Blog
Forward Stance Studio Artists
A connector, communicator, perspective, and statement – the Forward Stance Studio program facilitates and celebrates the many transformative experiences within our distinctive mountain communities. Founded in 2022 as a multi-year ongoing project, the program serves as a catalyst for community connections and relationship building while highlighting diverse, local, and sustainable artists.
In this way, the Forward Stance Studio aims to cultivate an inclusive, sustainable culture that invites everyone into eye-opening moments and meaningful conversations. Each destination installation initiates discussions surrounding the local mountain community and its specific values. As a collective, these distinct pieces will help to shape the future of mountain adventure.
Welcome to the Forward Stance Studio. Forward we go, together.
Crystal Mountain, Washington: Circle of Life Tower, Sculpture – Steel, Wood, Mosaic & Mixed Media by Mary Iverson
Describe your artistic style, mediums, and influences:
I love to create landscape paintings of all sizes, from tiny works on paper to giant murals. I very rarely create anything three dimensional, so the tower I created for Crystal Mountain is an exciting new direction for me.
Please tell us about your connection to the Crystal Mountain landscape:
My connection to Crystal Mountain goes way back to my childhood. I learned to ski at Crystal when I was two years old, and I have been skiing here with my family ever since. Every time I am on the mountain, I feel the joyful memories of all those years of family ski days, racing with Crystal Mountain Alpine Club, and hanging out with my friends in Green Valley. I learned to love the mountain in summer, too, going on family hikes with my mom, who taught us the names of all the wildflowers and shared her love of springtime in the Cascades.
Last year I joined the ski patrol, hoping to make new friends and give back to the place I love so much. Right away, the patrol gave me a warm welcome and I am very happy to feel part of the mountain community again.
Creating this artwork is more than I could dream of in all my days skiing here. It stands for everything the mountain has given me, in the joyful times with my family and friends.
Tell us about the concept for this work and the process of creating it:
The Circle of Life Tower stands for the beauty of nature in its path through time. Every visual element wraps around the central tower, in a spiral that echoes the cyclical aspects of nature: moon cycles, the changing seasons, the force of the wind, the four directions, the fleeting beauty of wildflowers, and the power of animals.
At the base of the structure is a section of an old chairlift tower, a fragment from the original chair one (C1). The history in this piece of steel inspired the rest of the tower’s design. From there, I added fun sculptural elements, like a beautiful mosaic and a whirligig made of skis. When I drew the bird on top of my design, it got me thinking about Coast Salish story poles, and I knew I had to collaborate with a First Nations artist. When I saw the work of artist Keith Stevenson from the Muckleshoot Tribe, I was totally inspired. He carved the red cedar Thunderbird on the top of the tower, and the colorful animals that encircle the base of the mosaic. Together, the sculptures tell the story of the land his family has stood on since time immemorial. My friends at Tieton Mosaic translated my painting of Mount Rainier into a magical kaleidoscope with a thousand pieces of colorful glass. Spinning above the mosaic is a whirligig of skis, given to me by my family and the ski patrol, to represent my community on the mountain. The steel work was all done by the talented fabricators at Dillon Works.
By working on this project and adding to the landscape of Crystal Mountain, what do you hope to achieve and what conversations do you hope to inspire?
This tower stands for joy and beauty. I hope that everyone who sees it thinks about their connection to nature, their friendships, and the ancient story of the land.
Big Bear Mountain Resort, California: Snow Dreams, Mural– Mixed Media by Artist James Haunt
Describe your artistic style, mediums, and influences:
My artistic style is a fusion of digital graphic design and graffiti with some fine art mixed in. My mediums consist of technology-based applications and a mix of aerosol and acrylic paints with an array of other tools to help me execute different projects. This project was a mix of graphic design and aerosol paint. I pull influence from my inner thoughts and the world around me, as well as life experiences.
Please tell us about your connection to the Big Bear Mountain Resort landscape.
My connection to Big Bear Mountain Resort is deep. I have had some transformative times on these mountains and worked on some really cool projects for the resort itself, as well as Red Bull and other legendary brands. I painted the Beach Bar back in 2013 and the Red Bull Plaza Park. I also painted at Grenade Games 7, surrounded by some of the best riders in the world riding while I painted.
