VAIL, Colo. — During the National Brotherhood of Skiers 50th Summit in Vail, artist Lamont Joseph White is showing a lot of his work and paintings around town.
White hopes his work will encourage more people who don’t usually get to the mountain to try skiing and snowboarding.
"As much as my work is about joy and celebration of those who are on the mountain like myself, I hope it’s also an invitation to those who want to be and aren’t there yet,” said White.
Lamont is among nearly 2,000 skiers and snowboarders in Vail this week for the National Brotherhood of Skiers 50th Summit to bring more diversity to skiing and snowboarding.
His work includes a new series called “Skiing in Color,” showing the fashion, fun, and diversity on the slopes over the past five decades.
“We are all conditioned through life, through certain norms. I want to help to change that norm so the more I give you the representation through my work of Black and Brown people, I think the more welcoming we will feel," White said.
The town of Vail commissioned White to paint a picture that would help connect the National Brotherhood of Skiers with the town and he created a piece called “Towering.”
It’s on display at the Colorado Snowsports Museum and shows iconic Vail features next to two people snowboarding and skiing.
“With regards to the clock tower and metaphors of towering elements of the mountains and the people towering, that was the name that came forth stronger than any other name,” said White. “It was fun to do.”
White says his goal with creating art is to show the joy of being outdoors on the mountain and he hopes it will also help make those mountains more inclusive.
“I’m just painting the things in my heart,” said White. “I love to be on the mountain, I love to snowboard, I love to paint.”
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