalieriley.weebly.com/index.html
So I've had a lot of free time recently which has meant I have finally made a portfolio website to display my artwork. I have always experimented with different forms of artwork over the years and given the work to friends as gifts whether it was for their birthday or some other special occasion or for just being them, it's nice to give people a surprise gift, I know it's usually just a piece of paper with something on it or a digital image but it's the thought that counts, huh.... I went for years not signing my work as never really believed it was that good or something (yes I have self confidence issues, haha) but then when people were stoked on the artwork I gave them I guess I started to believe just a lil that maybe it was something good I was doing!! My parents especially my mum encouraged me to start signing my work and would get annoyed when I never, hahaha!!!! Along my travels over the past few years or so I have been sketching in my trusty sketch book and also got into illustrator art where I hand draw images using the pen tool in Adobe Illustrator. I have my sketchbook and my laptop wherever I go so these have been the easiest forms of art to produce although I am not limited to these I love all aspects of art, the more hands on the better. I also love taking photo's, it helps remind you of all these beautifully epic places you have lived while inspiring you to keep traveling and seeing all there is to see and all there is to experience out there. Please check out my website and if you like what you see then get in touch if you would like a piece of artwork, it could be anything I love a challenge and just cause you don't see the style of work you'd like done on my website doesn't mean I can't do it :)
So I've had a lot of free time recently which has meant I have finally made a portfolio website to display my artwork. I have always experimented with different forms of artwork over the years and given the work to friends as gifts whether it was for their birthday or some other special occasion or for just being them, it's nice to give people a surprise gift, I know it's usually just a piece of paper with something on it or a digital image but it's the thought that counts, huh.... I went for years not signing my work as never really believed it was that good or something (yes I have self confidence issues, haha) but then when people were stoked on the artwork I gave them I guess I started to believe just a lil that maybe it was something good I was doing!! My parents especially my mum encouraged me to start signing my work and would get annoyed when I never, hahaha!!!! Along my travels over the past few years or so I have been sketching in my trusty sketch book and also got into illustrator art where I hand draw images using the pen tool in Adobe Illustrator. I have my sketchbook and my laptop wherever I go so these have been the easiest forms of art to produce although I am not limited to these I love all aspects of art, the more hands on the better. I also love taking photo's, it helps remind you of all these beautifully epic places you have lived while inspiring you to keep traveling and seeing all there is to see and all there is to experience out there. Please check out my website and if you like what you see then get in touch if you would like a piece of artwork, it could be anything I love a challenge and just cause you don't see the style of work you'd like done on my website doesn't mean I can't do it :)
Monday, 6 May 2013
BASI Level 3 Tech....
So it's been 2 years since I did my level 2, I have done 4 seasons since then as well. I'd thought long and hard about whether I was ready to give the level 3 tech a go as know how hard it is to pass and the level of riding expected. The thing is you only really know what to expect once you've done the course, nothing else can really prepare you for it. I came to the conclusion that my riding has constantly been getting stronger and stronger and if anything this would give me the push I need to bring it to the next level as I'm ready for it!!
I had the training week first with Ben and then assessment week the following week and I was in Neil's group for that. Was cool getting 2 different but same perspectives on my riding and input into how to improve it to get it to the level their looking for. Neil is very technically minded therefore likes to talk a lot more which I think is good as fully makes you understand things but I think if you went into the course not really knowing this stuff it might go over your head, luckily Ben had gone over this stuff the first week in a simpler method of teaching and more showing and doing and then having Neil's input the following week really helped me get my head around it all and I'd say Ben and Neil complement each other for such a course!!
Seeing the other riders on the course I knew I would have a lot to work on but at no point did I feel like I was out of my depth. One of the other guys Paulo I did my level 2 with so I knew him and the others I got to know quickly and got along with them all and then the other group that joined us the second week who I was with were also cool and real good riders so was fun riding with them too. We had Aymeric Tonin a pro rider doing it too, he should become a professional bumps rider the way he flys through them regular and switch, haha!! Cool dude though.
