Paise Ullr!
This is my ongoing saga of designing and printing to help build stoke for the ski season here in the Comox Valley.
Ullr is the norse god associated with snow/winter, skiing, and hunting. He has grown as a symbol within the alpine ski/snowboard communities through Europe and North America to bring protection, good luck, and fresh powder.
THE FIRST
In 2016, the White Whale Pub was planning a party to get stoked for he upcoming winter season. They asked me to create an Ullr design to have to sell during the event, but I had recently build myself a mobile printing press and was keen to try it out, so I offered to try setting up and printing on site.
The party went great. Lots of fun printing, having some pints, and watching the party-goers enjoy the night.
THE SECOND
In 2017, after the success of the first, I had to say yes to doing it again! This time I decided to pay a little homage to artist Andrew MacLean and a character from his graphic novel series Headlopper.
I used this as an opportunity to push my skills/knowledge of screen printing and try making 3-colour version for paper prints, a 2-colour version I have for sale, then a modified 1-colour version I live-printed at the event.
THE THIRD
For 2018’s version I wanter to go more simple, geometric, and symmetrical. There wasn’t the party, but still wanted to design something new.
THE FORTH
In 2019, The White Whale brought back the ULLR party (little did I know this would be the last, as they ended up closing among covid challenges in 2020). After the previous years more art deco style, I thought I would do more of a art neuveau look this time.
THE FIFTH
In 2020, with the White Whale now closed, I got in touch with Mount Washington about doing a collab. I’ve been doing work with them, and had done previous years opening day shirts, so this seemed like a great way to keep the tradition going. I created a special one colour version used for the opening day give aways, and did a 3-colour version for myself.
This year, I decided to incorporate Skadi, an ice giant (jötunn), and goddess associated with winter, mountains, skiing, hunting, and wilderness. I love playing card art and was inspired in make a double diamond suit featuring both Ullr and Skadi. I printed a set with Skadi upright and others with Ullr.
After this one, with the post covid era of things, life/work just seemed to get busier and busier, so fitting this design in became harder.
Until in 2025, when I got a nudge from Jenn, and decided to get back into it…
THE SIXTH
ROAM has been putting on Stokefest for a few years now, and with our biggest one to date planned, we wanted a few extra things to be part of the whole experience. I set up during the one of the movie screenings to give ticket-holders the chance to see live-printing, and grab a collectible during the event.
This design I decided to do something different from the others and focus in on just the face. Ullr is wearing a more traditional looking viking helmet (embellished with little details/references of his bow, axe, and the bear), along with modern style ski goggles with the reflection of Mount Washington in it (so will appear correctly if looked at in the mirror). I framed it with some nordic-style designs, and the usual ‘Pray For Snow’ and ‘Praise Ullr’.
THE NEXT?
Who knows what will come next in my ongoing saga with Ullr and Skadi. As someone with nordic heritage, I love exploring and learning more about Norse mythology, and always enjoy finding new ways to visually represent it.
