ART CARVED IN SNOW

ART CARVED IN SNOW
STORY BY ELIZABETH HARRISON
TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER •
FEBRUARY 28, 2010

There's no doubt about it, winter in Montana is long. It's cold. And most of the time, it's covered in snow and ice. But a few folks have figured out a way to make the best out a chilly situation by turning winter's weapons — snow and ice — into works of art.

"We live in an area where so much of winter is covered in snow," said Seeley Lake resident Doug Richards, 76. "Get out from the TV and computer and games and do something."

Richards took first place in the snow sculpting contest this year at Seeley Lake's annual Winterfest, Jan. 22-24.

He is no stranger to the contest — this was his third year participating. Last year he took second in the professional contest and first place in the People's Choice competition.

For three weeks, Richards worked on his winning entry, "Spirit of Seeley," until his hands were numb from the cold and from the water he used to help with the shaping.

"I'm 76 years old, and I don't put up with being cold too long," he said.

A commercial artist by trade, Richards attended the Burnley School of Professional Art (now the Art Institute of Seattle).

"The time I went to school, it was one of largest professional artist schools on the West Coast," he said.

Before moving to Montana, Richards had never tried snow sculpting before, though he finds it similar to the art he does while working at summer youth camps for children with cancer.

"It's not a heck of a lot different other than your fingers get cold," he said. "I'm doing the cartooning stuff constantly, so I just apply that to snow."

Richards said the tools he uses — a cement trowel, kitchen knife and water — are "not really special."

But his creations are anything but mundane.

For the Winterfest contest, Richards built a two-wheeled cart pulled by a 7-foot bear. He carved the bow-tie and vest-clad bruin so it appeared to be leaning over and actually pulling the cart. He sculpted another, equally sized bear and positioned him behind the cart, leaned over in a pushing position.

On the cart, he created a bag of potatoes, a bushel of apples, cans of soup and a giant heart with raised letters, which read "Love Thy Neighbor."