Since 1970, Winnipeg has hosted the largest winter festival in Western Canada: Festival du Voyageur. A big part of this festival is the snow sculptures stationed all over Winnipeg.
One of the people who designs and creates these incredible winter works of art is Gary Tessier. In his time as a snow sculptor, Tessier has created over 250 sculptures.
“I have been sculpting snow as an adult for the past 35-plus years and really began as a 13-year-old making slush figures in a contest,” Tessier says.
On top of creating sculptures for Festival each year, Tessier has also shown off his talent in some unique places. “There have been some very interesting locations—Parliament Hill in Ottawa, at the very top of the Whistler Mountain ski resort, and at Churchill.”
Tessier often works with a few people, including his wife, Madeleine Vrignon, and mentor, Real Berard. It can take anywhere from 20 to 120 hours to create one sculpture.
Once the chunk of snow is formed into a square or rectangle, and the design has been thought out, the fun begins.
“I use many different types of tools—mostly homemade cutting and scraping blades and sanders, as well as old-fashioned, large two-handled wood saws or ice saws,” Tessier says. “The most important tool would be the sharpened square-headed spade.”
Now retired, Tessier used to be a healthcare administrator, and prior to that he worked in various arts and cultural organizations. Art has always been a big part of life for him, and snow is one of his favourite canvases. “There is no other medium in the world where you can sculpt large pieces in so little time—and the material is free, for the most part. It is an awesome way to spend a few weeks of winter and makes the days go by a lot faster.”
His design ideas for snow sculptures are endless, ranging from abstracts to living creatures. Truly whatever you can imagine, you could create. “Probably one of my favourite designs would have to be the very first one I ever did with Real Berard and Jim Tallosi in Ottawa in 1984. It was called ‘Les Quatres Vents’ (The Four Winds) and it was four stylized birds facing the four cardinal directions. The initial block was 18 feet by 18 feet and 25 feet high. It weighed 70 tons.”
The next time you’re driving through downtown Winnipeg or in St. Boniface and you’re at a red light, take a moment to appreciate the artistry exhibited using nothing but what Mother Nature gives us in abundance.
“Le Festival du Voyageur has been instrumental in keeping this art alive over the years,” Tessier says, “promoting snow-sculpting locally, as well as internationally with the International Snow Sculpture Symposium, now in its third decade.”
