Barrington Public Library
When the Barrington Public Library in New Hampshire opened its new building, the teen section was designed to feel like more than just a corner of the library. It was designed to be a space where teens could belong and see themselves in.
To bring that vision to life, they commissioned Back Alley Boards to create a custom snowboard that would serve as a permanent sign in the space. Not only would it mark the section, it would also stand as a symbol of the teens it represented.
The project began in the best way possible: with community. The snowboard itself was donated by the library director’s son, a detail that gave the project a circular sense of connection and belonging right from the start.
After meeting with the library team and learning more about the teens who would use the space, we set out to design something that felt cozy, imaginative, and distinctly theirs.
“Medieval Meets Modern” became our guiding theme, a mashup of fantasy and contemporary culture. Castles, characters, books, gaming references, and bold lettering came together to create a world that felt both timeless and fresh. The board was designed to act like a portal, a blend of old-world wonder and modern creative energy.
ARTHUR APPLYING A CLEAR COAT TO THE BOARD TO SEAL THE ARTWORK
📍 Dover, NH
Arthur focused on the illustrative elements such as characters, scrolls curling into graffiti, the text, and brick textures shifting between medieval and digital. Meanwhile, Alex layered metallic gradients, neon swirl graphics, and stenciled ivy with leaves collected locally, tying the artwork back to the New England landscape. Spray cans, hand-painted details, and plenty of late-night studio sessions shaped the board into its final form.
The palette of sunlit greens, graffiti pinks, acid orange, and cool stone balances vibrancy with depth, giving the piece an energy that matches the teens who will see it every day.
Today, the snowboard stands proudly in its new home as a permanent fixture of the Barrington Public Library with the phrase “Teen Zone” bursting from a stylized video game screen on the far corner of the board. More than just a sign, it is a creative marker of the space: part fantasy, part modern world, and fully dedicated to the imagination of the teens who inspired it.