I am honored to have been able to work with such an iconic brand that has allowed me to create my artwork and given me an outlet to share it with the masses.
Tell us about the concept for this work and the process of creating it:
This mural embodies the diversity of snow enthusiasts that is bred at Big Bear and uses the mountain as an outlet to be creative on the snow. We all come from different places, diverse backgrounds, and are walking different paths. But we all ride the same snow and come to Big Bear to get inspired by other riders' creativity and uniqueness. Big Bear is unique because it is a place for snow enthusiasts, industry leaders, and trailblazers to push boundaries, test limits, and creativity in a place with no judgment.
By working on this project and adding to the landscape of Big Bear Mountain Resort, what do you hope to achieve and what conversations do you hope to inspire?
I really hope Big Bear guests enjoy my artwork, whether it's more in depth and up close or something that looks really cool from afar and pops off during a snowstorm. I hope the color and message in my mural brings people joy.
Blue Mountain, Ontario, Canada: Elevate | Mbin’ge, Sculpture – Steel & Mixed Media by Artist Kathryn Corbiere
Describe your artistic style, mediums, and influences:
My work embraces traditional and contemporary metal and crafting practices while seeking to express myself as a contemporary artisan grounded within a vibrant Indigenous community. I am influenced by time spent in nature, wildlife, and my grandparents.
Please tell us about your connection to the Blue Mountain landscape:
I feel connected to the landscape in many ways, as my wife Natalie grew up in Collingwood, learning how to snowboard and spending her teenage years at Blue Mountain. I took up skiing a few years ago, and we enjoy traveling to other Canadian ski communities. Often bringing nature into my work, I find being on the mountain very inspiring.
Tell us about the concept for this work and the process of creating it:
At first glance, Elevate captures your attention with its distinct mountain shape, reminiscent of a traditional Indigenous dwelling, such as a wigwam or teepee. This intentional design choice seeks to honour and acknowledge the significance of the location it occupies, bridging the past and present. However, unlike traditional structures, Elevate does not have walls. Instead, it warmly welcomes visitors into an open and inclusive space, encouraging reflection and learning. The absence of walls symbolizes the breaking down of barriers and extends an invitation for individuals to engage with the teachings and values represented by each pillar. The installation is comprised of seven pillars, each representing one of the seven sacred teachings rooted in Indigenous cultures. Symbolized by different animals, these teachings include love, wisdom, respect, truth, humility, honesty, and bravery, and facilitate a deeper understanding to foster a connection between the people and the land.
By working on this project and adding to the landscape of Blue Mountain, what do you hope to achieve and what conversations do you hope to inspire?
It was an amazing opportunity to create this sculpture for Blue Mountain. Where the sculpture is located – with its view over the Georgian Bay – leaves me comforted, knowing it sits in nature's beauty. My hope is that visitors continue to enjoy this sculpture and continue to have conversations about the Indigenous people, the original stewards of the land where it sits.
Deer Valley Resort, Utah: Burns Reimagined. Example Used: Anna Moore’s Bluebird and Powder Day, sculptures – Marine Grade Plywood & Exterior House Paint by Artist Anna Moore
Describe your artistic style, mediums, and influences:
My painting style is like memory. Most of it remains true to life, but the details and colors have been intensified for a more interesting story. I'm primarily a landscape artist, and love to work in both watercolor and oils. Artists like Maynard Dixon, and Andrew Wyeth have taught me how to personify and give reverence to the landscape, but my greatest inspiration remains the mountains and desert of Utah.
Please tell us about your connection to the Deer Valley landscape:
I've been living in and loving Park City for almost a decade. These mountains have given me such purpose, both in my artwork and athletic endeavors and to them I'm eternally grateful. It's fascinating how the landscape shapes who we are as people. Living in the mountains has introduced me to some of my greatest friends, and taught me resilience, humility and to always look up.
