West Coast Pickleball Paddle: A Vancouver-based artist is bringing West Coast beauty to the sport of pickleball. Sarah Church, 29, has designed a unique paddle for Dinko Paddles, a Toronto company known for blending art with sport. The limited-edition paddle, set to launch on February 21, features a stunning landscape illustration inspired by British Columbia.
Merging Art and Sport
Church, new to pickleball, was drawn to the opportunity to create a functional piece of art.
“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.” – (Sarah Church told V.I.A.)
Dinko Paddles approached Church with the idea of collaborating with artists to create paddles that are not only practical but also artistic.
“It is exciting to see the art and sports worlds collide like this.” – (Sarah Church)
“When discussing the project with Dinko, we both felt like there wasn’t a lot of selection for paddle designs in the Canadian market.” – (Sarah Church)
With an increasing emphasis on supporting Canadian-made products, she hopes the paddle will spark national pride among players.
“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.” – (Sarah Church)
West Coast-Inspired Design
Church’s design showcases a snow-capped mountain towering over a river valley, surrounded by lush greenery and tall evergreens. The paddle also features delicate flowers, highlighting the natural beauty of British Columbia.
“The design was inspired by the rugged beauty of B.C.’s coastal forests, ocean views, and majestic mountains.” – (Sarah Church)
“I initially presented three different concepts, and we felt the landscape illustration would be the strongest option.” – (Sarah Church)
Dinko Paddles will offer two versions of the paddle—one featuring a mountain peak under the company logo and another displaying a Pacific Dogflower.
“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!” – (Sarah Church)
Supporting Local Artists and Charities
Dinko’s founder, Alvina Lu, met Church while attending Brock University and was eager to collaborate.
“I created Dinko to help foster community through sport, which I feel we could all use more of.” – (Alvina Lu)
The project will support ArtStarts in Schools and the Galiano Conservancy Association, emphasizing Dinko’s commitment to giving back.
“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!).” – (Alvina Lu)
She hopes the paddle’s design will inspire players to explore the outdoors. Church, thrilled by the project, looks forward to improving her pickleball skills.
“Unfortunately I’m not any good yet, but catch me in a year and I anticipate a career rise!” – (Sarah Church)
News in Brief: West Coast Pickleball Paddle
Vancouver artist Sarah Church has partnered with Dinko Paddles to create a limited-edition pickleball paddle inspired by B.C.’s natural beauty. Launching on February 21, the paddle blends art and sport while supporting Canadian artists and charities. Dinko founder Alvina Lu hopes the collaboration fosters a sense of community and appreciation for nature.
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