Bp World Ice Art Championship Fairbanks, AK, USA

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I walked the whole ice park and shot every sculpture. I have been here 10 years and have never gone and walked through. Today was a little early, since they have them lighted up and at night they have a more defined presence. But I could just not make it, again.

The park is broken up into four sections. Kids park, where the sculptures are slide and mazes, cabins and castle, single block sculptures, multiblock sculptures (the really big ones), and amateur. Competitors come from all around the world though we have many that reside right here in Alaska. The theme this year seemed to be very much Alaska, as this is our 50th year as one of the United States.

I’ll present as these three sections. I’ll start with the Kids park.

This is a maze, what I could fit in the viewer anyway. It was impressive. The kids park is always a hit. Many sleds and children running around. About 15F.

This is the big slides for sleds. This is actually a lake. This hole is left after all the ice was harvested for the ice sculptures.

And here in fornt of a Comfiort Inn and overlooking the empty lake, the official Bp World Ice Art Championship sign which I failed to fit in the viewer…..lol.

Second, we have the single block entries. These are all fashioned from one single block of ice, harvested from the lake. It seemed from the ice shards about, the block was large. I loved this first one. So sharp still.

These are musk ox, a creature still living all along the north slope, that is the land between the mountains and the ocean to the north. Flat and sloping from mountain to sea. Their numbers are small. There is a farm of them in Fairbanks at the university, conserved for study.

This one was beautiful, smooth and balanced. I think it was called peace.

Simple but beautiful.

This is moonlight sonata. I love this one too.

Escape. This one is in my top seats. I love the details.

All of these sculptures are in third demention, with depth, even the scenes. I’ll turn this man and phoenix a little.

And this Kingfisher coming out of the water. Kingfisher took first in Single Block, Realistic.

Really astounding stuff. There were a few that I didn’t get or that the light was just wrong for. Nighttime, much later than my sunset is required. There are names and such, but I just took them in to find a good shot, and shot. I had to hold the camera up under my arm in the open coat to keep the camera going.

Awesome wave!

This is on the sunniest side, called the dance, but is has been smoothed by the sun. I still liked that motion was so present, though they aren’t holding hands anymore.

This was called Spring. A nice form.

I would say, don’t bait a crocodile. :-)

This is the beginning of the mulitblock category. These are all monstrous compositions. On a space large enough to hold my cabin, some tower up to 25ft tall. Not neccesarily more detailed but the scale was breathtaking.

This shot features the hunter on the horse, the buffalo ending a jump had detailed legs, but other than the thick curly mane, the front portion was obscured against the snow and seemed a bit unfinished.

This one is called alaskan tradition. This is a classic Tlingit spirit house with a child playing in the yard. It was built by four artists from Washington where the furthest south Tlingit culture stretched. They are an ocean culture. Here in Fairbanks there are the Athabascan and Yupik cultures. At http://www.icealaska.com/ this one has a webcam to view now and a streaming video of its construction.

Alice, sliding into the rabbit hole. :-)

Called, ‘Rockin the Night Away’ I’d say it gives a good example of how alot of us pass the dark winter by. :-)

Called ‘Song of the Earth’

Called ‘Irish Wedding’, the artists are all Alaskans. I’d guess with irish roots. :-)

‘Water Drops’

This is a favorite of mine. A classic bluegrass band honky tonkin on a large slab cut into the shape of Alaska. We love our bluegrass and summer is filled with music. I’d say we even have a brand of our own, out here on the last frontier.

‘The Three Graces’

‘Guardian Angel of Mischeif’

This next is called “Stairway to Heaven”. Obviously very christian, I just loved the detail. The entire site is ringed with small crosses staked into the ground, ice of course, and each step has a commandment written on it. The cross is guarded by two angels. And hanging on the cross is a crucified christ himself, This was almost tallest of all next to King Kong. Really beautiful work.

First place in Realistic Multiblock ‘White Fang’

And First in Artistic, ’Pandora’s Box’

‘They Call Her Spirit’

Here are a few that were near or part of the amatuer carvings or just unlabelled. On researching for titles I discovered that I didn’t get everywhere. There are six more to view at http://www.icealaska.com/ in the single block division. They all look like masterpieces and one took first in the realistic category. They are the last six in the list. There you can find specifics about names and countries that the artists came from and active links like webcam and time lapse videos. There is also information about harvesting the ice and history of the championship. I hope you enjoyed. I sure did, and your visit will be much warmer. :-)

Cheers!

One Amatuer depicts the mascot of a beloved out of town pub, Ivory Jacks.

• 28 Mar, 2009
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