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'Happy Ski Hut' | Original Painting | Chasing Winter Collection

$824.00

There is a distinct kind of magic that only happens when you’re tucked away in a remote ski hut, off-the-grid and surrounded by towering peaks. This piece was born from my absolute love for passing time with family and friends in the stunning ski hut systems of the West sharing laughs, tired legs, and good company after a long day in the snow.

Based on a real-life A-frame ski hut in Alaska, this piece captures that exact feeling of cozy, pure backcountry joy.

Look closely at the snow—true to form, you won’t find any flat white here! Instead, I’ve dialed up the intensity with electric blues and cool teals to make the fiery, unapologetic orange of the hut truly pop. Complete with skis on the porch and a subtle reminder above the door, this piece is a vibrant celebration of the winter spaces that feed our souls.

Bring the warmth of winter adventure into your space.

Artwork Details:

  • Medium: Professional Golden & Liquitex heavy-body acrylics

  • Surface: Wood panel or Canvas

  • Size: 20 × 16 × 1.5 inches

  • Protection: Golden Isolation Coat + UV-protective Liquitex satin varnish

  • Signatures & Authentication: Hand-signed by the artist on back and front of the piece; includes an official Certificate of Authenticity.

Chasing Winter Collection

This year, the snow didn’t show up, so I went into the studio and made my own. This collection is a heartfelt attempt to conjure the snow I couldn’t find on the peaks. From electric blues to neon whites, these pieces are how I filled the cup that the mountains left empty. It’s my way of finding the healing quiet of the powder even when the ground stayed bare. It’s raw, it’s honest, and it’s the only way I knew how to survive a winter that wasn’t. I hope you can feel the soul of the winter I so damn wished for in every stroke. Take a look at other pieces in this Chasing Winter Collection here.

All original paintings are final sale. If you have questions about the artwork, reach out to me.


There is a distinct kind of magic that only happens when you’re tucked away in a remote ski hut, off-the-grid and surrounded by towering peaks. This piece was born from my absolute love for passing time with family and friends in the stunning ski hut systems of the West sharing laughs, tired legs, and good company after a long day in the snow.

Based on a real-life A-frame ski hut in Alaska, this piece captures that exact feeling of cozy, pure backcountry joy.

Look closely at the snow—true to form, you won’t find any flat white here! Instead, I’ve dialed up the intensity with electric blues and cool teals to make the fiery, unapologetic orange of the hut truly pop. Complete with skis on the porch and a subtle reminder above the door, this piece is a vibrant celebration of the winter spaces that feed our souls.

Bring the warmth of winter adventure into your space.

Artwork Details:

  • Medium: Professional Golden & Liquitex heavy-body acrylics

  • Surface: Wood panel or Canvas

  • Size: 20 × 16 × 1.5 inches

  • Protection: Golden Isolation Coat + UV-protective Liquitex satin varnish

  • Signatures & Authentication: Hand-signed by the artist on back and front of the piece; includes an official Certificate of Authenticity.

Chasing Winter Collection

This year, the snow didn’t show up, so I went into the studio and made my own. This collection is a heartfelt attempt to conjure the snow I couldn’t find on the peaks. From electric blues to neon whites, these pieces are how I filled the cup that the mountains left empty. It’s my way of finding the healing quiet of the powder even when the ground stayed bare. It’s raw, it’s honest, and it’s the only way I knew how to survive a winter that wasn’t. I hope you can feel the soul of the winter I so damn wished for in every stroke. Take a look at other pieces in this Chasing Winter Collection here.

All original paintings are final sale. If you have questions about the artwork, reach out to me.


How This Piece Will Feel in Your Space

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How This Piece Will Feel in Your Space *

Imagine walking into your room and being instantly greeted by the cozy, inviting glow of a backcountry refuge.

At 20×16 inches, Happy Ski Hut adds a vibrant pop of playful warmth to your wall, desk, or entry space. The electric, high-intensity orange of the A-frame sets off against the crisp, cool teals of the surrounding snowpack, casting an energetic yet comforting light into your home. With its skis parked by the door and sweet "HAPPY" prompt overhead, this original painting feels like a warm, glowing lantern on a snowy day—instantly brightening your living space with the nostalgic charm of cabin life.

Living with Happy Ski Hut unlocks that deep, soul-soothing "off-the-grid" contentment whenever you need a mental escape.

Pausing in front of this piece takes you straight back to the best days of your life: tired legs after earn-your-turns powder runs, belly laughs around a woodstove, shared stories over steaming mugs, and the simple magic of being tucked away in the wild with your favorite humans. It serves as an instant mood-lifter—a daily invitation to leave the noise of the world outside, lean into pure mountain camaraderie, and remember where your happiest, most unburdened self truly lives

Behind the Craftsmanship

Every original painting is a labor of love, built from the ground up using only professional, museum-quality materials. All pieces are crafted to endure for generations in your home.

  • The Foundation & Palette: I paint on premium, archival wood panels or heavy-duty canvas, using highly pigmented Golden and Liquitex professional acrylics. These paints are chosen for their incredible lightfastness and rich, heavy-body textures, allowing the vibrant, unexpected colors and abstract images to pop off the surface.

  • The Preservation Layer: Once the painting is complete, I apply a crucial archival step: a Golden Isolation Coat. This permanent, glossy, transparent layer seals the acrylic paint permanently, acting as a physical shield that protects the actual brushwork from the environment.

  • The Final Touch: To finish each piece, I apply a premium Liquitex Satin Varnish. This provides a beautiful, soft sheen that enhances the depth of the colorful landscape without distracting glare. It also offers vital UV protection and allows the surface to be safely cleaned in the future if needed.

  • Provenance & Authentication: Each original piece is hand-signed on the back for official authentication as well as my painted signature on the front of the piece. Your painting will also arrive with a separate, official Certificate of Authenticity to accompany the piece for your records. 

By investing in these specialized, multi-step preservation techniques, I ensure that the dreamlike energy, texture, and crisp brush strokes of your favorite painting remain as vivid and flawless decades from now as they were the day they left my mountain studio.

Meet The Artist

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Meet The Artist *

Howdy! I’m Caley Van Cleave a Colorado-based artist, lifelong rambler, and a self-proclaimed color maximalist. Inspired by the vastness of the American West, I take sketches and memories from my outdoor adventures and dial up the intensity—bringing the hidden purples of a sunrise snowbank and the electric joy of the wild straight to the canvas.

From my home base at 9,000 feet in Silverthorne, CO, or out on the road in my Airstream, I paint to capture the emotional impact of rugged mountain sunshine and red clay canyons. If it’s bright, bold, and celebrates our stunning natural world, I’m enamored by it.

You won’t find any beige here. I bring the ridiculous, joyful color combinations of our wild spaces directly to the canvas so you can celebrate a world of beautiful, vibrant adventure right in your own space.

LEARN MORE

Where To Buy In Real Life

2026 Breckenridge Fine Arts Festival

July 2, 3, and 4th - Breckenridge, Colorado

August 6, 7, and 8th - Breckenridge, Colorado

2026 Boulder Art Festival

September 5th and 6th - Pearl Street Mall - Boulder, Colorado (Labor Day Weekend)

2026 Fall Arts Invitational at Cheesman Park

October 3rd and 4th - Cheesman Park - Denver, Colorado

Come say howdy in person! I’d love to meet you and share these delightful contemporary landscape paintings with you in real life (IRL for the win!).

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