Gary Natomagan chips away at a block of ice that will later take the shape of two buffalo heads. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Community events

Snow artist readies Prince Albert for winter festival

Feb 9, 2022 | 5:00 PM

One of two artists responsible for the various snow sculptures taking shape around Prince Albert admits he is in a competition this week with mother nature.

On Wednesday, Gary Natomagan, 55, was expected to complete the third of four creations. With temperatures around the 0 mark, he remains undeterred and pushes forward.

“It’s challenging sometimes but I love people watching me, smiling, honking their horns when they are driving by,” he said.

Natomagan’s work for the past twenty years is part of the annual Prince Albert Winter Festival, and has even earned him top prize on seven separate occasions. His sculptures this year are located near the corner of 15th Street and Second Avenue West; the Northern Lights Casino; the Alfred Jenkins Fieldhouse, and the Taco Time location at the bottom of the hill.

Natomagan, who is from Pinehouse, explained he was self-taught and started his hobby as a young boy.

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“I started with soap stone, then log carving, then snow sculptures,” he said.

Natomagan says he has an image set in his head of how each sculpture will look. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

When asked about the biggest difference between his log carving and his snow sculptures, Natomagan laughed, and explained it’s the tools you use. Within his bag of tools are multiple sized cutting tools, which can be used for varying degrees of precision.

“Log carving you need a power saw and electric tools but this snow sculpture you just need a saw and maybe a chain to cut it,” he said.

Natomagan’s piece near the Northern Lights Casino. (Facebook/Gary Naytowhow)

Another example of Natomagan’s finished work. This is across from Gateway Mall. (Facebook/Gary Naytowhow)

Depending on weather conditions, Natomagan said his creations can take up to six hours to build. Also explaining there is no theme to his works, Natomagan said his only direction from the festival committee this year is to try and incorporate a husky dog in each one. The rest of it is up to his own imagination.

The other artist, Quenton Sylvestre, has pieces near the Art Hauser Centre, as well as on Sixth Avenue East near the riverbank.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell