Every year Ottawa's Winterlude features ice sculptures. This year was no different.
What was different however is that the temperatures have been cold enough to not melt the sculptures. As I write this it has been 7 days since the sculpting began and the temperatures are forecast to stay below zero for at least another week.
Because of the weather issues there are sculptures that are changed out every week so there always be some (hopefully) for the 3 weeks.
On the Sparks St mall there are a few sculptures (that look as though they have been in a mould rather than sculpted by hand) Some are designed for specific businesses.
The large, handcrafted ice sculptures are at Confederation Park, the main entrance has a fancy "gate"
Two of the temporary sculptures are of the Winterlude mascots (it was up for 4 days), and a duck. Both were about 10 ft tall
I visited the main sculptures twice. During the day on the first weekend when the sculptures were being carved. (I believe the sculpturers have 30 hours to finish their work). Then I went back mid-week in the evening to photograph them under light.
Full disclosure (as "they" say) the evening photos have been edited to bring out the details more as the lights didn't seem to be doing the sculptures justice. I did not adjust the colour however so they are colour variations within the photos of the same sculpture.
Moose of the Seventh Wind
Among Northern Stars
Heart of My Childhood
Harmonic Mysticism
The Canada’s Life in the Northern Light
The Nordik Punkupine
Journey Home
Aurora Wildlife
The Pathfinder of Dreams
Nordic Spirit
The fish was so gorgeous it deserves a close-up
North Star
I seemed to have missed one sculpture, The Hand of Franklin, during the daytime visit.
It was not there when I visited in the evening as the day before it shattered to pieces. This photo is not mine, but from the organiser's website
And last, but by no means least, the Oscar Peterson sculpture outside the National Arts Centre had been adorned with toque and scarf for the cold weather
