These are sculptures in progress from the pairs teams in Confederation Park. I photographed these on the first Saturday of Winterlude, over a week ago. Each team has tables set out for their tools, which include axes, chainsaws, chisels, saws, sandpaper, and various other instruments. They have until the end of the following afternoon to finish up their works. The general theme this year has been flora and fauna. Tomorrow I'll show you some of the solo carvers at work. Carvers in both competitions are from all over the world, including Canada, the United States, Russia, Japan, and some of the usual countries, but also some unlikely ones, including Indonesia and Malaysia.
Like the winter festivals of China! But different
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that the ice sculptures are made inside the building. These ar nice and interesting photos.
ReplyDeleteInteresting work, and a great theme too.
ReplyDeleteI see the beginnings of some huge and fantastic creations here William!
ReplyDeleteAmazing what you can do with a chainsaw, me I'd most likely cut myself
ReplyDeleteArtistic creations are being made I see.
ReplyDeleteSomething that will always astonish me. Such talent!
ReplyDelete@Cloudia: I will have to look for that.
ReplyDelete@Orvokki: yes, the shelters are open on one side. This preserves the sculptures.
@Blogoratti: thank you.
@Grace: the finished versions are quite something!
@Bill: I would!
@Marianne: indeed.
@Lauren: lots of that!
So glad they have a way to keep the sun off of them. Love the theme!
ReplyDeleteJanis
GDP
These are just so creative....ice sculpting always makes me think of those butter sculptures Buddhists do....they don't last long; impermanence....but are so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteIt must be cold and hard work to have the sculptures ready in time, but the nice first results are already visible.
ReplyDeleteincredible...it seems like it would be so hard to work all bundled up like that!
ReplyDeletethese sculptures are just amazing!
ReplyDeleteThat is cold work!
ReplyDeleteI'm always amazed at how detailed and intricate they make their ice carvings.
ReplyDeleteI would really like to see this kind of work!
ReplyDelete@Janis: sun, wind, and rain can wreck havoc with these things, so the shelters are essential.
ReplyDelete@Pat: I can see that.
@Jan: it is fun watching them work.
@Tanya: they seem used to doing it.
@Halcyon: the carvers really do wonderful work each year.
@Sharon: very cold!
@Red: they get to using some very fine tools and odd techniques!
@VP: it's such a pleasure to watch them at work. It's beyond my abilities!
How talented they are at ice carving. Seen on the news several as well
ReplyDeleteThese folks are very skilled artisans. I imagine most of them work with other materials, also.
ReplyDeleteI am excited to see the end results. These people are really talented!
ReplyDeleteThese ice sculptors are amazing at what they do. It would be fun to see these sculptures.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos! As much as I love seeing the completed works, I would love to see the carving process, too. It must be lots of fun!
ReplyDeleteYAY! Ice carvings again. They are always so neat.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been visiting for awhile but i am back to it now.
MB
always admire their skill and dedication in the cold!
ReplyDeleteSounds almost like a list of torture tools... :-) I'm going to enjoy this!
ReplyDeleteIce sculptures and their creators always amaze and baffle me. To create something so beautiful, that takes undeniable skill when you know that it will melt must require a very different mindset than the average artisan has.
ReplyDeleteOh my! Marvelous!
ReplyDelete@Carolann: there's been a lot of it this year- I think perhaps more than last year when you add up the ice sculptures outdoors in the park.
ReplyDelete@Lowell: I would think so, yes.
@Nancy: they certainly are!
@Pamela: I have fun seeing them.
@Tamago: that it is.
@MB: nice to see you!
@Tex: it takes a lot of skill.
@Ciel: that's another way of putting it!
@Anita: in this case, they're not left to melt- they're broken down when the festival's done.
@Andy: thanks!
What a treat we have in store!
ReplyDeleteAmazing William, even at this stage I can see a lot of talent at work...
ReplyDeleteLooking good. The ice carvings are among my favorite of your blogs.
ReplyDeleteI would love to be able to watch them carve in person.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see there's still some ice around.
ReplyDeleteAlways amazing to see these works of art . I heard on the news that the mild winter we have had has put a bit of a damper on the winterlude fun this year . Lovely photos ! Thanks for sharing , have a good day !
ReplyDelete@RedPat: I am enjoying putting these posts.together.
ReplyDelete@Geoff: these carvers are exceptional.
@Mari: thanks!
@Lois: it is a treat.
@Revrunner: plenty of it.
@Country Gal: well the Canal has been an issue but it reopened today.
It's so nice to see the sculptures starting to take shape! I love this preview!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah! These are going to be great!
ReplyDeleteAmazing! I can't draw a decent circle!
ReplyDeleteOut here, we have sand sculptures instead of ice.
I wait to see the final results
ReplyDeleteIt takes a special kind of artist to know that after all that work, their art will melt.
ReplyDeleteIt's an interesting hobby, never mind profession!
ReplyDeleteTotally awesome!!
ReplyDeleteThe ice sculptures are always amazing!
ReplyDelete@Kay: thank you!
ReplyDelete@Linda: thanks!
@Pat: sand sculptures are cool!
@Karl: I've got the posts scheduled for both solo and team carvers now. It'll be coming soon.
@EG: it really doesn't last long.
@Jennifer: it is, yes.
@Bill: thank you!
@Norma: they are.
Quite an undertaking working in a medium that is only temporary, but these scultors create beautifulmworks. It was surprising to read of some of the countries they came from where one would not expect it to be cold enough for any ice.
ReplyDeleteIt's the same this year. Places like Iraq.
DeleteInteresting to see the artists in action.
ReplyDeleteIt is!
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