Tell us about the concept for Bluebird and the process of creating it:
This design is a play on the phrase, "bluebird day," which describes both an avian friend and a perfectly cloudless sky. At Deer Valley, we get a lot of picture-perfect bluebird days where the glowing white peaks sharply pierce the deep cerulean sky. Growing up in the Midwest, winter was often grey and bleak, so I am still shocked by the beauty of this weather!The backrest is my favorite "bluebird" view of Clayton Peak from atop Empire lift. You'll also notice a native Utah bluebird, the Scrub Jay, sitting atop the lift.
Tell us about the concept for Powder Day and the process of creating it:
I'm fascinated by the colors of snow. In the early morning, the sun casts a golden pink hue on the tips of the peaks, and by the time the sun goes down, the snowy hills glow an ultraviolet. But during a winter storm, the colors of snow are so subtle, that sometimes you can barely see the shape of the hill you're skiing on. For this design I wanted to capture the colors of snow right after a big storm— when the shadows are just whispers of a periwinkle. Because there is nothing sweeter than looking back at your single ski tracks between the pillowy pines.
By working on this project and adding to the landscape of Deer Valley, what do you hope to achieve and what conversations do you hope to inspire?
I want these pieces to make you stop, take a moment, and notice. Whether you pause to pose for a photo, or are just resting your legs between runs, I hope my chairs will give you calming spaces to slow down and witness the beauty all around you. Think of these chairs as frames for a new mountain memory.
Additional Installations as follows:
Lamont Joseph White, Lamont White Chair
Jessica Repko, Pink Tree Chair & Wildflower
Abby Ringquist, 2002 Tribute Chair & Snowcat Chair
Philip Vasquez, Shannon Chair & Stein Chair
Solitude Mountain Resort, Utah: Jump Off, Painting – Oil on Canvas by Artist Lamont Joseph White
Describe your artistic style, mediums, and influences:
I like to describe my style of art as graphic realism. I've been inspired by art from the 80s and 90s. This includes some elements of graffiti mixed with my academic study of traditional painting. I like to play around with new techniques and typically surprise myself with something cool when I do.
Please tell us about your connection to the Solitude landscape:
The mountains are my place of serenity and joy. I've had this connection to the mountains for decades now and it's my place to get away and experience wonderment regardless of the season or activity.
Tell us about the concept for this work and the process of creating it:
This piece is all about showing the fun and excitement of playing in the mountains. The name of the piece, Jump Off, comes from my friend who's a DJ. When he hosted parties, he would say, "We're gonna have a jump off tonight." It fits this piece due to the joyous, fun nature of being on the mountain skiing or snowboarding.
By working on this project and adding to the landscape of Solitude, what do you hope to achieve and what conversations do you hope to inspire?
Within my art, there is a lot of representation of people that you may not typically see in outdoor spaces. I like incorporating those who may not feel like they have a place in the mountains. My artwork celebrates those people and lets them know that they are welcome on the mountain no matter who they are.
Winter Park Resort, Colorado: Heniiniini’ (There is Snow on the Ground), Sculpture, Signage – Weathered steel, acrylic (inlays), vinyl aplique by Nativesoutdoors. Final form to be unveiled winter 23/24.
Conversation with Dr. Len Necefer, On Behalf of Nativesoutdoors
Please tell us about your connection to the Winter Park Resort landscape:
The team, brought together by NativesOutdoors, including Indigenous artists Jordan Craig and Vernan Kee, all call the watershed of the Colorado River home. Winter Park Resort, sitting at the top of this critical river watershed, has provided the focal point of our connection to the Colorado Mountains and our respect for the water it provides for downstream communities. Our team consists of artists, athletes, engineers, and holders of traditional knowledge who all partake in being connected to this river system - whether by skiing, rafting, or performing traditional ceremonies. Our team also represents six native nations who all call parts of the Colorado River home.
Tell us about the concept for the Heniiniini' project and the process of creating it:
In the lifeblood flow of the Colorado River, we embrace a canvas where imagination meets critique, anchoring our narrative to this watershed and where Winter Park Resort fits into this picture. This piece, Heniiniini', is a testament to its significance and our connection to it. Our central piece, Heniiniini', adorned with an Arapaho word for "there is snow on the ground," becomes a beacon of our intent. Meanwhile, carefully curated signs subtly blend Arapaho words into the familiar ski run makers. This melding honors Indigenous narratives by developing an Indigenous Mountain presence that expresses itself through beauty and reverence.
