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A year in the life of... Chili Thom

Whistler’s Favourite Artist, as chosen by Pique readers in the Best of Whistler 2004 poll

As told to Shelley Arnusch

For the second year in a row Pique readers have voted Chili Thom Best Artist, recognizing there is indeed something special and quintessentially Whistler about his loopy yet profound snowscapes, reverent seascapes, and graphic partyscapes.

The self-supporting artist is a local creative tour de force wearing several hats (most handcrafted by his wife KLC). He’s also a prominent local DJ under the nom de spin Mr. Fister; a filmmaker and half of the notorious duo that founded the smashingly successful Halloween B-Grade Horrorfest; and he throws parties/decorates major local events for Shits n Giggles, the production company he and KLC run.

2004 was quite a year for Major Thom, packed with highlights, lowlights and spotlights, definitely worth revisiting in brief as a new year looms ahead. We open to find our hero in the land down unda’ a.k.a. the birthplace of his wife...

January

"Me and KLC started travelling in Australia and felt really free without any possessions. I found it quite inspiring and switched from painting to graphic drawing out of necessity due to excessive heat and dust."

February

"February was basically spent surfing, DJ-ing on the floor of our tent trailer and drawing while warding off mosquitoes. Lots of naked sunbathing."

March

Spent a lot of time in the rainforest in the area around Byron Bay. Lots of waterfalls that gave me a really organic kind of inspiration just because of all the roots and the vines and everything growing over top of everything else.

April

I arrived back in Canada on 4/20 and was immediately reminded what it was like to be part of the Whistler community and how f***in’ key all my friends here are. It was right in the middle of the World Ski and Snowboard Festival and everyone was out.

May

Being fully into surfing and swimming in the waves I got right back into things and did a series of wave paintings out at the working studio gallery in Pemberton we had at "Club Bubbs."

June

The Whistler Farmers Market started up so I spent time getting stock together for that. I also started DJ-ing on Saturday nights at the GLC. It was our third summer in a row. We’d been in Mexico, then Australia, then summer in Whistler – about 20 months of straight summer. I didn’t really mind.

July

Things were in full swing with commissions and paintings. I did the first Whistler ArtWalk with Sushi Village. Heavy Hitting Films proposed the first ever Mockumentary Film Festival and on July 14 th the 14-incher came into play. Our truck got stolen in Vancouver. It was found two days later. We lost a big box of fleece, a giant rubber snake and all of our skull truck accessories in the robbery. July in general was busy. Paintings were flying off the walls at Sushi Village and I had a hard time keeping them in stock.

August

The monthly exhibit at Millennium Place was the Wild Life of Burning Man and both KLC and I had pictures on the walls and were involved in the opening reception. We headed off to Shambhala the Tuesday before it all started to decorate the beach stage. After Shambhala we came back to Whistler for a week, did one more Farmers Market and I DJ-ed at the Superhero Catwalk party. We went down to the city to decorate for Sky Bar’s anniversary bash and then it was off to Burning Man in the Prawn (their RV and primary living space) with Gil and Feet Banks.

September

Had sex and watched the sunrise from a lunar module.

October

The Farmers Market wrapped up and we moved into a new studio space. I was growing my hair to portray Jesus. It took two weeks to get the space ready and then we had to start getting ready for Halloween. Heavy Hitting started production on Divine Intervention II: The Second Coming . I had a pissing contest with the devil and the 14-incher prevailed. We focused on getting the GLC ship-shape for the Sleepy Hollow Halloween party, while finishing the filming, editing and burning to DVD of Divine Intervention . The morning of the B-Grade Horrorfest the Prawn was stolen. I felt totally shattered. Devastated. Very unjustly ripped off. We lost the Prawn itself, our extensive vintage clothing collection, a bunch of money and all of our f**king CDs. Now all we have are shitty CDs we never listened to in the first place.

November

Our friends really came through with financial support, emotional support and clothing when the Prawn failed to turn up. Decorating gigs galore. Shits n Giggles galore. Humperdinck Slapptyback – a new night at Tommy Africa’s with Scott Arkwell – got going.

Parties, parties, lots of parties, although there was no Ullr this year. W-B wanted to Fire Up Your Winter Spirits instead. I did a photo shoot for W1 and the Christmas rush for paintings was on. A lot of commissions for smaller works of landscapes and waves for loved ones and family members.

December

Had a booth at Bizarre Bazaar. Was on national television as a rep for the Whistler art scene in a CBC Newsworld special. White Lightning did his first strip tease at KLC’s surprise birthday party. The 14-incher was unveiled yet again. Continuous Christmas commissions and a mad Christmas party rush. We did a Dr. Seuss Whoville party for W-B at the Chateau. Made the Heavy Hitting Films Christmas Movie and premiered it at the Merry Fistmas party for the Whistler orphans at the GLC. I was too busy to even feel remotely Christmas-y. Too busy to really call it the holidays. Even so, there’s always time to dress up like Neil Diamond.