By Duncan Cairns-Brenner

Ice sculpting a hit at Winter-Tainment

Feb 18, 2016 | 11:24 AM

Live ice sculpting was one of Winter-Tainment’s headlining events this year.

Fire and Ice Creations, an ice sculpting company based out of Saskatoon, headed by Peter Fogarty, created ice sculptures live in Rotary Plaza on Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 17.  

When asked about the community’s reception to the carving, Fogarty smiled and shrugged his shoulders as sweat dripped from his nose, having just completed his third and final sculpture- a life sized harp on a faux stone plinth. 

“Anybody that has been out has been out, they’ve been standing, waiting and watching,” said Fogarty. “I’ve done three different pieces and they’ve been very appreciative of it.”

As Fogarty talked, his sculptures dripped slowly behind him.

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“It’s been a little warm. It deteriorates the ice a little quicker than I would like to see,” he said. “But such is Mother Nature.”

Each of Fogarty’s sculptures started off as a 300-pound block of ice that took four days to freeze. Each frozen block is a blank canvas for Fogarty.

“I draw on the ice, or come up with a design,” he said. “Then I start using chainsaws and chisels and die grinders and side grinders, anything that will move the ice.”

Fogarty’s main sculpture was an ice heart over an Inuit figure, both open, allowing viewers to put their faces through the sculpture.

“It’s to please the crowd and create something a little interactive,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to get photos.”

Fogarty carved both a harp and an eagle to accompany his heart and figure centrepiece.

dcairnsbrenner@jpbg.ca