This is the first of what I hope will be a reoccurring post showcasing the skateboarders who help keep this machine running from the other side of the curtain. I refer to these people as the button pushers because that’s generally their role. These buttons could be on keyboards (writers, editors, designers), cameras (be it still or video) or any other conceivable button that could be pushed.

Robyn Holdsworth came to my attention one day when I was visiting Dave Boyce at Centre to give him a King Shit shirt. Dave pointed to Robyn as he working away behind his desk and said, “That’s Robyn, and he’s one of our designers. He’s also really good at skateboarding. You should write on him or something.” So I came up with Pushing The Buttons. Or it could turn into Button Pushers. I can't figure out which sounds better.

So here’s our first button pusher, Robyn Holdsworth.

So tell us who you are?
My name’s Robyn Holdsworth, I’m 25 and I do graphic design for RDS Apparel.

And how long have you be working for RDS Apparel for?
About six months now.

And I assume you did some sort of post secondary schooling in graphic design or similar related training?
Yeah, I went to Grant McEwan College but that doesn’t count because I learned very little there about graphic design…

So you were already fluent in design before hand?
No, not really. I picked up a bit but truthfully my biggest inspiration was the late Nathan Matthews and went from there.

So I’ll assume that you’re from Edmonton as that’s where both Grant McEwan College and Nathan Matthews are from?
You assume correct. I am from Edmonton.

Being from Edmonton, what’s your best Glenn Suggitt memory?
That’s hard to answer. There are a lot of stories/rumours about Glenn that get me really excited because I’ve never seen that side of Glenn…

These stories are obviously part of the legend that is Suggitt. Any of these stories “get you excited” stories that you’d like to share?
No it’s just the typical Suggitt insanity stories. Body parts going through glass is a reoccurring theme but the stories are told as though it’s a regular thing. I don’t know Suggitt well enough to confirm whether this is legend or not.

Who was your crew back in Edmonton?
Primarily the Rumour Boardshop guys. Dean Piquette, Mike Maurer, Mitch Phillips…

Mitch is really good…
Yeah, he’s an up and comer for sure.

Any Warriors style beef going on between Rumour and Plush/Famous? Any notorious street brawls or anything?
No it was always mellow. We were all skaters. I met all those guys through Nathan Matthews and it was always diplomatic. I remember a bunch of sessions at the Morinville Skatepark where all the shops would get together for giant sessions. Everyone in the Edmonton scene gets along really well.

So how did you come to work for RDS here in Vancouver all the way from the occasionally frozen wasteland of Edmonton? Did Dave Boyce headhunt you?
No, it actually fell into place quite coincidently. I applied at the right time and Dave checked out my portfolio and blog and the stars aligned perfectly and here I am.

So what’s your day-to-day like as a designer in the skateboard world?
I’ve actually got the easiest job in the world. I just get inspired and come up with as many T designs as possible.

Dave tells me you’re also a talented wood pusher.
I don’t know. That’s up to anyone’s interpretation…

Well you just had a part in the Something Legit video…
Yeah, Something Legit.