I had things to change with my posture and got that fixed just need to keep working on that to make it stronger, also various other tweaks which I felt the benefits of straight away. After week one I was feeling strong, did some riding over the weekend with the others and went into the second week/ assessment week just looking to keep riding hard and do my best. Neil picked up on the things Ben had and I continued to work on these things. Mid week we got told where we stood and although I was not expecting to pass it still came as a blow hearing that your not at the level, I don't know why but I guess you get caught up in the whole thing and you really want to pass and do well even though you know your not or something. So yeah I was pretty upset Wed night and Thurs morning, then I started to ride good, things clicked into place and Neil was noticing this and saying so so I had this new positive lease of life and just went with the mentality of enjoying the last 2 days and my riding relaxed, I felt a lot better and as I saw people getting stressed I was not feeling like that at all!!
What meant the most to me over the 2 weeks was all the trainers noticing how different a rider I was, Si didn't recognise me when riding and was impressed then realised it was me, haha!! Ben was real impressed as I don't think he expected me to be riding like I was and Neil even noticed too, at the end when he said I hadn't passed he did say I was the most improved rider and he does not normally give out compliments unless they are really deserved or something so when he does then he really means it and the last 2 days he'd been giving me a lot of them so it shows I'm heading in the right direction, I know what I need to work on and I just got to keep on riding and engraining all these new techniques into my riding!! But I am proud of where I have taken my riding in such a short space of time without any formal training since my level 2 and the main drive being me wanting to change the type of rider I am for the better and get away from being called a dry slope rider, yes that's my roots and where I learnt but I want to be a snowboarder who can rip it up all over the mountains anywhere in the world on any terrain or feature!!
It was a tough 2 weeks very tiring early start leaving from the Hoff with my friend Bri who was doing her level 2 and passed :) Left just after 7 and sometimes not getting back till around 7 at night so just enough time to eat then go to sleep ready for the next day.
I knew how the others were feeling when they were told they didn't pass on the Friday as that is how I'd felt on the wednesday and I'm glad I went through that mid week than the last day. Everyone rode well but they are looking for you to be riding constantly to a high level as this is the highest level for snowboarders in the BASI system so they got to be brutal about it and that's what helps strive us to be the best we can be. I met and rode with rad riders learning from them, I love watching how others ride and you could tell who were the strongest, it was a pleasure riding with them all and who knows maybe one day we'll shred again!! :)
I had the training week first with Ben and then assessment week the following week and I was in Neil's group for that. Was cool getting 2 different but same perspectives on my riding and input into how to improve it to get it to the level their looking for. Neil is very technically minded therefore likes to talk a lot more which I think is good as fully makes you understand things but I think if you went into the course not really knowing this stuff it might go over your head, luckily Ben had gone over this stuff the first week in a simpler method of teaching and more showing and doing and then having Neil's input the following week really helped me get my head around it all and I'd say Ben and Neil complement each other for such a course!!
Seeing the other riders on the course I knew I would have a lot to work on but at no point did I feel like I was out of my depth. One of the other guys Paulo I did my level 2 with so I knew him and the others I got to know quickly and got along with them all and then the other group that joined us the second week who I was with were also cool and real good riders so was fun riding with them too. We had Aymeric Tonin a pro rider doing it too, he should become a professional bumps rider the way he flys through them regular and switch, haha!! Cool dude though.
I had things to change with my posture and got that fixed just need to keep working on that to make it stronger, also various other tweaks which I felt the benefits of straight away. After week one I was feeling strong, did some riding over the weekend with the others and went into the second week/ assessment week just looking to keep riding hard and do my best. Neil picked up on the things Ben had and I continued to work on these things. Mid week we got told where we stood and although I was not expecting to pass it still came as a blow hearing that your not at the level, I don't know why but I guess you get caught up in the whole thing and you really want to pass and do well even though you know your not or something. So yeah I was pretty upset Wed night and Thurs morning, then I started to ride good, things clicked into place and Neil was noticing this and saying so so I had this new positive lease of life and just went with the mentality of enjoying the last 2 days and my riding relaxed, I felt a lot better and as I saw people getting stressed I was not feeling like that at all!!