By working on this project and adding to the landscape of Winter Park Resort, what do you hope to achieve and what conversations do you hope to inspire?
Language is central to how Indigenous peoples share knowledge of landscape and place from generation to generation. The loss of language also represents a loss of thousands of years of ecological knowledge. Adapting language and cultural knowledge to new technologies and contexts allows for it to continue to thrive in the future. Our goal is to engage the public with this series of “hashtagable” signs, giving space for these issues, all while developing and growing community.
Sugarbush, Vermont: Moose, Sculpture – Steel & Mixed Media by Artist Harlan Mack. Final form to be unveiled winter 23/24.
Describe your artistic style, mediums, and influences:
I am a narrative world-builder, sculptor, painter, and storyteller. Generally, I generate work within one long term, expanding, constellated world building projects that emerge from my experiences, contemplations, interests, and studies. In recent years I have worked mostly in steel, wood, and paint. Ideally, I prefer to combine these materials to express my aesthetic. My influences are broad, but I have to admit that I am often in conversation with poets. I feel that poetry and poets have a way of opening up and diving deeper into the importance of a moment, and I try and achieve this in my work. Poets also have such powerful ways to engage with life’s moments by putting them into words that were likely amorphous or unclear before. I am always inspired by that ability.
Please tell us about your connection to the Sugarbush landscape:
I am a Vermont born artist. I was raised most of my childhood off grid on a mountain top in Washington, VT. Mountain life is home to me.
Tell us about your concept for Sugarbush and the process of creating it:
I proposed a sculpture of a moose because I knew that Sugarbush has a long-standing story connecting them to a moose in the area. For myself, I have a history of making animals in steel that goes back to 2006 when I decided to pursue metalworking and sculpture. When I make a sculpture of an animal, it’s like an information upload that really stays imprinted for a very long time in my visual memory. I love having the opportunity to dive deeper into my understanding of animals and the magic of this beloved local animal, in particular.
By working on this project and adding to the landscape of Sugarbush, what do you hope to achieve and what conversations do you hope to inspire?
It speaks to a desire of many guests to the region to be more connected with the natural world. It also serves as a reminder and a monument to honor the wildlife that we share these spaces with. Moose are very powerful beings, and few people get the opportunity to study, connect, and be present with them in three dimensions, let alone for an extended amount of time. Those of us who have seen a moose in the wild have likely only caught glimpses or seen them from too great a distance to soak in the detail. Additionally, moose can be very dangerous to encounter in the wild, so it wouldn’t be wise to try to get that closer look. In a way my moose will be a reminder of what to look for when a visitor finally sees their first glimpse of a moose in its daily life.
Steamboat, Colorado: One Million Branches – Mixed Media - Steel, Used Horseshoes, Paint, & Epoxy Resin by Artist Sage Sullivan. Final Form to be unveiled winter 23/24.
Describe your artistic style, mediums, and influences:
I am usually a traditional artist working with drawing and painting materials. My work is representational, with conceptual messages. I have worked in many different mediums of fine art, production art and commissions. In addition, I studied other facets of art like sculpture, printmaking, and glass work. I try to capture a sense of poetry while exploring difficult subjects. Many of my pieces feature a focal point drawing the viewer in, to hopefully discover more significance about the art and themselves. For this commission I have taken artist inspiration from masterpieces of David Schwarz, Dale Chihuly, and David Patchen. My other inspirations come from the surrounding ecosystems of the Rockies and Steamboat Springs. Aspen trees, wildflowers, and alpine glow are the prominent physical symbols. Conceptually, I incorporated the motifs of good stewardshipand community.
Please tell us about your connection to the Steamboat landscape:
The communication and relationships displayed by the elements in this piece represent our mountain community and how it is spread all over the world. Through the welcoming and hospitable spirit of Ski Town, U.S.A.®, you can always find a friend of the valley to catch up with or lean on. We all come in different shapes, sizes, and hues, and we all have our own strengths, weaknesses, and gifts to contribute to our little corner of the Rocky Mountains. So come as you are. Come with your friends, your family, your loved ones.
