LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - Despite being able to use only what surrounded them on a snowy riverbank, a group of creative and resourceful Fort Simpson residents still found a way to construct an artistic monument.

Ryan Good, left, and Tristan Blyth, 5, cut out chunks of snow for a land art project, as part of the Open Sky Creative Society's annual Earth Day event. - Herb Mathisen/NNSL photos

Approximately 15 village art enthusiasts participated in a land art project organized by the Open Sky Creative Society on April 16, in celebration of Earth Day.

Ryan Good, programming co-ordinator with the society, said the organization puts on the event in partnership with Ecology North - a non-profit environmental organization based in Yellowknife.

"This is one of the things that they initiate," he said.

The land art project marked the third year the society has held an Earth Day event.

Land art is an American art movement from the late-1960s, based on the rejection of commercialism and the use of synthetic materials in art pieces.

Good said the idea for this year's event came from the society's former programming co-ordinator, Michael Blyth, whose son Tristan, 5, became interested in making earth sculptures after taking out a book on the subject from the library.

"He really clung on to it," said Michael.

Under a big sun on Saturday, the land artists selected an area down on the snye behind the airstrip for their pseudo-art gallery. Upon examination though, there wasn't much around the area, save some trees and an abundance of hard, compact snow.

Luckily, Kellie Myers came prepared with a handsaw and, quickly, the project got underway. Some earth artists set off to gather twigs and sticks from their environment, while others began the laborious process of excavating snow chunks out of the ground.

After more than two hours of foraging, digging, sculpting, collaborating and arranging, a 15-foot long work of ice, snow and wood sprawled triumphant on the river.

What did they end up with?

"Snowhenge," announced Chuck Blyth.

"Snow-stick fusion," Good suggested - perhaps coming up with a new art craze.

Tristan, though, was the most literal when describing the work.

"It's something with a tipi in the middle and then some stuff around it," he said, matter-of-factly.

Tristan said it was the first time he'd tried to do an earth sculpture in such a snowy environment.

He admitted the task was harder during this time of year than in the summer, but added he enjoyed helping cut the snow chunks from the ground.

As part of the land art philosophy, Snowhenge will be left on its own and nature will determine its fate.

"It will look really cool when it starts to melt," said Michael.

"I want to see if we attract any druids," added Good, with a laugh.

Good said the organization plans on holding another Earth Day event next year.

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