Happy new Year! (A little late.) Thanks so much for those of you who stop by to read my blog from time to time- I hope you all have a fantastic 2016!
This year something new is happening for me. In November I was selected to create the Steamboat Springs, Colorado Winter Carnival poster for this February, 2016. This is the 103rd year of the
Winter Carnival in my town and it's really rich in history and character. Several blocks of our main street are covered with snow for street events and a parade that includes the High School marching band on skis.
You can see different kinds of races, contests and jumping including Nordic ski jumping, something most people only see at the Olympics. There are also night events that end with
The Lighted Man- Jon Banks, who skis down Howelsen Hill with lights and fireworks shooting off of him!
These photos are from the
Steamboat Springs Chamber of Commerce.
I was contacted to submit a drawing for this year's poster and was eventually selected to make the image. The winter carnival has had posters to advertise it before, but this year
Steamboat Sotheby's Real Estate has partnered with the
Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club in asking a local artist to make the poster. The original art, some limited edition prints, and poster prints are all being sold to raise money for scholarships.
The image is still being kept secret, so I can't show it yet. But I've been interviewed twice now about making the poster. Below is our newspaper,
The Steamboat Today story. And you can see another interview on the
Steamboat Sotheby's blog here.
Courtesy photo
Artist Jill Bergman used a linocut to create an original piece of art that will be placed on 5,000 posters for the Winter Carnival. The art was commissioned by Steamboat Sotheby's International Realty and proceeds from the sale of the posters and some limited edition prints will benefit the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club.
Monday, December 21, 2015
Steamboat Springs — Hype for the 2016 Winter Carnival continues with the announcement of new commemorative artwork by a local artist that will benefit the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club.
If you go:
#What: Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club Foundation's Stars at Night fundraising gala, including an auction of Jill Bergman's art
#When: 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 29
#Where: The Steamboat Grand Korbell ballroom, 2300 Mount Werner Circle
#Tickets: $175 each, or complete tables can be reserved
#In an effort to promote art and athletics in the community, Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty has commissioned artist Jill Bergman to create a commemorative poster for the annual Winter Carnival.
#Sotheby’s is donating Bergman’s original artwork and three of 25 prints to be auctioned off during the upcoming fifth annual Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club Foundation’s Stars at Night fundraising gala Tuesday, Dec. 29.
#The remaining 22 limited edition prints will be available for purchase online, and an additional 5,000 poster prints will be available for public purchase locally at Steamboat Sotheby's and online in January.
#All proceeds from the original artwork, prints and posters will go the Winter Sports Club.
#“We hope to make the commemorative poster an annual project that touches both the distinguished Steamboat artists and connects athletes to their true potential,” said Nancy Ihlenfeldt, Sotheby’s marketing director.
#Bergman, the artist selected to create the posters, crafts artwork using a linocut carving block and then prints an image using black ink. Once the ink is dry, the print is painted with watercolor.
#“I carved the image as a linocut, which is like a giant rubber stamp. It's an old art form and adds a rustic, western feel to the poster,” said Bergman, who considered the many memorable images related to the Winter Carnival when sketching to prepare for the art piece.
#“There are so many iconic images that would make a neat poster, like the lighted man, the ski jumpers, the parade and the street events,” Bergman said. “I loved best the way that the western character of the ranchers and horses in the street events contrasts with the bright, modern clothes of our young athletes. So that’s what I used as the focus of the poster.”
#The decision to commission a poster benefiting the Winter Sports Club is part of Sotheby's efforts to create opportunities for local artists. The company is also planning this summer to offer scholarships to some young, local artists to visit Sotheby's Art Institute in New York, an art business graduate school.