I contemplated not attending the City of Lakes Loppet Snow Sculpture contest held February 5, 2011. I had developed a hacking cough, even spent good parts of the two previous days resting in bed. But I got myself over to the Uptown area in Minneapolis by 8:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, and I had a fantastic time observing the teams work on their respective blocks of snow. I boarded a bus back home a little past 1 p.m. with just under 600 images.
The blocks were awarded randomly to the different teams. Two teams were savaged by vandals that toppled two blocks the previous night. What a jerk thing to do! I am inspired with the solutions that those people concocted. It helps to know there are probably more people doing creative positive actions then there are jerks. The image of the iPhone at the top was the preliminary stage of the team first arriving and trying to figure out what to do. Hey they may as well have stayed home and have watched TV.
Proceeding West along the Uptown Mall, showing the plans when I was able to photograph any, here are two images each of the team’s work. As I further edit and select, I’ll be posting more up on flickr, or my website, probably both.
We start with a Unicorn chaser.
Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your golden hair.
Vasa is definitely a Swedish word, but I came up with a ship not a horse.
There were gnomes.
Here is a honey of an idea, executed well.
A cartoon character from my youth, Hey there Yogi Bear.
Not only does Yogi have a “pick-a-nik basket”, but Yogi is on skis. Yogi is “smarter then your average bear”.
This made me smile, I could not remember the song name and artist on Saturday but Steely Dan – Your Gold Teeth sprang to my mind when I came across this; I asked, and they did not base it on a song, but would have placed gold foil over a tooth if the regulations of the contest allowed it.
With more teeth and a little more fierce, another bear appeared.
Angels became manifest.
Norse god, Odin represented with the eye patch, Odin had sacrificed an eye for wisdom. How wise is that?, — a religious myth.
I called the next block a winged collapse, I am not sure what transpired but the team were not abel to salvage an image that satisfied them.
Totem images influenced these sculptors.
A cartoon character, past my time. I did not recognize anywhere near as well as Yogi, here is Totoro.
Here is what this team had planed to sculpt.
But vandals had knocked their block over. I came upon them as they were doing some research. I made a comment of a crashed rocketship, but they thought that was too morbid.
Here is what they came up with. I was most impressed.
The next bock too was also knocked over by some low-lifers. Again, creativity Rules.
Hopkins High apparently have a a Nordic ski team, and they can sculpt too.
It was a great event and just a part of the City of Lakes Loppet. The base blocks were assembled better than those I saw last year. That is partly because a participant from last year’s contest, volunteered and oversaw better practices. A great deal of events like this thrive with people contributing to a celebratory fun gathering. Apparently this was the fist time the Loppet suffered from vandalism.
All around Minnesota similar festivities are happening because they have engaged citizens. I am sure I could enjoy the St. Paul Winter Canival. I just happen to live on the West of Minneapolis, so access is not as easy.
Vandals be damned, we will make a better place for the younger cartoon audiences.
Get out in the world. Enjoy yourself. Have fun, be safe and love one another.
Comment