Sandra has produced artwork for a special collection of skis, built in collaboration with Salomon. The skis will be available only via bidding, and all proceeds will benefit Safe Passions, the charity established in Andreas’ honor. Sandra says of the project, “It’s been a beautiful experience designing this ski, and in some ways it has helped me heal a little bit. While producing the artwork, I dug into Andreas’ life from my perspective. I had to deal with a lot of emotions that came up. It almost felt like we did this project together, because he was a big part in developing this [model of] ski, [the Mtn Lab]. This piece is really painted with my love for my brother. I’m so grateful that Salomon wanted to support this project.”

Sandra adds, “The skis’ topsheet design is based on the mosaic [below]. If people are curious about how the bidding will work, more info will soon come up on Safe Passions’ homepage. And if you want to support Safe Passions, but can’t bid on the ski, there will also be a poster for sale with the same motif.

Words by Sandra Fransson:

For me, pink was the natural color to use in this piece. Andreas liked to make people think, and not go the ordinary way. He liked to question the rules society has set up on what’s right or wrong. Why have we decided that pink is the color for girls? I want this art to cross all borders of society and just be art without judging.

The snake has many meanings in different spiritual beliefs, but in this particular piece it represents my brother’s relationship with snakes. During his last year, he experienced nightmares about serpents crawling up his back. A fear, but also a curiosity for the animal grew inside of him.

But, Andreas was always good at facing his fears and that is what the snake represents. Instead of allowing the fear to limit him, he planned to get a tattoo of a snake crawling up his spine, taking a big bite of the scar that he got after breaking his neck a few years earlier. This snake is a symbol of him overcoming his fears by climbing his way from the snake’s mouth. The spiritual path of yoga helped him find inner peace, which helped him move up the spine towards the beauty of skiing and following his dreams.

The mountains are inspired by the silhouette of the mountain San Lorenzo, where Andreas and JP Auclair died in September, 2014. According to South American beliefs, they say that when condors are circling high above the Andes, they help the souls of the dead to go into the light.

When my family and I met with the Auclair family in the Andes, shortly after Andreas and JP’s passing, two condors came circling over us and it felt like both of them were so present. It was a very special moment for us.

So, this ski represents Andreas’ path where he is moving away from fear and darkness, into the light…

Andreas, I love you so much. I miss you more than anything and you are such an inspiration to me. You will always be in my heart and inspire me on my own path in life.

– Sandra

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