What meant the most to me over the 2 weeks was all the trainers noticing how different a rider I was, Si didn't recognise me when riding and was impressed then realised it was me, haha!! Ben was real impressed as I don't think he expected me to be riding like I was and Neil even noticed too, at the end when he said I hadn't passed he did say I was the most improved rider and he does not normally give out compliments unless they are really deserved or something so when he does then he really means it and the last 2 days he'd been giving me a lot of them so it shows I'm heading in the right direction, I know what I need to work on and I just got to keep on riding and engraining all these new techniques into my riding!! But I am proud of where I have taken my riding in such a short space of time without any formal training since my level 2 and the main drive being me wanting to change the type of rider I am for the better and get away from being called a dry slope rider, yes that's my roots and where I learnt but I want to be a snowboarder who can rip it up all over the mountains anywhere in the world on any terrain or feature!!
It was a tough 2 weeks very tiring early start leaving from the Hoff with my friend Bri who was doing her level 2 and passed :) Left just after 7 and sometimes not getting back till around 7 at night so just enough time to eat then go to sleep ready for the next day.
I knew how the others were feeling when they were told they didn't pass on the Friday as that is how I'd felt on the wednesday and I'm glad I went through that mid week than the last day. Everyone rode well but they are looking for you to be riding constantly to a high level as this is the highest level for snowboarders in the BASI system so they got to be brutal about it and that's what helps strive us to be the best we can be. I met and rode with rad riders learning from them, I love watching how others ride and you could tell who were the strongest, it was a pleasure riding with them all and who knows maybe one day we'll shred again!! :)
Season in the Hoff....
So I'd never been to Mayrhofen before but had heard good things about this place. I had been to Hintertux a couple of years ago where I stayed for a month doing a couple of BASI Instructor courses and liked Austria when I was there so it seemed like the best place for me to be. I'm a great believer in things happening for a reason and things that happen being signs that you are making the right decision!! Soo getting the instructors job in Mayrhofen and Mayrhofen having been the place I wanted to go made it just seem right. Still a scary thought though going to a new country to live for a season when you don't know anyone are going out there yourself and don't fully know the language. You soon settle in to your new life and the people you live with become family all caring for each other/ looking out for them, etc but for someone like me it's hard at first!! I find it takes me a while to open up to people, at the beginning of the season I'll be back in my shell and then I slowly start to emerge from it as I get to know people and I guess see that they see me as a friend or like me!! I think what people also realise about me is I am real quiet just happy sitting there with everyone listening and taking in everything that is going on but then when I do open my mouth I come out with some classics, I remember when this first happened this season the room went quiet and all eyes were on me then they burst out laughing, I think it was the initial shock of did she actually just say that!! I also had a bad habit of taking the piss out of the dutch quite a lot, I couldn't help it they just laid it out for me and I can be pretty sarcastic when I get in to the roll of it, even better they didn't usually have a comeback, mwuhahahahahaha!!
With going to new places all the time it has meant I have ridden by myself a lot and not really had people there to help push my riding. This season more so than any!! I have inspired people with my riding over the years but I'm someone who needs a kick up the ass every so often and that encouragement and belief from someone that I can do it, as I know I can do bigger and better tricks and features than what I'm currently doing I've just got to the stage where I find it hard to motivate myself to do it. I see people riding around that I would love to ride with and learn from but I don't know them/ they don't know me so I get it into my head why would they want to. It comes down to not having that self confidence and belief in myself that I can do stuff or people may want to get to know you/ ride with you, how do you know if you don't put yourself out there. Hopefully by being here the summer and then again next winter I will find the right people I can ride with and give me the push or kick up the ass I so very need!!!!
The terrain/ mountains here are awesome, they never had so much snow as last season but still plenty to ride. There are mountains around the area that you can also access with your season pass and even more if you have the Tirol pass which I'm gonna get next season, it starts in October and last till May as well, so well worth it. I never had the chance to check out the other mountains but next season I want to head to others on days off!! The park was smaller than I was expecting but they have a lot of features that they change up throughout the season, a progression of jumps so overall a fun park to ride, they even have a mini pipe that they don't really shape but was fun to ride in the spring when it got real slushy!! :)
A few weeks ago I got an unexpected skate lesson in the bowl from Will Smith who was still recovering from his fractured neck. Made me even more stoked to skate this summer :) I went with some of my housemates to the bowl early on in the season when there was snow in it and rode some stuff on it with our snowboards/ skis, one dude parked his van right along side the edge of the bowl, super sketchy then climbed on top of it strapped in and bombed dropped off it into the bowl, he did it and landed it!!
