Kathy Kelsey Foley, Director Emerita
While creations in snow are transient, memories are long lasting.
I vividly recall the start of the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum’s foray into snow sculpture, although I can’t quite summon what specifically sparked the idea thirty-five years ago. Perhaps it was a particularly snowy winter or a daunting forecast.
Then curator of exhibitions Andy McGivern marshaled his contacts and connections to make the acquaintance of Team USA Snow Sculpture: Tom Queoff, Mike Martino, and Mike Sponholtz. With their distinct fur hats and matching winter garb, the trio became Wausau winter fixtures and their one-shot project became a decades-long undertaking.
That the Museum’s relationship with these mighty snow sculptors continued is remarkable, because, no surprise, there were obstacles and challenges along the way. At least one snowless winter caused a cancellation, and years of minimal snow had staff begging for help at nearby Sylvan Hill. One unusually creative, though not entirely successful, solution was to use collected “snow” from the Marathon Park Zamboni machine.
At an early January gathering to celebrate Captured in Cold: Photographs from 35 Years of Team USA Snow Sculpture, I relished reminiscing with Tom, Mike, and Mike along with current and past Museum staff. We laughed about an especially warm winter, when the sculpture seemed to melt faster than the sculptors were able to wield their tools.
Over the years, the sculptors made friends throughout the community. Whether at their lodging, at restaurants, or around town, they were greeted as celebrities and rightly so. Tom, Mike, and Mike always made time to chat with onlookers as they lavished attention on their creations, which were designed to complement exhibitions in fun ways. Their final snow sculpture will take form on Saturday, February 14, akin to a Valentine to the community it promises to dazzle, inspired by the brilliant lamps on view in Tiffany or Ti-phony? A Story of Desire.
The transience of snow sculpture is part of its magic. Make your memories on Saturday.
