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Have you ever wondered what happens to an old pair of skis or snowboard when it arrives at the landfill? As it turns out, pretty much nothing can be done with them. They are set aside to decay in a pile, because they’re not recyclable and they are not likely to break down naturally in our lifetime.

First Tracks Friday is the brainchild of Jill Sutcliffe of The Viking Lodge, Shannon Henn of Uptripping, and Suzie Cruse of WP Framewerx who wanted to create an art-centric event in the town of Winter Park.  

The new event engages community participants to create art from a ski or snowboard, and, on April 6th, exhibit and sell the pieces in a silent auction. The sale price would then be split 50/50 with the artist and the artist’s chosen charitable organization. “We’re not doing it to make money, we’re doing it to promote the arts and protect the environment”, Cruse explained.

Sutcliffe has been busy cleaning and removing bindings from old skis and snowboards from their shop. The boards that would otherwise be destined for the junkyard. Consider the ski or board to be a blank canvas, to mix with whatever medium you wish and it soon becomes a work of art!  Whether you’re an artist or not, this event is open to everyone. Individuals, families, roommates and anyone in-between are welcome to participate in this fun and creative way of upcycling.

A First Tracks Friday kick-off reception will be a held at The Viking Lodge on Friday, March 2, at 6 pm. Drop by the reception and pick up a ski for $5, or a snowboard for $10. Completed artwork is due back by April 5th, and the First Tracks Friday Reception and Silent Auction will be held at the Uptripping Gallery on April 6th.

The choice is entirely yours on whether to create a shot-ski, a coat rack, a picture frame or a mixed media masterpiece. And, while the board may still live on indefinitely, it’s a better way to go for both the board and the environment!  To find out more about the event, log-on to: uptripping.com/firstfriday