LIFTing the Community 

Retired Catskinner Chairs Find New Life As Works of Art with LIFTing the Community

Outdoor Exhibit: Whistler Village and Upper Village | FREE, all ages | June – August, 2021

Auction: LIVE ONLINE | On now –  September 7, 2021

Whistler Public Library & Michaela Ivancova

Proceeds will benefit: The Whistler Public Library
The Whistler Public Library was formed in December of 1985 by a dedicated group of community-minded citizens meeting in the basement of the Whistler Municipal Hall. Today, the library receives over 250,000 visitors per year on average, serving locals, second homeowners and tourists from around the globe.

Artist: Michaela Ivancova
Michaela Ivancova, is a passionate artist that finds inspiration in nature and personal experiences. Coming to Whistler opened many possibilities for her artistic visions. Mountains and animals became her new inspirations which she depicts in various media.

Would you like to see this chair in person? Look for chair #10 on the map.

*As this is an outdoor exhibit, all chairs will be touched up by the artists before going to their new home. Find our more about the auction

Bid on this LIFTing the Community chair!

Discover the story behind the chair and find out more about the artist and organization:

Paired with artist Michaela Ivancova

Michaela Ivancova, also called MachiMela, is a passionate artist that finds inspiration in nature and personal experiences. She focuses on depicting events from her personal life and her own states of mind. Her past experiences and opportunities have guided her in this direction allowing her art to tell her story. Michaela is a graduate of Presov University in Slovakia with a Major in Fine Arts. As part of her studies, she also attended Shenzhen University in China and Rzeszow University in Poland in order to get broader views of art scenes in the world. Coming to Whistler opened many possibilities for her artistic visions. Mountains and animals became her new inspirations which she depicts in various media. She is creating customized wooden pieces or other mixed media works. Wooden inlays, pyrography, acrylics and epoxy are her main mediums.

michaelaivancova.vpweb.com | facebook.com/michaelaivancovaart | @michaelaivancovaart

Whistler Public Library

The Whistler Public Library was formed in December of 1985 by a dedicated group of community-minded citizens meeting in the basement of the Whistler Municipal Hall. Through the generosity of the Rotary Club of Whistler, materials and labour were provided to finish the interior of the 1400-square foot space which opened to the public on August 27, 1986. The library was open 4 days per week for a total of 16 hours. The collection consisted of 4,600 brand new books and by the end of 1986 the library had 380 card holders. In December of 1994, the library moved to a new 2800 square foot location in Village North and in 1999 became part of the Resort Municipality of Whistler as a tax-supported municipal facility. By 2005, the library was open 51 hours per week, employed 10 staff members and loaned almost 150,000 items to 5,670 card holders. In January 2008, the library opened the doors on the LEED Gold certified 12,000 square foot facility it currently calls home. Since moving to this facility the library has continued to evolve in accordance with its moniker as “Whistler’s Living Room”. On average the library receives over 250,000 visitors per year serving locals, second homeowners and tourists from around the globe.

whistlerlibrary.ca | facebook.com/whistlerpubliclibrary | @whistlerlibrary

LIFTing the Community

Local artists have transformed 15 retired Catskinner ski lift chairs into works of art, reflecting the theme of belonging as perceived by 15 community groups that actively contribute to community life. LIFTing the Community has been created to enhance the sense of belonging in Whistler and the Sea to Sky. Whether Whistler is home for a season or a lifetime, a sense of belonging benefits us all. In our ever-growing and changing community, wellness, connection and a sense of home needs to be fostered, practiced, discussed and experienced by our community.

With support from Vail Resort’s Epic Promise fund, in partnership with Tourism Whistler and the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation, Arts Whistler has paired some of the Sea to Sky’s most exciting artists with 15 community groups to reimagine trusty old Catskinner lift chairs into compelling works of art. Tourism Whistler recently provided space for the artists to work in the Whistler Conference Centre.

The reimagined chairs are on display throughout the summer in Whistler Village for people to explore, experience and discover their own spirit of belonging. Chairs will be auctioned off with the funds going to the community organizations to support their programs that support community belonging and wellbeing.

Learn more about all of the participating community groups and creative artists paired with them:

• Arts Whistler | Anna Lynch
• Audain Art Museum | Dave Petko & Liz Thomson
• AWARE | Ben Poechman
• Kids on the Move | Kris Kups
• Mature Action Community | Tonnja Kopp
• The Point Artist Run Centre | Sherry Klassen
• Squamish Arts Council | Kendra Hicks
• Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre | Taka Sudo & Dominique Nahanee
• Whistler Adaptive Sport Program | Vanessa Stark
• Whistler Blackcomb Foundation | Mike Tyler & Bob Van Engelsdorp
• Whistler Community Foundation | Stan Matwychuk
• Whistler Community Services Society & Laura Scarr
• Whistler Museum and Archives | Alyssa Bruijns
• Whistler Public Library | Michaela Ivancova
• Whistler Youth Centre/Alphabet Soup | Ace Mackay-Smith & Mercedes Nicoll

Take yourself on a tour and discover all of the chairs for yourself!

Save the map to your phone | Download the full printable brochure

With thanks to our sponsor Epic Promise, and project partners:

Thanks to Neutron Factory Works for production support.

Accommodation provided by: