Photo: James Nieheus
If you've ever been skiing at any of New Zealand's main ski fields, you're going to know Jim Niehues' artwork - although you've probably never given it much thought.
He's the artist behind the world's most recognisable ski maps. His hand-painted works of art have mapped over 200 ski fields in the US, Canada, Australia, Chile, Japan, Scotland and Serbia.
In New Zealand he's illustrated Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, Cardrona, Treble Cone and Whakapapa.
Mr Nieheus has been described as the "Rembrandt of snow," able to distill epic mountain ranges onto one page, its slopes rendered in light and shade, with enough detail for skiers to map out their route.
And while his treasured works of art will usually be found crumpled in your ski jacket pocket, he says that's the best part - his art truly gets used.
Three decades of work has now been collated into a book: The Man Behind the Maps. Kathryn speaks to James Nieheus from his home on the outskirts of Denver, Colorado.
