December 12 2007 was The launch of Whistler Blackcomb's record breaking Peak 2 Peak gondola. WB had held a poster design contest to commemorate the grand opening.
The poster call steered the theme towards "connection".
There were many beautiful entries from talented, mostly local, artists.
I was surprised and a little breathless with the phone call informing me I had won! A few days earlier between a cluster of other projects,
commissions, and live painting I had painted my entry "First Tracks".
In preparation, I had spent a brief research-google-session browsing through vintage ski posters. There are some amazing classic Ski Posters from all the way back to the early 1900's. After getting myself into a ski poster
frenzy I began to paint.
I wanted the composition to be similar to the classics; I thought I might of had a plan this time but of course I didn't. I painted in my usual way of no plan, just paint.
I thought about deep pow days on the hill, with snow so thick it slaps you in the face...
ahhhhhhhh that feeling of floating and flying and total happiness all rolled up into one
...with your friends, everyone having so much fun!
When I took my final step back to see what I had painted, it looked nothing like I thought it would! I had no time left to paint anything else. In a typical artist manor, I was feeling hesitant about submitting it.
That was until I showed the painting to my husband Dave. As I looked at him, looking at it, waiting for feedback, I saw him smile. He just stood there looking at it with an unintentional smile on his face. Then I showed it to another friend and the same thing happened...and another and the same thing again. Smiles speak louder than words.
The painting came from the heart and I think it shows.
I feel lucky to have won the contest.
The First Tracks original has been donated to the Whistler
Blackcomb foundation and will be auctioned off at their annual fundraising Gala at the roundhouse on Whistler Sat Jan 24
th 08.
