Again, the sculptors are enjoying the day soaking in the warm waters at Chena Hot Springs Resort. The Hot Springs were discovered in 1905 and became famous for curing crippled prospectors of their aches and pains. The resort includes a campground, cabins, a wonderful restaurant and a magnificent Ice Museum. There is a hot tub, a heated pool and a boulder-lined outdoor lake, perfect for sculptors with aching muscles.

Single Block begins at 8AM tomorrow. One sculptor will be sculpting one block. So far there are twelve carvers registered. The sites are being primed for this new competition. Volunteers are busy taking down scaffolding and grooming the roads, getting ready for the next advance of forklifts. Something to watch for as you watch the carvers work is the way each one has a way of organizing the necessary tools. Some of these caddies are very clever. Some are tents, some are under an umbrella, some are actual moving workbenches where everything is very accessible and systematized.

When you visit the Ice Alaska website, looks for Steve Iverson’s nightly walk thru videos. He visits every site and sometimes talks with the artists as they are working. They are fun to watch, especially if you can’t do a walk about in person.

“I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape.”  Andrew Wyeth