Tell us about the concept for this work and the process of creating it:
I envisioned a piece that encourages guests to rest, to play, to reflect, and to find their own belonging. Bringing this piece to life will be a huge undertaking, both mentally and physically, and I am honored to take on this task to invite all to feel welcome in the mountains of Steamboat Springs.
By working on this project and adding to the landscape of Steamboat, what do you hope to achieve and what conversations do you hope to inspire?
My vision focuses on multiple aspects, including:
• Variety & uniqueness, and innate hardiness of wildflowers, which speak about the integral celebration and respect for marginalized groups, including but not limited to BIPOC and LGTBQIA2S+ communities.
• Connectivity through aspens, one of the largest living organisms on earth. "We may all appear as singular individuals, when – in reality – humans cannot survive on our own. We not only crave community and connection but fundamentally need it to survive."
Snowshoe Mountain, West Virginia: Heart of the Mountain, Sculpture – Clay, Fiberglass, & Mixed Media by Artist Jamie Lester. Final form to be unveiled winter 23/24.
Describe your artistic style, mediums, and influences:
I work in a large array of mediums, including ceramic and steel sculpture and large-scale mural painting. Sculpting in clay has been one of the most formative art forms that I have employed. Most of the bronze public art that I have completed starts with clay and is then cast in molds to create the wax for the lost wax process. I also am drawn to the immediacy and tensile strength of welded steel. Many of my works feature both forms of sculpted clay and welded steel and are then finished with painting.
Please tell us about your connection to the Snowshoe landscape:
I was born in southern West Virginia and now reside in the northern part of the state. Snowshoe is a shining beacon in our state, being some of the best skiing on the East Coast. I am a telemark skier and enjoy cross-country skiing.
Tell us about the concept for this work and the process of creating it:
My sculpture is titled, Heart of the Mountain. It depicts an anthropomorphic "Mother Earth" that is defending herself on many fronts, including deforestation and different forms of fossil fuel extraction. The heart of the mountain has been armored to protect it from harm. The Mountain Spirit stares at the viewer unapologetically, fiercely, bravely, fighting to survive. The sculpture is started by sculpting in clay and creating a fiberglass-reinforced casting of the face and heart. These elements are then placed into a steel structure that is shaped like both a mountainside and the head and shoulders of a human figure.
By working on this project and adding to the landscape of Snowshoe, what do you hope to achieve and what conversations do you hope to inspire?
My work is often not didactic. I like for the viewer to come to their own conclusions about the meaning of the work and to make up their own stories. I think this artwork will catch the attention of visitors to Snowshoe, and make them ask questions about global warming, causes of climate change, and maybe even spur them to take action.
Tremblant, Quebec, Canada: Take Me To The Top, Sculpture – Reclaimed Steel, Metals, & Mixed Media by Artist Mathieu Isabelle
Please tell us about your connection to the Tremblant landscape:
In the Laurentides region, Tremblant and its pedestrian village has always been for me a place where I can disconnect. Even though it's only a few minutes from my house, you feel like you're on vacation, free. The atmosphere there is unique, in my opinion. The landscape and the community are a great asset to our region, which explains its international awareness.
Tell us about the concept for this work and the process of creating it:
Take Me To The Top illustrates the metaphorical climb, open spaces and accomplishment, whilst underlining Tremblant’s eco-tourism efforts over the past years by using durable materials combined with pieces of recycled metals taken from snow guns and chairlifts. The closer I got to forming the silhouette of the figure, the more energy I felt to surpass myself and to trust in the vision laying beyond the horizon. This sculpture, which stands proudly at the base of the mountain, is as serene as it is full of life.
By working on this project and adding to the landscape of Tremblant, what do you hope to achieve and what conversations do you hope to inspire?
I hope to encourage people to come face to face with the intricacies that make them unique and challenge them to live out their full potential. We are all connected by our personal will to fully realize ourselves.