I wrote last week about this year’s First Friday Ice Festival in the Canton Arts District. I am just now reaching a point in my recovery where I can write about it. I was pretty sore and achy after 3 hours of rigorous work in sub-freezing temperatures.
I have decided that, should I decide to do it again next year, I will:
- Spend some time to really learn about what I am doing.
- Obtain my own power tools and honest-to-goodness ice carving tools.
- Get my body better prepared for such rigorous work.
All that said, I believe this year’s effort was a success, despite many challenges.
Somehow, I managed to burn through 3 different chainsaws. I rendered two old electric ones totally useless, and I used up all the gas in a gas-powered saw. Sheez!!!
At least all fingers and toes are still intact.
We also had problems with lighting. The Canton Development Partnership graciously provided some high powered lights to illuminate my work. Problem was that they were too high of voltage for my studio’s electrical system, so we had circuits blowing all over the place.
Somehow we managed, and the sculpture of my cat Brewskie Butt, entitled, “Cool Brew” came to be.
My sculpture, however, was only one small part of the many things going on in the Canton Arts District for the First Friday Ice Festival. We had master carvers, other Canton artists, the head chef and owner of Iris Restaurant, and culinary students from Canton South High School all carving ice creations.
We also received some wonderful press about the event. Here is an article from the Canton Repository (front page no less) in which I was quoted. Check out the photos for all the other fabulous ice creations around town.
Special thanks go to ArtsinStark and the Canton Special Improvement District for bringing so much energy to the First Friday events!
Life is an Adventure!
BZTAT
