Snow sculpture contest beginning to take shape

Preparations are underway for “Winter Sculpture Garden 2013” and while snow sculpting will begin next week, it’s not too late for teams to sign up and try their hand at it.
The contest is set to take place in the field between the East End Hall and former Huffman School, with the sculpting to begin next Tuesday (March 5) and end on Sunday, March 10.

Organizer Samantha Manty, who is doing a student placement at the Fort Frances Museum, said those interested have until this Friday (March 1) to sign up.
So far, three teams have confirmed their participation, including one led by local artist Lindsay Hamilton, one led by Sarah Marusyk of NCDS, and one comprised of Fort Frances Times’ staff.
Manty said she’d like to see five or six teams in total. There is no cost to participate.
To sign up, drop by the museum, call Manty at 274-7891, or e-mail sgeorge@fort-frances.com
The Times’ team has been brainstorming what to sculpt, and is primed to get started next week.
“We really enjoyed ourselves last year. It was great,” said team member Debbie Ballard.
“I am really glad Samantha has taken this on because, aside from the people that sculpt, other people get to enjoy it,” she reasoned.
“It’s kind of cool to drive by something really big,” Ballard added. “We’re looking forward to it.”
Offering advice to first-time snow sculptors, Ballard noted: “Bring tools—power tools are good. It’s a big block of ice.”
She added Manty has prepared a pamphlet with tips to give out to participants.
Just as importantly, people shouldn’t be intimidated by a 8’x8’x8’ cube of snow.
“Don’t be scared. Jump in—it’s fun,” Ballard enthused. “We had a lot of fun.”
This year’s snow sculpting has yet to begin but Ballard already has hopes it will become an annual winter event.
“I’d love to see it become a friendly competition where different groups are out there, showing what they can do,” she remarked.
“We’ve got a lot of really artistic people here at the Times, but some places have engineers and they’d be just as good.”
Manty, meanwhile, has been keeping very busy rounding up volunteers and generating interest in the event, and said everything is falling in place for “Winter Sculpture Garden 2013.”
“It’s coming together,” she said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Manty has been contacting individuals and local businesses for support, and has been getting a positive response so far.
For example, the Hamilton family provided the large boxes used to form the snow cubes to be sculpted while Ken and Don Manty utilized snowblowers, loaned to them by Webb’s Power Shack, to blow snow into the boxes.
Lowes Lumber & Furniture provided the screws to assemble the boxes.
The contest also will include a “family day” on the Saturday (March 9), where people will be encouraged to come by and not only see the sculptures being built and cheer on the artists, but go skating on the nearby rink and slide on a hill.
The “Friends of the Museum” also will be on hand selling hot chocolate and hotdogs while “From the Grind Up” will be selling gourmet coffee.
As mentioned above, teams can start working on sculptures on Tuesday and must finish by March 10.
This year’s theme is “Our Community.”
There will be a prize for “Judge’s Choice” and one for “Fan Favourite.”