Sunday, February 11, 2018

Tools Of The Carvers

The first weekend of Winterlude is busy for the ice carvers. Starting first with a one block challenge, the pairs and solo carvers get to work on their main sculptures, having from Friday morning until late Sunday afternoon to get it done. The carvers come from all over the world, and in these shots, I found them at work early on in the process, assembling blocks, working with tools, and getting their artistic vision underway.


The pairs sculptures are under the shelter to the right. The solo sculptures are under another shelter to the left of this shot. A stage occupies the east end of the park, with music performances on the weekends. I was here on Friday evening while country singer Aaron Pritchett and his band were performing in a good snowfall, and I started taking shots of the musicians and the crowd. Sufficed to say, I've already got my shots for a CDP theme day on music later in the year.

25 comments:

  1. The chainsaw as a carving tool is pretty amazing.

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  2. This is not, what I expected, when I read the title... :-)

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  3. So much preparation before the first cut William! You are so organised with your theme day shots 😀

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  4. Kunst aus Eis ist interessant.

    Noke

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  5. Must be a pretty cold job. I'm looking forward to what they have made of the blocks.

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  6. @Tom: very deep freeze.

    @Marianne: they're dressed for it.

    @Marie: they must be careful with it.

    @Francisco: thank you.

    @Klara: it is a different kind of carving!

    @Grace: I had another idea, but came across this, and decided it would be ideal for that theme.

    @Noke: thanks!

    @Jan: the work is beautiful.

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  7. Since this is rather large it will keep us going for a while to see all the stages in the carvings. You also get to look at the best carvings.

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  8. I wonder if any of them wake up in the morning and say "oh no, I have to be out in the cold all day hacking away at the ice." Probably not. They probably look forward to this event.

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  9. so cool. i always wonder how they folks practice ... very very cool. way creative! <3 it!!
    ( ;

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  10. They are getting ready and I’m excited to see all the amazing works!

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  11. Fascinating to me -- how can they work when their hands must be so cold? I look forward to seeing more of this festival (from the warmth of my sunny porch, I must add).

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  12. Love it! Some people paint with a brush, others with a . . . chainsaw?!

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  13. @Red: I suspect this series is going to go until at least the tenth of March.

    @Marleen: they certainly did!

    @Sharon: they must!

    @Beth: part of it must be on wood, but I was at a session today where ice carvers were at work while someone was speaking about the process. It turns out that when you modify one of their chainsaws for carving ice, you can never again use it for wood.

    @Tamago: I've got a great many photos taken. I think at this point I've got the bulk of them done, but there's still an event next weekend I want to take shots of, as well as the odd other things.

    @Jenn: it definitely is.

    @Sallie: some of the work they can do gloved, but not all of it.

    @Revrunner: an unusual artistic tool!

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  14. These are such talented artists under horrible conditions!

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  15. Pretty cool :-) I miss winter activities like these living in the south.

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  16. These conditions are so beyond my comfort range. It's amazing what these artists produce.

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  17. That is a very cold working environment!!
    I do admire those carvers.

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  18. @Bill: or very little of it.

    @RedPat: they do seem to dress for the conditions.

    @Barbara: I love getting the chance to watch this.

    @Kay: it really is.

    @Catarina: so do I.

    @Jennifer: I do too.

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