Palmer chamber looking for ice artists

The Palmer Chamber of Commerce is inviting people to participate in the annual Colony Christmas snow-sculpting contest Dec. 3.

So far, the chamber has no participants slated for this year's contest and is putting out a call to all artists and interested sculptors to join up.

Any person interested can pay the $25 snow block fee to the chamber and go to work on an 8-foot by 8-foot block of ice.

Families, professional artists and amateurs are invited, said Dee Prickett, the chamber's executive director.

Sculptor Jim Brown begins his piece on Dec. 3, and the public is invited to come watch him work. Brown, whose work has appeared all over the U.S. at winter festivals, created a design of metal and lights of a snowman family at the 2000 Colony Christmas.

The snow blocks will be placed along the railroad tracks by the outdoor pavilion in Palmer.

The only rules are that no power tools can be used, not even battery-operated tools.

Hand chisels, saws, hammers, and "whatever it takes" are allowable, Prickett said.

Contestants have a week to form their works of art. The winners will receive prizes after being judged individually, Prickett said.

And keep your fingers crossed for snow. Last year's snow sculpting had to be called off due to no snow.

"This year we received snow, but it iced over," Prickett said. "We don't have a lot of time left to hope for more."