Our boy Arto Saari is a Finnish professional skateboarder and photographer known for his influential style and remarkable contributions to the skateboarding world, but above all, his fakie flip down those blocks in Flip’s Sorry.

That fakie flip changed all of our lives in the way that the David Bowie album that scored that fakie flip changed the lives of all those who are lucky enough to hear it. Born on November 9, 1981, in Seinäjoki, Finland, Arto gained international recognition in the late 1990’s for his fearless approach to street skating and his ability to master complex tricks with fluidity and grace.

Saari’s career took off when he moved to the United States, where he became a prominent figure in the skateboarding community, earning accolades like Thrasher Magazine’s “Skater of the Year” in 2001. Beyond skateboarding, Saari has established himself as a talented photographer, capturing the essence of skate culture and the natural world through his lens. His dual passion for skating and photography continues to inspire both skaters and creatives worldwide.

In this new episode of Be James by The James Brand, we get to know Arto as a skater, an artist, a father, a devout Palmer user, and a motorcycle riding papa.