MEET THE POW ARTIST, KATE ZESSEL

Kate Zessel is an artist located in the Sea to Sky. She draws inspiration from the surroundings that she calls home. Originally from Vancouver, she spent her free moments growing up in the mountains, skiing and biking. She furthered her education in Graphic Design at the Vancouver Art Institute, where her passion for illustrating flourished. Putting pen to paper allowed her to capture moments of her adventures and transform them into visual pieces.

You can find her unique blend of intricate line work, patterns, and nature on her social platforms and throughout the outdoor industry. She has created graphics for different ski and snowboard brands, as well as large scale murals for ski resorts and retail spaces.

Capturing a full mountain scene, animal, or shape within a complete image is her way of recounting one of her backcountry adventures. The mountains give her the subject matter of each piece. She hopes her art will connect with your memories of being in nature and resonate with the feeling of being completely immersed in the wilderness.

When I am creating a new piece or a collection for a brand, I like to have an overall theme, understand their brand and product values and create something that will resonate with the audience. I like to physically go to the places I want to recreate. I will, depending on the season, hike, tour, bike to the top and take photos so that I can add personalized elements to the piece. I will then create initial layout sketches, get feedback on any elements that are missing, move things around and then create a revised more finalized version.

If I had to choose one, my favorite outdoor activity would be skiing.  I have been skiing since I was two and I have moved into backcountry touring, and sled skiing as the resort has gotten busier.  It has always been a part of my life. This summer I trained and ran an ocean to summit race and then leaned into gravel riding and trained for 200km 3000m ride. I hike most days with the dogs, moto, MTB – I honestly just love being outside in any capacity.

I have told this story a few time on my socials but it something I live by now. My aunt always had champagne on her and had this philosophy that there was always a reason to celebrate, even if it was just something small. When she passed, I started carrying mini bottles of champaign or soft drink on every adventure I went on. It wasn’t about the drinking aspect of it but more the moment of stopping and enjoying the place you are in and the people you are with. It was a constant reminder to celebrate your life. Live More Now, feels like that to me. To go out and enjoy those moments, celebrate them, capture them, be inspired by them.

Hmm this is a tough one.

• •  I broke my drawing hand years ago and had already committed to a few big jobs. I was just starting out and didn’t want to lose the clients, so I learned how to draw with my left hand. I wish I had kept it up!
  • I cry during sports documentaries when the athlete or team finally accomplish their dreams or wins. I recently watched the Tour the France Netflix documentary on a flight and cried when anyone won a stage. The time, energy and effort – they are all so inspiring.
  • I save all our recycling money and once we have enough, my partner and I will go out for a nice dinner.