Sarah Church is new to pickleball, considered to be the fastest-growing sport in North America.
Her willingness to try the game was inspired after creating a one-of-a-kind design for a Canadian company that manufactures pickleball paddles.
The 29-year-old Vancouver-based artist recently partnered with Dinko Paddles of Toronto and was tasked to illustrate the beauty of the West Coast.
Church said blending art and sport was a rare cross-over she couldn't pass up, considering the paddle can be functional both on and off the court.
"It feels fundamentally more meaningful to contribute to a piece that will be used repeatedly and will become a well-loved object beyond a visual piece," she told V.I.A.
Dinko approached Church with their idea to work with artists to make paddles that would be considered art themselves, even for displays in homes.
"It is exciting to see the art and sports worlds collide like this," Church said.
As local residents are encouraged now more than ever to buy Canadian products, Church said she hopes her paddle can spark a sense of national pride for pickleballers across the country.
"When discussing the project with Dinko, we both felt like there wasn't a lot of selection for paddle designs in the Canadian market," she explained.
"Most of the 'fun' ones are American made, and we felt it was important to bring more options to Canadian consumers and incorporate local artists to add value to the pieces."
What's on the paddle?
Church has lived in Vancouver's West End since 2021.
Though she obtained her bachelor's degree in design and science in Ontario, the pickleball paddle she designed does not miss on the West Coast nostalgia Vancouver and B.C. residents are accustomed to.
A snow-capped mountain in the middle immediately captures the eye, looking over a river running through a green valley and accented by tall evergreens. Flowers can also be seen to the left of the water.
Church noted the design, on the whole, was inspired by the "rugged beauty" of B.C.'s coastal forests, as well as its ocean views and "majestic mountains."
And more than one of her designs may soon be on the market, she explained.
"I initially presented three different concepts, and we felt the landscape illustration would be the strongest option," Church told V.I.A., noting illustration and photography are her niche skills as an artist.
"We actually also have two different versions of the paddle that will be available. One version has the mountain peak featured under the Dinko logo, and the second version has a Pacific Dogflower featured with the logo. We never planned to make two versions, but when picking the logo-side of the paddle illustration, Dinko felt both would be strong options so we went with both!"
See the paddle, be the paddle
Dinko confirmed to V.I.A. that Church's paddle could launch as early as Feb. 21.
Founder Alvina Lu, who met Church while attending Brock University, said the project will also help support ArtStarts in Schools, as well as the Galiano Conservancy Association on B.C.'s Galiano Island.
"I created Dinko to help foster community through sport, which I feel we could all use more of," Lu explained.
"This is why Dinko is focused on Canadian artists and non-profits — I really wanted customers to feel great about having a functional, limited edition piece of art that supports our local causes and artists (all while not breaking the bank!).
Lu added she hopes the landscape design can inspire others to explore the outdoors.
Church said it was a no-brainer to say "yes" to Dinko's proposal as it aligned with her and Lu's passions for giving back to local artists and charities.
As for her pickleball skills, she hopes to master them as soon as possible.
"Unfortunately I'm not any good yet, but catch me in a year and I anticipate a career rise!"
