Pasi Widgren via AP
The following article was written for the Rahr-West Art Museum “Art Forward” series.
As we all wait for Wisconsin’s snowy time of the year to officially begin, I anticipate most of us are stocking up on the essential items – shovels, snow brushes, salt and ice scrapers – all purchased with the purpose of removing snow from our driveways, sidewalks and other properties over the next 3-4 months or so. But, what if instead we viewed this frozen precipitation as a temporary blank canvas? Can you see snow as a legitimate opportunity to express yourself via art?
Pasi Widgren, an architect-designer from southern Finland does just that. Since 2016, Widgren has converted the snowfall on Lake Pitkajarvi into a beautiful expression of artwork using just a snow shovel. His creations, always sketched upon the same lake, can only be undertaken after Widgren has tested the thickness of the ice to make sure it is safe enough to walk and work on. Even then, recognizing the inherent danger of working on a frozen lake, Widgren makes sure to bring ice awls with him in case the ice cracks and he needs to perform a self-rescue.
The snow drawings can take him anywhere from 1.5 – 4 hours of time to create. The artwork is essentially created “free-hand”, without any significant preparation or sketch work. Once completed, Widgren likes to hike to the top of some nearby cliffs to snap pictures of his creation and to enjoy a thermos of coffee.
Pasi Widgren via AP
If it were not for the artists’ own photos, the world may never know of the snow drawings’ existence at all. This kind of artwork is very ephemeral. But it is exactly this temporary state of his artwork that appeals to Widgren who is quoted to have said, “It’s very important to me also that making this kind of art doesn’t leave any (marks) on nature.” Over time the image will begin to fade away, covered by the next snowfall or slowly erasing itself under the power of the sun.
Pasi Widgren via AP
What has become an annual tradition, this year Widgren created a 300’ fox in with the hopes that it will “make people happy and encourage them to go out to hike in a beautiful nature.” Past years’ snow art projects have included images of a wolf, owl, bear, and grouse.
Interestingly, Wisconsin’s meteorological winter and the winters experienced in Finland are not vastly different. We have all the right elements to create snow etchings here as well. Maybe Pasi Widgren will inspire you to experiment with the next snowfall. The next time you pick up a shovel, perhaps you will view it as less of a utilitarian tool and more as a means to express yourself. If you do dabble in snow etching, please comment on this article and share your creations with us!
