Who Knew?
Rick Koehler
In my entire journey as an artist, I have steadfastly stood by one medium for my paintings….oils. I love applying paint in an impasto technique (very thick) so that the brushstrokes are a part of the painting. I also love the ability to see my mistakes and to go back into a piece a day or two later, and correct them. So, I do not see myself trying pastels or watercolor any time soon.
However, the opportunity presented itself recently to sculpt; in ice! The Old Art Building in Leland offers many community based opportunities to become involved in some way, shape or form throughout the year. In February, they host an ice sculpting event. My good friend, Greg Kuntz, far exceeds the ‘handyman’ level skillset so it seemed like an artist and a carpenter would make a good team.
Fishtown, an integral part of the town of Leland, is home to two iconic fishing tugs; the Janice Sue and the JOY. We opted to depict the JOY for our ice sculpture. The chain saw came out first and then the chisels. The day arrived with blue skies and no wind, so we charged ahead, undaunted by our lack of knowledge.
After four hours, we actually had something that resembled the tug in all of her glory. The best part was that we had a blast doing it!
Cheers,
Rick
