Vermont Flurry Returns to Woodstock This Weekend

By Virginia Dean, Standard Correspondent

Using only hand and fusion tools, six teams of sculptors will bring the Woodstock Green alive this weekend with their knowledge of snow carving, propelling the viewer into the abstract and the real, the modern and the mythical.

From creatures of fantasy to authentic castles, these artists will convey their talents, some even nationally recognized, and apply them to large, single blocks of snow standing some 6 to 10 feet high. The snow is collected from the ground around the Green after a winter’s worth so far of ample snowfall.

Importantly, it’s all about the weather (perfect conditions are a cloudy, below freezing, windless day) and the snow, according to event organizer gallery director at the local ArtisTree Community Art Gallery Adrian Tans.

“We definitely need it to be cold and snowy but there has to be the right timing as well,” said Tans. “Local resident Jerry Murphy with his machinery actually moves the snow. He’s the linchpin in all of this, spending the better part of the day moving the snow around. We have 8 foot tall-6 foot wide blocks of snow/ ice made by his tractor and lots of volunteers stomping it. It’s a goofy, weird thing to do, and any community member is welcome to join in.”

Indeed, this stomping takes place days before the actual event, with each giant block ending up weighing approximately two and a half tons.

Teams of not more than three will begin sculpting at 9:30 a.m. promptly on Friday, Feb. 17. Each team has about 60 hours to finish its sculpting, with “tools down” at 12 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 19.

Sponsored by Woodstock’s Pentangle Council on the Arts, and although most are not being revealed at this time, each sculpture reflects a story that each artist wants to tell.

South Royalton resident Katie Runde, for example, has carved a walrus balancing on its tail that was good enough to get her to the national competition two years ago. Prior to that, she created a giant “Snoctopus” along with tentacles formed with biscuit cutters that also qualified her for the nationals.

Today, she has just returned from US Nationals again with Woodstock’s Tony Perham and Hartland’s Jonathan “Mugsy” Logan. The team placed fourth.

“It’ll be great to be sculpting on home turf again,” said Runde. “And we’re excited to follow up our finish at Nationals with another fun idea. We’ll be sculpting a Tea Rex that takes a beast generally considered threatening and turns it right around with the stereotypical trappings of refinement. We’re planning to sculpt the T.rex as realistically as possible but with his best ascot and little bowler hat, not to mention teacup.”

The only catch, Runde related, is that there is something wrong with the limbs of the T.rex, making it difficult to do what he is designed to do – the details of which, before the exhibit, are still a secret.

The US National Snow Sculpting Competition brings together fifteen teams of snow sculptors in the country and displays their work live in Lake Geneva.

Perham – born in Minneapolis, MN, but raised in Vermont is a stayat- home dad during the day and server at a casual fine dining restaurant at night – is heading up their piece for the Flurry this year. This is his fourth year sculpting.

Perham became involved in snow sculpting several years ago when building a snowman with his daughter transformed into an activity more meaningful – a kind of endurance art in the “super fun” medium of snow.

Runde is a full-time professional artist (realist painter). While predominantly a portrait painter, she also does sidewalk art, 3D or otherwise for private events, chalkboards permanent and/or temporary, and other commissions. This is her fourth year sculpting.

“Snow sculpture is an endurance art,” said Runde. “It’s best when you can stay out late to get the max hours in. Chiseling away at a ton of snow all day, not to mention locating the sculpture in there, takes a lot of focus and resolve.”

Logan splits his time between Vermont and Massachusetts. He is a full-time chef and part-time wood carver. This was his second competition.

This will be Runde and Perham’s third Flurry.

“Over Presidents Day Weekend, the Woodstock Village Green is transformed into a celebration of winter and the visual arts,” according to the Pentangle Council on the Arts website. “Cheer on professional snow sculpting teams as they compete to create large, stunning sculptures, and be amazed as these works of art come to life over a three-day period.”

Visitors can even vote for their favorite “Peoples’ Choice” sculpture, to be announced Sunday, February 19 at 1 p.m. Voting ends at 12:30 p.m.

The event is scheduled from Feb. 17-19 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission is free.