Whistler painter and filmmaker Chili Thom is to be honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the Whistler Excellence Awards.
Thom died in November 2016 of cancer after years as an artist in the resort, with long-time involvement in the Whistler Arts Council and other arts organizations.
The Whistler Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with their Whistler Excellence Awards community partners, Arts Whistler and the Community Foundation of Whistler, decided to honour Thom with the Lifetime Achievement Award after he was nominated for a number of awards during this year's call for nominations.
In a release the chamber stated: "All of the community partners strongly encouraged and supported this recognition of Chili Thom to acknowledge the impact he made on the arts, adventure, music and community, not only within Whistler, but all over the world."
The finalists for Whistler Champion of Arts & Culture will be announced at the end of April. The Whistler Excellence Awards take place on May 11.
CHILI THOM RETROSPECTIVE AT AUDAIN DATES ANNOUNCED
Arts Whistler Presents! The Chili Thom Experience has been confirmed to take place at the Audain Art Museum from June 2 to 26.
The retrospective exhibition will show works from Thom's 20-plus years as an artist, selected by a committee made up of Whistler arts representatives, friends and family of Thom.
Spokesperson Kim Maitland of Arts Whistler said that during the 24 days of the exhibition, there will be exhibits of Thom's work all around Whistler, including the Maury Young Arts Centre, the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre and the Whistler Library.
Maitland added that there will be another dozen events celebrating Thom's life announced.
Funds raised by Arts Whistler during the exhibition will go towards the Chili Thom Endowment Legacy Fund.
As well, prints of Thom's paintings will be for sale during State of the Art at the World Ski and Snowboard Festival (WSSF), and the Best of the Fest at WSSF will also raise money for the endowment fund.
