James Niehues
Pick up a ski area trail guide from the past three decades and it has most likely been designed by James Niehues, a landscape artist who has made his living painting watercolor maps for nearly 200 of the most recognizable resorts across the globe. From quintessential destinations like Big Sky, Vail, Portillo, Whistler Blackcomb, Jackson Hole and Alta, to small, local ski hills around the northeast and mid-west United States, Niehues’ work spans five continents and countries as disparate as Serbia, Japan and New Zealand. Apart from the attentive audience who recognize his airy, meticulous style and notice his signature brushed gently in the bottom corner amongst the shadows of the forest, Niehues is not broadly recognized—yet his abundant portfolio has collectively aided in guiding millions of skiers in every discipline of the sport safely through vast, mountainous terrain.
Beginning at Grand Mesa College as a part-time illustrator and graphic designer, Niehues, then 71-years-old, was introduced to map-making originally by chance. However, the Colorado-native, with his admiration for the mountains, and innate ability to draw and paint, quickly recognized there was something exciting about “solving the puzzle” of accurately capturing the essence of a ski area on can- vas. Taking opportunity and skill in stride over the past thirty years, Niehues has quietly earned international acclaim as an artist who balances utility and aesthetics with every stroke of his paintbrush, undoubtedly influencing the modern skiing experience on a nearly universal scale.
