Lanny BARNES (USA)
Olympian Artist – Painting, drawing: PyeongChang 2018
Lanny Barnes is an American biathlete who competed in the 2006, 2010 and 2014 Olympic Games.
Her twin sister Tracy competed with her at the 2006 Games in Turin, Italy. Lanny competed in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
It was at this edition of the Winter Games that Lanny achieved the best result by the American women’s team in 16 years. The two sisters also made history at the Games and set an example for the whole world when, in 2014, Tracy generously gave up her place to Lanny as part of the American team sent to the Sochi Olympic Games in 2014.
Tracy was given the United Nations UNESCO International Fair Play award and the US Olympic Committee Inspiration Award for her selfless act and for demonstrating true Olympic spirit.
Lanny started drawing and painting at a very early age.
She specialises in wildlife art and works mainly with charcoal. She also tried her hand at other techniques, such as still life, and drew inspiration from the world around her, particularly sport. Art has always been Lanny’s great passion, and she has expanded and honed her artistic talent while training for the Olympic Games. She plans to pursue her career as an artist and hopes one day to open her own gallery.
Discover the artist's works on her website:
Questions and answers
You were invited by the IOC to contribute to a project at PyeongChang 2018 as an Olympian Artist. For the first time you were not in competition. How did it feel?
Being an Artist-in-Residence felt very different to being a competitor but it still carried the same excitement and nervous energy that I had when competing in the Games in the past. Being at the Olympics is always and always will be exciting and inspiring. It was one of the best experiences in my life. With the Olympic Art project, I had a sense of working for everyone in the world and helping to promote Olympic values.
Do you think the athletes responded well to this art initiative?
It felt like every athlete that walked in the door was amazed and excited about this project. So many of the Olympians said how great this idea was and that they wished they had heard about it earlier so they had a place to go during the Games where they could express themselves without pressure and stress in a fun and relaxing environment. It was great to see all these athletes from all corners of the world painting together. They were laughing and really enjoying the experience.
Will this project change the way you approach Olympic art in the future?
This project really changed my idea of Olympic art. I always thought of art and sports as universal languages, but it wasn’t until the art project we took part in at PyeongChang 2018 that I could really experience that first hand. With athletes from 39 different countries taking part, we didn’t need to speak the same language to engage in and enjoy this project. It was great to see so many athletes and people from so many different backgrounds sharing the Olympic values throughout this project.
After this project, do you think that art has a place at each Games? And in the Olympic Village?
I 100% agree that there is room for similar projects at every Games and especially at all the Olympic Villages. There is so much art during the Games already with the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and the performances and artwork displayed during the Games. But this project helped bridge that gap between sports and art in a way that really helps to promote the Olympic values.
And what was your most memorable moment? The thing you’ll never forget.
Two female Japanese teammates came in to paint and worked together to paint something on one of the canvases. When they first came in, one had tears in her eyes because she had just finished her event and was disappointed with her performance, but by the time they were done painting, they were laughing and hugging. As an athlete, moments like that are priceless. Taking a disappointing moment and turning it into a positive one really shows what the Olympic values are all about.
What are your biggest takeaways?
Being an Olympian Artist for the IOC felt very different to being a competitor, but there’s still the same excitement and energy. Being at the Olympics is always and always will be inspiring. This was one of the best experiences in my life. As an athlete, I was competing for my family and my country and here, with the Olympic Art project, I felt as though I was working for everyone in the world and helping the athletes – no matter where they were from – to have as good of an experience as possible and to promote Olympic values.
MEET THE ARTISTS
Olympian artists at PyeongChang 2018
