You could call it a Christmas present.
Upon returning home for the festivities, Squamish resident Chili Thom discovered a set of art supplies. His first painting hooked him. By his second, he had discovered his own style. The third he sold for $500.
“I thought, ‘Wow, this isn’t too bad,’” Thom says.
Sixteen years later the former Whistler resident has carved out a name for himself in Canada’s arts community. For the past two years, Thom has been among 50 artists invited to journey up the coastline in an initiative taking aim at Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline project. The group’s goal was to raise awareness and protect the 70,000-square-kilometre temperate rainforest, the home of the Kermode spirit bear famous for its recessive-gened white coat.
For six years Thom explored B.C.’s natural wonders as a wilderness guide. His work reflects his love of exploration and the province’s landscapes. His plan for a mural on the site of the former PacWest building, now owned by Solterra, are no different.
As a part of next month’s Squamish Wind Festival, Thom is leading a project that involves Squamish’s youth. He’s set to paint an “ideal scene of Squamish life”; a view of Howe Sound with soaring eagles and swaying kelp.
Thom plans to start by painting the top portion of the mural, leaving the parts closer to the ground to be finished by teenagers from the Squamish Youth Centre. The whole project covers an area 20 feet high by 32 feet wide.
Thom moved to Squamish three years ago. Since then he’s been heavily involved with the Squamish Arts Council and helped initiate Sea to Sky Arts, a coalition of the five arts councils throughout the corridor.
The arts community in Squamish is slowly taking form, Thom said. He anticipates the development of the Squamish Oceanfront will help give the community a central focus point for art, similar to Whistler Village.
“There is definitely potential for that,” he said.
Thom anticipates starting work on the mural project on June 15, completing it in time for the Squamish Wind Festival (July 25 to 27).
