The concept and design behind this year's event jersey
The artwork for our 2022 jersey was originally created for the cancelled 2020 Event. We've been so fond of the jersey design that we have kept it through the 2021 cancellation and updated it for 2022 this year. We're fortunate that Susan Summit Cyr, the artist for the 2019 jersey, returned to paint for this jersey. Susan shares the inspiration behind her artwork for this year...
One of the best parts of being in Mount Rainier National Park, or any patch of nature, is the chance to slow down, look around, listen and feel. When we take the time to do that, our senses sharpen, and we detect layers of details not noticeable initially: the melodic notes of a waterfall splashing on rocks, the alpenglow illuminating a distant glacier, the heady scent of broadleaf lupine in full bloom, the chatter of a passing kingfisher.
We are so fortunate to have preserved wild places in Washington in which to relax and reflect.
For this year’s RAMROD design, I tried to portray the serenity of the mountain in a spare, monochromatic painting. My goal was to portray pictorial elements pared down to their essence and rendered simply and elegantly. I wanted to capture the feeling of the forest landscape while adding lucky RAMROD riders straining up one of many inclines on the route.
I painted with a bamboo-handled brush using ink on rice paper because the brush, ink and paper contribute to the effect. My goal was not to replicate Asian art, and instead to use a form of painting that spread from its origins in China to be used and appreciated throughout the world. When I teach ink painting to my students, I ask them to practice simple strokes until they become comfortable and can put them together to create recognizable imagery. Since I had not painted in this style in a long time, and am certainly no master, I was amused to find myself filling sheet after sheet of trial images before committing to a final painting. I hope you enjoy the result.
- Susan Summit Cyr
The RAMROD jersey is created from an original piece of art each year by a volunteer committee. We intentionally select novel art that puts the mountain front-and-center. The jersey art is donated for production of the jerseys which are then sold at cost. Our goal is to produce a cycling jersey that riders want to wear and to commemorate the event, Mt. Rainier and the national park. From year to year, we try to alternate color combinations and artistic approaches. This year’s jersey is noteworthy due to its monochromatic color scheme and the brush painting style. We are aware, thanks to correspondence from riders, that wholesale adoption of an artistic style with significant cultural and personal connections could be fraught for many. For the 2022 jersey, we have selected a brush painted piece of art that evokes natural landscapes in a simple design but is not intended to be representative of Asian art specifically.
We welcome ideas for future year’s jerseys and look forward to supporting artists for whom RAMROD, Mt. Rainier and cycling are important.
- Kirsten Senturia and Joe Matthews
The 2022 RAMROD Jersey
This year's colorway is grey, white and a strong red accent color.
The 2022 RAMROD Jersey