A Snow Sculptures Story ( The Early Years )

My story begins with the sculpure that started it all. I couldn't believe the response that followed.......

.....The community loved it,especially cookie monster.The daily news,(taking picture above)printed a full feature article.

The next year, I felt like I was on top the hill looking down at everyone,oh,I guess I was,but your only as good as your last sculpture.

It was a rough year, my family and I survived some hard times, with me being in-between jobs.You could say it began to look like the stone-age, even outside.

I needed a super-hero to save the day. So we built one ,"batman and the joker". My brother and I built this one the hard way, by shovels alone. I'd never attempt that today.

As far as over-all theme,this one has always been a personal favorite of mine.Bugs bunny was a structural experiment.

Bugs and taz won the city snow sculping contest held that year. I titled the entery,"looney snow tunes".

This is my friend , Joe , and myself, building a block of snow that will become garfield.

Garfield is a cute sculpure that I had been wanting to do for a couple years, so the project code name was ," year of the cat". He was very happy with a fork and a big bowl of pasta, it also kept him out of mischief.

Can't have a Garfield without his best friend Odie......."Snow sculpure fact": Garfield and Odie were my first sculpures to appear on a television news broadcast.

Mmmm...Another year, another sculpture. For this one I took my inspiration from a new elementary shcool that was recenty constructed two blocks away.

The second grade class at this shcool each sent me a letter of appreciation for making snow sculptures. This prompted me to talk to the class. I wanted to thank them and answer any questions, I explained the importance of an education, and the 3,D's that drives me,: (Desire, , Determination, and Dedication. )

Usually, when thier getting ready to play the Superbowl, I'm getting ready to start carving sculptures. Sometimes I draw the teams logo's on the snow hill as I wait for cold weather and for the block of snow to settle. This particular year, (2000) it was the Tennessee Titans.

Having a front-end loader saves us a lot of work, and speeds up the process. In 12 years, I have had eight different construction and excavating companies donate their equippment and opperators, they know its for the community, and are always willing to help us if they can.

Its like Frosty the Snowman, when the kids put the magic hat on him, he came to life. I believe, that when, after I color them, they come to life as well.

Cat-Dog was an interesting concept for a cartoon. I enjoyed the research and designing of this one.

In this picture, I figured I'd be sculpting on top of the hill for a while, so I took up with me my favorite beverage.

After sculpting all night, and ready for color the next morning , I woke up to this. Someone, apparently not to bright, decided to try and chop this sculpure down.Luckily they didn't succeed, if all the weight of that snow had fallen, it probally would have killed them. That episode delayed the sculptures completion by one day.

This is my brother and me melting snow to repair the damage to the sculpture in the previous picture.

I achieved what I set out to do, to sculp Charlie Brown standing up on his feet. I have to admit, I was a little scared as I made the final cuts around his feet.

This is Snoopy, who has just returned from a dog fight with the red baron, his dog house was rivited with bullet holes. Snoopy and Charlie Brown in my front yard together ranks right up there, in my opinion, as one of my best.

I depend on the daily newspaper to inform the public when my sculptures are completed, because they dont last long. It disappointed me that they completely dropped the ball on this sculpture. people were informed by word of mouth alone.

After a while and a couple warm days, I decided that Charlie Brown was to dangerous to leave standing. Besides that I needed my drive-way back, so I destroyed him and built this one from the remains of Snoopy. I called it ,"Cookie Monster Revisited,"

Being the race fan that I am, I was devastated when Dale Earnhardt tragically lost his life. Out of all that snow from Charlie Brown and Snoopy , this is all that remained.....Side Note: Cookie Monster and the # 3 did appear in the newspaper.( bitter sweet ? )