Quentin Sylvestre poses in front of one of many snow sculptures to be built for the upcoming Winter Festival. (Ian Gustafson/paNOW Staff)

By Ian Gustafson

Artistic Display

Winter Festival snow sculpture construction underway

Jan 28, 2021 | 4:19 PM

Construction of snow sculptures has begun around the city in preparation for the upcoming Prince Albert Winter Festival.

By the time the festival begins on Feb. 5 President Bev Erickson said they’re hoping to construct eight to 10 sculptures this season. Usually, they have done only five in past years.

“We’re not having our outdoor events, we’re not having our dogsled races and our king and queen trapper events so we’re going to use those funds to help give more things for the citizens of Prince Albert to wonder around and look at,” Erickson said.

The sculptures are made by using wooden frames and filling them up with snow and leaving them to sit over a couple days. Once it’s solid, one of the two artists, Gary Natomagan or Quentin Sylvestre will carve the snow. The artists are given freedom to do what they want.

The sculptures currently finished include an eagle next to the Rotary Museum across the street from McDonald’s and dancing polar bears at the Art Hauser Centre. A piece will also be going up near the Victoria Hospital that will say “hope,” to honour the frontline healthcare workers and hospital staff.

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One of many sculptures being made for the P.A. Winter Festival. (Ian Gustafson/paNOW Staff)

Once they’re all finished Erickson said they’ll put the locations on their website.

Sylvestre told paNOW he has been carving snow sculptures for the Winter Festival for around 10 years but has been carving his whole life.

He added each piece takes him eight to 10 hours to complete and he uses a shovel and a machete to carve the snow. Even though it’s a long process, Sylvestre said it doesn’t feel like work.

“I enjoy carving,” he said. “Maybe like 27 years I’ve been carving stuff like this and before that I did paintings and stuff like that.”

He added he’s heard plenty of positive feedback on his art pieces so far and the extreme cold temperatures the P.A. area has experienced are the ideal climate to complete them in.

“When you’re moving you don’t get cold but when you stand around like this it starts to get cold,” he said.

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Ian.gustafson@jpbg.ca