2024 POET // ARTIST COLLABORATION
"A Conspiracy of Ravens"
A Conspiracy of Ravens is our inaugural collaboration between poet and artist, where the spirit and emotion of poetry are visually brought to life.
The artist interprets the essence of the poem transforming our gear into moving canvases, enriching your gear with layers of meaning and inspiration.
Each piece becomes a work of art, inviting you to connect deeply with your journey on the slopes.
POEM BY LEE WHITE // ART BY IAN ADAMS
A Conspiracy of Ravens
up here, where the air is crisp,
the mountain holds secrets in its frosty grip.
a raven circles above, lone sentinel,
over lands where sastrugi ripples like water,
hardened by the wind’s relentless sculpting hand.
awakening comes with the dawn,
light spilling over the peaks,
turning snow to a sea of vapour,
a world awakening in the glow.
beneath ancient cedar, guardians of these slopes.
we trace lines with our skis,
a silent homage to the earths undulating forms.
here we’re not just passing through;
we’re part of the landscape,
a pulse in its vast, wild heart.
the raven, with its knowing eye,
watches as we carve our stories
into the mountain’s blank pages,
our turns a language understood
by those who listen to the whisper of snow,
the sign of cedar,
the breath of the earth.
in this moment we are the mountain’s voice,
a cry of joy in the solitude,
a vapour trail in the cold morning air,
a reminder of the wild that calls to us,
inviting us back to where we belong,
to ski, to be, to awaken.
ABOUT THE POET
LEE WHITE
Lee started skiing out of his backyard in the Yukon with his brothers at 5 years old. Growing up largely in British Columbia the mountains were a constant inspiration for adventures and art. Lee’s love of words started early writing poetry and prose including the eclectic philosophy book rapt in awe published in 2004. Having work for several years with Outward Bound in Canada and post-Apartheid South Africa, Lee continues to operate an Adventure Therapy Program for the youth jail in B.C. A deep love of nature inspires Lee in multiple art mediums reflected in the brand ethos of Poet Skis.
Aside from art and adventures, Lee is a social impact entrepreneur innovating novel approaches to clean energy transition and data sovereignty through ChinookX Technologies.
Lee is an Ashoka Fellow for his work leading ChinookX building next-gen solutions for data sovereignty and climate action, grounded in a deep respect for Indigenous ways of knowing and being. ChinookX partners with Indigenous communities to develop Indigenous Innovation Districts (IIDs) and StoryBox servers. These data centres, powered by clean energy, are built on Indigenous lands. IIDs provide the infrastructure for Indigenous data sovereignty, as well as a revenue stream by way of data storage and processing for broader communities. It’s a model that positions Indigenous peoples to flourish in the next iteration of the internet.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
IAN ADAMS
Ian was trained in traditional fine art and illustration techniques, including colour theory and composition, which has given him a unique approach to graphic design. By combining these skills with modern mediums, and with an equal understanding of print and digital production, Ian is able to understand the bigger-picture needs of a project.
Ian is a designer, illustrator, and painter serving a variety of local and international clients. After working in Vancouver for ten years, Ian has replanted his family here in the Comox Valley. As a creative entrepreneur Ian also operates his own clothing and print company, Done Creative. Through this, Ian supports a variety of local environmental initiatives and community building charities.
In Fall 2021, Ian became an instructor of branding and packaging for North Island College’s Digital Design & Development program.
Ian also owns Done Creative, a small-batch art and apparel company that donates a portion of all sales to local environmental and community initiatives.
ABOUT THE ART
This is our inaugural collaboration between poet and artist, inspired by the poem's vivid imagery and emotional depth. The artist has taken the poem's words, transforming them into hauntingly beautiful visuals of ravens constructed from ribbons.
The raven, described as the lone sentinel with knowing eyes, is meticulously depicted using intertwined ribbons, symbolising the complexity and interwoven nature of the mountains reveal to us. These ribbons, delicate yet powerful, capture the essence of the raven's watchful presence over the frosty, wind-sculpted landscape.
The images created are as beautiful as they are haunting, echoing the poem's themes of awakening, connection to the land, and the silent homage skiers pay to the earth’s undulating forms. The ribbons reflect light and shadow, much like the dawn light spilling over the peaks, adding a dynamic, almost ethereal quality to the artwork.
Through this collaboration, the artist brings the poem to life, inviting viewers to not just see but feel the mountain’s vast, wild heart and the call of the wild that beckons us to ski, to be, to awaken.
HOW TO ORDER
A Celebration of Collaboration, Art, and the call of the Mountains!
This limited edition collection is designed for those who live and breathe the mountains. Order your gear during our annual limited edition pre-order and be a part of a truly unique product offering.
Each year, we will launch a selection of gear that is the collaboration of artist and poet. This collaboration will include your skis or board in addition to limited edition gear, such as a hoodie, hat, stickers and hand-crafted wall mount to display your skis or snowboard as the art piece it is.
You can order each item individually or the entire package . By ordering the annual package, you are further enabling us to deliver our social impact programs .
When you order you will also receive an invite to our winter kick off event, where you can pick up your 2024 A Conspiracy of Ravens gear in person. Can’t make the event? We will ship your package to you after the event.
Follow the links below to get your gear and be part of this years select few snow seekers to ride these pieces of art!
With Hearts Aglow, You Have Our Gratitude!
We are deeply moved by your excitement and enthusiasm for our 2024 Artist Collaboration Series. Your vibrant energy breathes life into our vision, turning each stroke of creativity into a shared masterpiece. Together, we paint the world with wonder, each of you adding a unique hue to this canvas of dreams. Thank you for being the pulse of this journey, where art and passion entwine, making every moment a celebration of the beauty we create together.
What's more, by purchasing this gear you will further enable us to bring our social impact and personal development programs to life.
We cannot wait to personally hand over each piece to our community at our live event in late fall, early winter—where we will share in the joy of this collective creation.
The Poet Skis Team,
Nicole, Ian, Evan, Lee & Chad