FINE ART & TEXTILES
ANNA LYNCH
LIFTing the Community
LIFTing the community, was a project in which 15 Sea to Sky artists were paired with 15 community groups, to each reimagine an old Catskinner lift chair into a compelling work of art.
Each group was given the same theme to base the design of their chairs on; Belonging. All 15 chairlifts were displayed in Whistler village for 2 months.
The chairs were then put up for auction in Sept 2021 ,with the proceeds going towards the organization it represents.
The Concept
My chair design was based upon the idea that you don't have to fit a mold to belong.
When someone feels like they belong, they can have the confidence to try new things and find what makes them happy without the fear of judgement. They can be BOLD. Being BOLD is also one of Arts Whistler's key values. This is why these words are at the centre of the design.
I used many different textiles and mediums to create each cross section of the chair in order to represent the many cross sections of the Whistler community. Each section can be viewed as individual artworks, as well as creating a bigger picture when put together as a whole.
BEADWORK
I created a loom within the framework of the chair, and then used the technique of bead weaving, to create letter work. Using seed beads, I built a design made up of over 300 beads.
WEAVING
I used a range of yarns, cord, tapes and ribbons to make two woven mountain landscapes within the framework of the chair.
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MACRAME
I used a classic macramé knotting technique to turn oversized, dyed, climbing rope into hanging trim, inspired by Japanese temples.
NEEDLE PUNCH
Using the technique of needle punching I created the alpine landscape ,which acts as the cushion on the chair. This process was the longest part of the project taking just over a month to complete.