Artist Series Trucker Hats

This artist collaboration with AV Wilson, better known as Virgina Wilson was incredible and humbling and might have involved a few evenings of conversation over wine to help get us to the final product! 

Yukon Wildlife Preserve’s Manager of Visitor Services LOVES hats! It’s rare to see Lindsay not in a hat. As Lindsay worked to evolve the products founds in the Preserve’s Little Gift Shop she knew hats needed to be included in this. Although she heard the phrase “you are not your own customer” she ignored this (generally) and sought out a design and product that would inspire others to wear something with pride, even if hat’s weren’t really their ‘thing’!

The first iteration of the Trucker style hat was in 2016 and came from some in-house design. One hat featured our classic logo and another from screen-printing a photo taken in 2013 by Executive Director, Jake Paleczny.

As those sold and we started working on other artists collaboration ideas in 2020 (like the bula’s), we reached out to local artist who might be interested in a trucker hat specific project.

Lots of emails back and forth and the collaboration with Virginia started to take shape. We know these things don’t happen overnight. It’s about building connections with people to ensure the artist and artist process is honoured and the values of the Preserve are brought forward, in balance, to the final product.

Starting in December 2021, we chatted about ideas, inspiration and of course the worldly love of moose came front and centre for both parties. She paints because she loves to paint – no other reason, retirement life supports this love. Virigina shared she was interested in this project because “my family likes the wildlife park, I like your objectives, and they [my family] all want trucker hats with my art on them”. What better collaboration when the story creates itself.

Her art work has incredible depth and range, from perfect windowsill pieces to multi canvas, larger than life sceneries. 

Virginia is a proud Yukoner, a Mother, Grandmother and an artist that loves painting landscapes as much as she loves hiking. The Yukon is a particularly special place to live out these pursuits and forever find inspiration. 

Virginia is originally from North of England having spent nearly the first quarter of her life there and then moving around Canada she has spent most of her life in rather beautiful places. 

The hats are a Yukon and Canadian production – from the landscape inspiration and artist development to the hat itself sourced with the help from Corina at Taku Sports Group Inc and printed on Canadian made brand Ambler.

The hats come in different colour combinations and are available only at the Preserve’s Little Gift Shop beginning November 2022. Check out more of Virginia’s work through her website and Instragram.

Trucker Hat                           $48