I finally got a transceiver, shovel and probe this season, I got out and used it once riding the best pow I rode all season so hopefully I'll get shown more cool spots to ride next season and get to ride more lines and pow like that but even better, here's hoping!!
There will be no season edit from me as I never got any filming done this season but I never really learnt anything new either so next years will have to be amazing to make up for it!!
Was also rad seeing Craig who was out here on holiday, Grant Donald who was out here for a month or so, Fin Bremner and Becky Menday who was out for a week and Matt and Kat who were out here for a week and finally got a shred with them on their last riding day in the morning, was good fun :)
Last week of the season the British Freestyle Snowboard Team were out here training in the Vans Penken Park, was inspiring to see them train like that, Jamie Nicholls going for the triple cork, Katie Omerod landing the double backflip as well as some of the others in the team landing their first doubles too, a real progressive week by the sounds of it. I also got to see my friend Ben who was out as he's head coach of the Junior freestyle team was real good to see him, last time I'd seen him was around a year and a half ago in New Zealand although I speak to him online a lot, probably too much as I'm sure he get's fed up with my messages so I will have to stop haha but he's one of those people that no matter how long it's been that you've seen him it could seem like yesterday you last saw him, just someone I feel I can go to and he will help if he can whether giving you words of encouragement/ support and he knows what it's like traveling around and doing seasons etc so I have just always seen him as a good friend to turn to no matter where in the world either of us may be and we all need someone like that in our lives as I would do they same for him and help him out if I could!! A mentor in snowboarding and an inspiration in all the work he does for uk snowboarding!! He won't read this but I will thank him now for being there and to keep up the awesome work that he does much respect dude!!
With going to new places all the time it has meant I have ridden by myself a lot and not really had people there to help push my riding. This season more so than any!! I have inspired people with my riding over the years but I'm someone who needs a kick up the ass every so often and that encouragement and belief from someone that I can do it, as I know I can do bigger and better tricks and features than what I'm currently doing I've just got to the stage where I find it hard to motivate myself to do it. I see people riding around that I would love to ride with and learn from but I don't know them/ they don't know me so I get it into my head why would they want to. It comes down to not having that self confidence and belief in myself that I can do stuff or people may want to get to know you/ ride with you, how do you know if you don't put yourself out there. Hopefully by being here the summer and then again next winter I will find the right people I can ride with and give me the push or kick up the ass I so very need!!!!
The terrain/ mountains here are awesome, they never had so much snow as last season but still plenty to ride. There are mountains around the area that you can also access with your season pass and even more if you have the Tirol pass which I'm gonna get next season, it starts in October and last till May as well, so well worth it. I never had the chance to check out the other mountains but next season I want to head to others on days off!! The park was smaller than I was expecting but they have a lot of features that they change up throughout the season, a progression of jumps so overall a fun park to ride, they even have a mini pipe that they don't really shape but was fun to ride in the spring when it got real slushy!! :)
A few weeks ago I got an unexpected skate lesson in the bowl from Will Smith who was still recovering from his fractured neck. Made me even more stoked to skate this summer :) I went with some of my housemates to the bowl early on in the season when there was snow in it and rode some stuff on it with our snowboards/ skis, one dude parked his van right along side the edge of the bowl, super sketchy then climbed on top of it strapped in and bombed dropped off it into the bowl, he did it and landed it!!
I finally got a transceiver, shovel and probe this season, I got out and used it once riding the best pow I rode all season so hopefully I'll get shown more cool spots to ride next season and get to ride more lines and pow like that but even better, here's hoping!!
There will be no season edit from me as I never got any filming done this season but I never really learnt anything new either so next years will have to be amazing to make up for it!!
