Jeremy Holmes

Jeremy Holmes got his first Skateboard when he was only 5 years old. He got discovered and sponsored at the age of 14 when he won the Sixteen Skateboards video contest. He has gone on to represent some of the biggest companies in skateboarding including World Industries Skateboards and eS Shoes. He has traveled and lived all over the world from San Francisco, London, Barcelona, Hawaii, and Moscow. He is married with a beautiful daughter who turns 6 at the end of April.

Interview by Jason Koen
Photography by Branton Ellerbee and others

JK: So…you have been skateboarding since you were very young. What was the attraction at the beginning that still keeps your fascination 20 years later?

JH: In the beginning it was the movie Gleaming The Cube which was filmed in 1989 and featured Christian Slater that first got me interested in skateboarding. Then once I got going it was just the pure fun of it plus the challenge of getting better. These days what keeps me going is the mandatory need for an outlet...of expression, from stress, an avenue to let creativity out.

JK: I feel that skateboarding is one of the hardest things in which a person can achieve a high skill level. Certainly honing this skill and representing some of the biggest brands in the industry you have gathered some jewels along the way that translate into other areas of life. What are you’re favorite gems?

JH: I'm not even sure I know what you mean but the process of thinking about something then taking that which was purely mental and working out the kinks and making it happen is one of the most valuable things I’ve taken from skateboarding. As I've grown up I'm amazed at how applicable the process that I’ve learned from skateboarding has been in so many other aspects of my life.

JK: You are known for having a velvety smooth aesthetic combined with raw street skating and for being humble so I know it's hard to talk about yourself. Let's talk about other people now. What other skateboarders inspire you most and why?

JH: I'm really inspired by the golden era of street skating in general, you know, like '95 to 2000. The videos Mouse, Trilogy, Photo, Eastern Exposure everything about street skating during the time of these videos…my favorite videos is what has been most inspirational to me. These days I guess it's more nostalgic than inspirational, Gino's part in Trilogy, or his two or three tricks in Mouse get me going or Ricky O's part in Eastern Exposure, that whole video for that matter. And that’s another cool thing about the videos in that era, nowadays I'll like this part and that part of a video and that’s all I'll really watch, but back then you'd love a whole video, just about every part.

JK: Now you’re the guy in the videos. Tell me about some of the places that skateboarding and filming for videos has taken you. Do you have any crazy travel stories you don’t want your wife and daughter to hear? Tell one of those!

JH: Ha! Nothing too crazy you know me I'm pretty mellow. Although I did get left behind in Austria on an Ezekiel Europe tour. We were staying in this bed and breakfast and I'm just taking my time brushing my teeth and hear the van pulling off. At first I thought nah their probably just moving it or something…nope! The worst part was how long it took before they noticed I wasn't in the van. I'm talking they got all the way through the countryside onto the autobahn and pulled over to gas up, then wonder "where's Holmes?!?"

JK: How do you imagine your life would be different if you had never been involved in skateboarding?

JH: My friends wouldn't be as interesting and cool. My perspective on life and happiness would be way narrower. I'd probably make a lot more money, scratch that. I would definitely make a lot more money! Sometimes it's kind of scary but skateboarding has defined who I am in so many ways. It’s really hard to imagine what I'd be like if I never got that skateboard on my 5th birthday.

JK: What are your main priorities in life right now?

JH: Spending time with my lovely daughter and wife. Filming my part for the HYPE! video which is my board sponsor, it should be dropping sometime this fall 2010. Also I’m working on a promo video for Broadcast Wheels. I’m riding my bike a lot at the moment and working on being less introverted!

Camille-Anais Semprez

Camille-Anais Semprez studies film theory at La Sorbonne in Paris but is taking a semester off to spend time in Dallas and launch her new jewelry line. She has danced with the Moscow ballet, been part of a short film in Marrakech, modeled in New York, studied classical ballet for twelve years, participated in the Contemporary Art Biennale in Prague and studied Mandarin Chinese for six years…and she was just born two decades ago!

Interview by Jessica Olsson.
Photography by Branton Ellerbee

JO: First question that I think comes to everyone’s mind is: What’s your tie to Dallas?

CAS: My first encounter with Dallas goes back to 1995. Actually my family moved here from New Mexico to put me in the French school, while still being within driving distance of our beloved Taos. Over the years, despite all the moving around , my parents have kept a main residence in the uptown area. I’m here for a few months, taking time off from school to launch my jewelry line.

JO: How did you get in to designing jewelry with your film/music/art background? Do you draw any inspiration from your upbringing?

CAS: I had an unusual upbringing, a nomadic childhood along with two creative parents. I think they always encouraged me to create, imagine and be resourceful.
The pendants started in the “treasure cave”, which is my father’s studio, a little over a year ago. I found some bullet casings lying around, and I had an idea. My dad helped me make the first one, which was a bullet and a crystal (my mom was already into crystal pendants and had given me a few). From that prototype and the support and help of my parents, sprung the complete collection under the name pp+c. Not all of the pieces have specific symbolism, but I can say that the feather pendant is very much homage to my Crow Indian family who watch over me.

JO: Describe the general process and how long does it usually takes to construct a piece?

CAS: All the pieces are hand made and there are no two exactly alike. The most time consuming process is shaping the wood, in fact the smooth shape was only recently perfected. The whole process (drilling, cleaning, sanding, buffing, polishing…) and assembly takes around 4 hours a piece I would say.

JO: What are your 5 essentials for this spring/summer?

CAS: Trench coat, moccasins, floral prints, boyfriends in bowties and a ticket to Paris!

JO: Where is your favorite shopping in Dallas?

CAS: I love Grange Hall! Its Sherlock Holmes-esque charm, like a place full of dark and obscure objects is so appealing to me! There is without a doubt a European aesthetic that I love about this store.

JO: What other kind of projects do you have going on for the future?

CAS: A second collection!
Besides that, continue my studies, dabble in Djing...This is the near future, as far as the rest only time will tell.

JO: Where can we buy your jewelry?

CAS: For the moment by contacting us through our website: pp-plus-c.com Hopefully soon an in store location here in Dallas, I’m working on it .

C’est tout!