The 2019 Winter Carnival Poster program was another huge success, generating over $20,000 in sales with 100% of the program proceeds going to the athletes and programs of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. The program was started four years ago, in 2016, by Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty. The concept was simple – commission a local artist to create a one-of-a-kind piece that represents the world-famous Steamboat Springs Winter Carnival. The original piece is auctioned off, and poster prints are sold, giving locals and visitors a piece of the event that they can cherish for years to come.
Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty is proud to have created this program, and continues to coordinate the program each year – including selection of the artist, framing of the artwork, poster promotion, organization of poster signing events, and poster sales.
This year’s poster was created by local artist Lance Whitner. When Whitner was initially asked to be the artist for the 2019 Winter Carnival poster, she was a bit hesitant since she does not use people as the subject of her artwork. So she drew her inspiration from the athletes who are the stars of the famous Winter Carnival street events and night show, and brought to life a piece that gives the perspective of a skier getting ready to take off on Howelsen Hill’s ski jumps, and fly through a fiery hoop – one of the signature moments of the Night Extravaganza show.
To create the piece, Whitner hiked to the top of the ski jumps and started sketching. Once back in her studio, she mixed in her signature elements of color and brush strokes, bringing the piece to life. The end result is a beautiful work of art that combines color, texture and dimension, while perfectly depicting one of the most rarely seen perspectives of Winter Carnival. After all, how many people can say that they have ski jumped at night through a fiery hoop, to the sounds of thousands of spectators cheering from below?
photo credit: David Patterson
Whitner’s inspiration paid off, and the poster was a huge hit. The original art work was sold at live auction in December, at the annual Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club Foundation’s Stars at Night Gala. The first three signed, numbered and framed, limited edition giclee prints were also sold at the event in a silent auction. Twenty-two other limited edition giclees were sold throughout the winter. Hundreds of poster prints were sold throughout town at Lyon Drug, Freshies Restaurant, Off the Beaten Path, Pine Moon Fine Art Gallery, Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty office, SSWSC offices and through the SSWSC website.
Since its inception in 2016, the Winter Carnival Poster program has contributed almost $55,000 to the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. And while we close out the 2019 Winter Carnival Poster program, we are already in the beginning phases of the 2020 program. Locally owned and operated, Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty recognizes the importance of giving back to our local community, and is proud to be a significant community partner and contributor to many local organizations through several philanthropy programs, including the Winter Carnival Poster program.
For more information about the Winter Carnival poster program, please contact us. For more information about Lance Whitner and to view her work, visit her website.