Sunday, February 15, 2015

Dragonheart

I was in Confederation Park yesterday afternoon, and there were carvers present on stage, taking questions about the carving process; you could hear them speak on the loudspeakers through the park. They answered one question that had been going around in these pages. In summer they practice by putting a block of ice in a refrigerated chamber, taking it out when they're ready, and then carving as quickly as possible in the heat. This explains how carvers who live in year round warm climates like the ice carvers from Iraq and Mauritius manage to keep their skills honed.

I have two takes on the same ice carving, and this one comes from a team from Latvia. This has been my favourite ice sculpture this year. It's titled Imagination.


The dragon certainly looks as impressive as you might expect a dragon to appear, but it's the inherent trust of the child, toting a toy horse- a mix of a Pegasus and a unicorn- behind her and reaching out to touch the dragon that really makes the sculpture work so well.



45 comments:

  1. This seems to have so much motion in the wings and the girl's hair. It's beautifully done.

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  2. We must recognice , without incurring any doubt that the statues are wonderful.

    Tomás.

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  3. Lovely! The little girl with her toy does make the sculpture. A reputable source (my 5-year old granddaughter) has told me that a winged unicorn is an alicorn.

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  4. Now I know how they can do this! Imagination is a perfect title for this masterpiece!

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  5. You have to do a lot of practice I think to realise such a carving. Amazing.

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  6. Now that is an ice sculpture with ambience. Such lovely creative thought went into this beauty.

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  7. another wonderful sculpture, I love the movement in this one.

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  8. O título "Imaginação" é bastante apropriado, quanto mais olhamos novas histórias vão se criando na mente inspiradas pelos traços fantásticos do escultor. Maravilhosa!
    Um bom domingo para você
    Um abraço

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  9. These takes are so magnificent ice sculptures.

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  10. It tells a story every one has experienced as a child...magical.
    Jane x

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  11. Dragons and Unicorns, two of my favourite things! This is great :)

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  12. Once again, I have a new favourite. This one is absolutely deligthful!

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  13. I took a long look at this one as there's much more than a craving but also a beautiful story.

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  14. That is so beautiful. It would be interesting to see how the sculptor made the dragon's wings and the hair on the dragon's neck.

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  15. @Kay: I knew I wanted to save this one for the last of the team sculptures. Of course, there are more ice sculptures to come!

    @Tomas: they are.

    @Elaine: I'd wondered if there was a term for them.

    @VP: it's quite appropriate.

    @Joan: thank you!

    @Tamera: thanks!

    @Marianne: they no doubt work a lot at this.

    @Gemma: the carvers did magnificently with it.

    @Gill: so did I.

    @Luis: thanks!

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  16. @Gracita: thank you.

    @Marleen: definitely.

    @Carolann: they certainly are.

    @Tex: oh, yes.

    @Jane and Chris: we certainly have.

    @Aimee: thanks!

    @Sharon: I thought so.

    @Ciel: it would have been difficult this year to be a judge.

    @Red: it had a lot of thought put into it.

    @Whisk: I thought so.

    @Judy: definitely.

    @Pamela: with very great care, no doubt.

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  17. I'm so impressed by the skill of these people!

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  18. Ya, and 'stop draggin my heart around'. Love Tom Petty stuff.

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  19. Amazing talent here, William. Thanks so much for sharing. I am not sure why but my Sunday's blog post did not appear in the news feed.

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  20. I think this is my new favorite.
    Hope you are staying warm and safe. I heard it's very cold in Ontario at the moment.

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  21. Impressionnant, magnifique ...

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  22. @RedPat: so am I.

    @Birdman: I wouldn't have thought of that lyric.

    @Linda: hopefully it sorts itself out quickly- I know my writer's blog for the last two or three posts has been hours behind in coming up visible, but you usually post around the same time as I do.

    @Halcyon: it is bitterly cold; I wanted to take pics downtown today, but my hands couldn't take being out of the gloves.

    @Anna: thank you.

    @Orvokki: I thought so.

    @EG: it certainly is!

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  23. A yellow and a pink lighted version. Lovely!

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  24. I can see why it is your favourite! Lovely.

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  25. what a talented artist ... just gprgeous

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  26. Have to agree with you William this ones the winner!

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  27. Definitely outstanding! You're right about the child!

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  28. @Eve: the lights last about thirty seconds before they shift into the next colour.

    @Jennifer: thanks!

    @Dianne: the team who did this worked wonders.

    @Geoff: it is for me!

    @Cheryl: it really makes the sculpture work so well as a whole.

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  29. It does look like the dragon came from a mixed parentage, but it is absolutely charming.

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  30. That would be one of my favorites too. Very beautiful.
    MB

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  31. Isn't that incredible? Great photos!

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  32. Perfect title for this marvellous sculpture William, it really is incredible.

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  33. @Mari: it is!

    @MB: that was my thought.

    @Jen: so do I.

    @Linda: very much so.

    @Denise: thank you!

    @Grace: indeed!

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