Was also rad seeing Craig who was out here on holiday, Grant Donald who was out here for a month or so, Fin Bremner and Becky Menday who was out for a week and Matt and Kat who were out here for a week and finally got a shred with them on their last riding day in the morning, was good fun :)
Last week of the season the British Freestyle Snowboard Team were out here training in the Vans Penken Park, was inspiring to see them train like that, Jamie Nicholls going for the triple cork, Katie Omerod landing the double backflip as well as some of the others in the team landing their first doubles too, a real progressive week by the sounds of it. I also got to see my friend Ben who was out as he's head coach of the Junior freestyle team was real good to see him, last time I'd seen him was around a year and a half ago in New Zealand although I speak to him online a lot, probably too much as I'm sure he get's fed up with my messages so I will have to stop haha but he's one of those people that no matter how long it's been that you've seen him it could seem like yesterday you last saw him, just someone I feel I can go to and he will help if he can whether giving you words of encouragement/ support and he knows what it's like traveling around and doing seasons etc so I have just always seen him as a good friend to turn to no matter where in the world either of us may be and we all need someone like that in our lives as I would do they same for him and help him out if I could!! A mentor in snowboarding and an inspiration in all the work he does for uk snowboarding!! He won't read this but I will thank him now for being there and to keep up the awesome work that he does much respect dude!!
SMT Snowboardschule....
So this season I finally got the opportunity to work as an instructor in the mountains. It felt so good to be instructing again as I love snowboarding and love getting people as stoked on it as I am!! It took a lot of perseverance but Bernhard my boss seemingly get's over 500 applications a year and I was the only new hire this season so the rookie!! I just wanted the opportunity to prove myself and that I did, from the beginning to the end and Bernhard complemented me on my riding and instructing and was impressed with the work I did, which really meant a lot hearing that. Although as he said himself I just need to believe in myself more as I'm always thinking people are better than me but really I should not be thinking that way. End of season he also gave me a wrist band for snow bombing for my hard work and motivation continuing through from beginning to end of season, I was surprised to get it being the newbie but also stoked that I had made a good impression like that on my first season here :)
I loved working for the snowboard school with a rad crew of people who I got along well with and would have liked to ride with them more but hopefully next winter I will shred with them more. The local riders from around here are all real talented riders growing up in the perfect environment to nurture such a way of life and talent. Skateboarding in the summer at the mtown bowl and snowboarding in the winter, with Hintertux the glacier just a 30 min drive away which is open all year round!! There were 5 Austrians (locals), 8 dutch, 1 kiwi, 1 Scottish and 1 english (but lives in Mayrhofen now) who worked for the snowboard school. I never knew there were so much dutch that came to Austria for the winter season but I lived with a lot of them so heard dutch spoken more than german which didn't help too much with me getting better at my german!!
We had instructor training every Tuesday morning but that consisted of going for 1 run and then going for a coffee, although the days that we did actually ride more was a fun way to start the day shame we didn't do it more!!
This season I taught mainly private lessons but nearer the end of the season I got more group lessons was good getting the variety, also I had a good variety in who I was teaching from beginners to intermediates to more advanced riders who could already ride good but wanted to push their riding further, also I got a lot of freestyle lessons too which was awesome and not just first timers but ones who were already shredding the park so got to help them get new tricks in the lil park and the main park :)
We had a night where we stayed up in a hut up the mountain, was good fun!! A quarter pipe was built next to the hut and we sessioned that for a while, I was getting some methods out of it, I love that trick they feel so good when you get them right!! Jasper had taking his camera so him and Anne got some sick shots that will hopefully get off them sometime soon!! :)
Bernhard has invited me to come back and work next winter and I will, I have also decided to stay in Mayrhofen for the summer. I tried applying for work in the Southern hemisphere, NZ, Australia and Argentina but no luck. So it was either go home or stay here and I think staying here will be way better for my training for my snowboarding. I have acquired a skateboard so will learn to skate the bowl, swim, run, hopefully do some climbing, go to the trampolines in Aschau and practice some aerial manoeuvres haha!! And I can still snowboard in Tux so perfect place to be!! I have a place to stay I just need to try find work, which will be hard since I don't speak good german but that is a reason for staying here too so I can improve on it.
This is artwork I did of all the instructors, all hand drawn in illustrator :)
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