Professional snow, ice and sand international sculpture competitions have taken off in popularity around the world over the years.
Patricia Leguen loves to create using her tools and imagination, turning simple blocks of ice, snow or large piles of compacted sand into fascinating creatures and pieces of art.
Since 1991 she has been competing professionally in Canada and later around the world. She has travelled to 20 countries for sculpting competitions. She has been going to international shows since 1993.
The professional sculptor has travelled the world and competed in over 120 competitions. She has been professionally carving since 1979. Leguen was born in France and has been living in Saskatoon since 1983.
“I went to my first national competition in Quebec City in 1991 and I did a male and female bison (life-size) and won third place. I was hooked,” said Leguen.
This past winter, to keep her mind sharp she cared for a 8 x 6 x 4 snow polar bear family on her deck, participated in Winterfest, and went to North Battleford for another sculpting event.
Leguen adds sometimes she competes with a team of one or two sculptors but often finds she is faster doing it by herself. What used to take longer periods of time, can now be hours to complete a piece from start to finish.
Leguen says due to the COVID-19 pandemic she had decided to postpone international travel. Spending more time at home, she decided to start to paint a lot.
“I had to find another outlet for my creativity. So, I went out and brought canvasses and paint, just started painting every day. It’s therapy for me,” said Leguen.
Leguen’s other profession is working in Ottawa as a conference interpreter and says the combination of working her brain on Parliament Hill and the physical work of sculpting is a perfect balance — using her knowledge of being able to speak five languages and passion for her artistic side.
“I don’t do this for the money, there really isn’t a lot of money involved except for the sand sculpting.”
During her three decades involved in the craft, she has seen it evolve from being male-dominated to seeing more women competing and succeeding.
“I went to the world championship in Harrison Hot Springs in B.C.,” she said. “There were maybe five of us (women) out of 40 to 60 sculptors. Now it has grown in popularity.
“It’s great to see women and people I’ve met in the craft succeed and spread the word.”
Leguen says she hopes to be travelling internationally again soon, to places like Spain among others in Europe.