Painter Berkeley Hoerr chased the vibrant culture of ski towns west from her home state of Virginia, finding inspiration in Jackson Hole, Sun Valley, and now Denver. An Ikon skier equipped with a Ram van and a love for bright, playful aesthetics, she translates the buzz and joy of mountain life into textured, whimsical artwork. We sat down with Berkeley at her Denver studio to learn more. Here’s what she had to share.
Daily ritual: “Every morning, I start the day with a quick, timed painting chosen randomly from an album of photos I plan to paint—many from my ski days. The routine puts me in a flexible, creative headspace and gives me a finished piece each day, building stamina for longer oil paintings. I use gouache, similar to watercolor, for these daily works since it dries quickly, unlike oil.”
Mountain mosaic: “I was thrown into the deep end of skiing. Being a beginner living in Sun Valley and dating a patroller, I had to learn to keep up fast. As I’ve gotten better, I’ve had more time to appreciate the art in it all. I love pulling up to the lodge and seeing the skis scattered on the snow. There are so many artificially bright colors in a chaotic pattern, juxtaposed with the bright white, but it actually evokes a calming feeling because you know that everyone is inside together, warming up around the fire and enjoying hot drinks. It makes me think of community.”
Alpine touring: “I’ve been dying to work on a backcountry ski painting. I love that moment when hikers finally stop climbing, are so warm, and pause to put their mittens on top of their poles before transitioning to the descent. I also think doing a series from the A-Basin Beach would be a blast, especially with all the eclectic spring outfits.”
There’s Waldo: “I ski in a bright blue jacket with daisies and always want to be the most colorful person on the mountain.”
Stylized skiing: “I like to abstract a bit and add lots of texture. The snow won’t be exactly correct, but rather it will be bright white with a blue-purple shadow and palette-knife texture. I use Adobe to photoshop different skis together from actual photos so the perspective is mostly correct, but from there, I like to get creative.”
Art of all sizes: “I love painting on a large scale, but I also enjoy creating smaller pieces that can be combined into a collection or gallery wall, like my daily ritual paintings. I want my art to be accessible at a range of price points.”
Heart on canvas: “Paintings are my love language, and make the best gifts.”
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