December… Winter… Christmas…
Being from the northern state of Michigan I associate one
word with these three—snow. And along with the snow comes the ice. Both wintery forms of water can prove to be
extremely dangerous when travelling, however, they can be used for creative,
frozen splendor. I’m talking about art
made from the subzero elements. In the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in Houghton
Hancock there occurs a Winter Carnival every February which is put on by
Michigan Technological University. A
multitude of activities and events take place during the festival weekend but
the one that crowds flock to is the viewing of the snow and ice sculptures. University organizations and community groups
participate in carving Michigan landmarks, buildings, professional sports team
references, Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, and other unique “mitt” imagery. The tools of this trade are a bit more
physically powerful than say a painter’s brushes, oils, canvases, and easels.
Chainsaws, drills, chisels, tongs, and sometimes torches are used to create the
pieces in the frigid outdoor gallery. Not
only can sculptures be crafted with clay, marble, or metal, but they can be
constructed out of what nature provides, and in the north Mother Nature
provides much snow and ice. It is refreshing to see people use what they have
within their reach to make temporary monuments. This coming February marks the 92nd
year of this festival and I can’t wait to see the new icy art that the
contestants are devising! If only I could actually attend like I did as a
child. Oh well, thank goodness for the
internet!
Interested in more information about the festival? Check out
this link - http://www.mtu.edu/carnival/
To read additional writings by Alexandra Dailey, visit her
blog at http://alexdailey.wordpress.com
or visit us at www.contemporaryartgalleryonline.com.
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