Brian Lotti
Encyclopedia
Brian Lotti is an American professional skateboarder.
Lotti rose to fame in the skateboarding world in the late 1980s while riding for the now-defunct skateboard company H-Street. He is known for his fluid skateboard tricks.
As one of the originators of today's technical street-skating, Lotti brought several tricks to the forefront of skateboarding such as the frontside bluntside. He also invented the backside tailslide flip out and the Big Spin. The Big Spin was done by skateboarders before Lotti but the catchy name caught on. The name was derived from a Californian lottery at the time with the name Big Spin. The person who named the trick the Big Spin saw Lotti do one and chose the name because his last name sounds like the word lottery.
Lotti's popularity peaked in the early 1990s while he was sponsored by skateboard company Planet Earth and appeared in the 1991 Planet Earth video Now N' Later. After moving on to ride for Blind Skateboards, Lotti left the world of professional skateboarding and moved to Honolulu, Hawaii
. He became an attendant for Roshi Robert Aiken at the Palolo Valley sangha
. There he studied Buddhism
and went on to further his education at the University of Hawaii
. Lotti then moved back to the mainland and began going to California State University at San Francisco where he graduated with a degree in art. He then moved to Northern California
and concentrated on his artistic career. After a few years of living on the San Juan Ridge, he moved to Los Angeles
.
Lotti's most recent appearance in the skateboarding world has been as the director of a film called "1st and Hope" about a day devoted to skateboarding in the streets of downtown Los Angeles. The film was praised by those inside and outside of the skating industry. His follow-up film "Free Pegasus" - about skating through the streets of Barcelona, Spain - was released in 2008. He recently completed filming a part in the 2007 Santa Cruz Skateboards "Legends" video. Lotti has created board graphics for Cartel, Cliche, Listen, Stereo, and Death Skateboards, as well as a limited edition shoe for Adio.
As of fall, 2009, Telegraph Skateboards has been established. Boards are being sold at discriminating skate board shops. Each board is made in the U.S.A. All are original design work by Lotti and associates. He has made "little" videos of various skaters and himself. There are many new things on the horizon for Lotti as he continues to remain an important part of the skate world.
Lotti rose to fame in the skateboarding world in the late 1980s while riding for the now-defunct skateboard company H-Street. He is known for his fluid skateboard tricks.
As one of the originators of today's technical street-skating, Lotti brought several tricks to the forefront of skateboarding such as the frontside bluntside. He also invented the backside tailslide flip out and the Big Spin. The Big Spin was done by skateboarders before Lotti but the catchy name caught on. The name was derived from a Californian lottery at the time with the name Big Spin. The person who named the trick the Big Spin saw Lotti do one and chose the name because his last name sounds like the word lottery.
Lotti's popularity peaked in the early 1990s while he was sponsored by skateboard company Planet Earth and appeared in the 1991 Planet Earth video Now N' Later. After moving on to ride for Blind Skateboards, Lotti left the world of professional skateboarding and moved to Honolulu, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. He became an attendant for Roshi Robert Aiken at the Palolo Valley sangha
Sangha
Sangha is a word in Pali or Sanskrit that can be translated roughly as "association" or "assembly," "company" or "community" with common goal, vision or purpose...
. There he studied Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and went on to further his education at the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
. Lotti then moved back to the mainland and began going to California State University at San Francisco where he graduated with a degree in art. He then moved to Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
and concentrated on his artistic career. After a few years of living on the San Juan Ridge, he moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Lotti's most recent appearance in the skateboarding world has been as the director of a film called "1st and Hope" about a day devoted to skateboarding in the streets of downtown Los Angeles. The film was praised by those inside and outside of the skating industry. His follow-up film "Free Pegasus" - about skating through the streets of Barcelona, Spain - was released in 2008. He recently completed filming a part in the 2007 Santa Cruz Skateboards "Legends" video. Lotti has created board graphics for Cartel, Cliche, Listen, Stereo, and Death Skateboards, as well as a limited edition shoe for Adio.
As of fall, 2009, Telegraph Skateboards has been established. Boards are being sold at discriminating skate board shops. Each board is made in the U.S.A. All are original design work by Lotti and associates. He has made "little" videos of various skaters and himself. There are many new things on the horizon for Lotti as he continues to remain an important part of the skate world.