buddha sculpture

Ely, Minnesota has a Winter Festival. We need something to look forward to in February or we would go a bit nuts. We may go a bit nuts anyway, but it helps to have a lovely outdoor activity to get the blood flowing.

The Winter Festival is all about art. There are snow sculptures that range in size from 4 feet to 40 feet, 2 of the main streets in town turn into an outdoor art gallery... simply fabulous!

After 5 years of living in Ely, Kevin and I decided it was time for us to carve an amateur block - 4 feet by 4 feet by a little over 4 feet. What to carve, what to carve? We happen to have a few statues of the Buddha. Laughing Buddha, the Buddha who has the belly that all love to rub.

When we started this carving adventure it was -20 degrees below zero. We had a week to carve out our creation so we went out there and started. Oh yes. We are Minnesotan and weather does not keep us inside. The first night we spent a good 20 minutes picking out our block and then ran to the warm truck. We ventured out 2 more times in the COLD COLD weather. But like I said, we are Minnesotan (actually Kevin is a 'Sconnie, but he has been here so long I think of him as a 'Sotan). I was scared to carve out any snow - oh yes. I knew if I cut too much we could not put it back. This is not clay we are talking about. This is snow.

But as I watched others come to the park to carve their hopes and dreams out of snow, I started to have a bit more confidence. I was in charge of Buddha's butt. Is turned out very well. Of course I helped with other sections of him, but his butt was my main project. This was only Stage 2 (out of 5 or so stages) of the carving. I made his robes look like they were flowing, like the Buddha was on the move...


The amateur blocks are judged and the winner is invited to move on to a large block. The large blocks are 10 feet cubed or 12 feet cubed. This year a carving team used three 12 foot blocks to make their fabulous sculpture - FABULOUS! Anyway, our Buddha was one of the winning blocks. Usually there is only one winner, but this year 4 out or 20 blocks were winners. Oh yes. So, we have to wait in anticipation to see if we have an opportunity to play with the big boys.