2009 Junior Ice Art Championships Winners!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 14, 2009

The 2009 BP World Ice Art Championships is an international ice sculpture competition held annually in Fairbanks, Alaska and sponsored by Ice Alaska, a non-profit corporation formed in 1990. This is an annual event has been held in Fairbanks, AK each March since 1988, when the tradition of ice sculpture, a feature of the Fairbanks Winter Carnival celebrations held during the 1930’s, was revived. Since 1988, there has been participation by sculptors from more than forty countries, including France, Russia, China, Sweden, Morocco, Malaysia, England, Australia, Japan, Mexico, and Finland. This year, we have over 180 sculptors that will be participating in one of four events.

Local high school students are also afforded the opportunity to compete in their own competition. A small but enthusiastic group competed this year in the Junior Ice Art Championships. Held during the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District spring break, three teams competed in the event that began March 10 and ended March 13. Both experienced sculptors and first-time artists participated. Teams are provided one ice block, 3’ x 5 ’x 4’. The block weighs approximately 3,600 lbs. Once the ice block is placed, the sculpting team may not use motorized equipment to move the block. Experienced artists are on hand to answer questions and offer technical assistance allowed within the competition guidelines. Awards consisting of scholarships and gift certificates are given for both the Realistic and Abstract categories.

Grace Matthews, a junior at West Valley, was awarded first place in the Realistic category for her sculpture, “Bassman”. Grace received a $500 scholarship through the University of Alaska (UA) College Savings Plan (www.uacollegesavingsplan.com). Paul Pharr, a senior attending Raven Correspondence, won second place in the Realistic category for “Locomotion”. Paul received a $300 scholarship through the UA College Savings Plan.

Maggie Black, a sophomore, and Robin Lockwood, a freshman, (both at West Valley) worked together on “Wisdom”, an Abstract piece. Each will receive a $500 scholarship through the UA College Savings Plan.

For more information regarding this press release, please contact Ice Alaska Public Relations at publicrelations@icealaska.com.