How an Ontario man brings towering snow sculptures to life each winter

When artists set out to sculpt their masterpieces, they hope their works will be seen for many years. Not snow sculptor Matt Morris: his work lasts only until it melts.

When other artists set out to create their masterpieces, they hope their art will be seen for many years. But not Matt Morris: the Waterloo, Ont., snow sculptor can only keep his fingers crossed as to how long his creations may stand.

“I learned early that snow sculpting is unlike many other pastimes because you have to watch the weather, and then it’s usually unexpected,” Morris explained. “You have to pounce when there’s an opportunity.”

On Tuesday night, he worked quickly to create an eight-foot tower on his front lawn, knowing that rain was in the forecast.

“I carved it last night and it stood for one night and then it started to lean this morning,” he said Wednesday afternoon. “And so I cut it off so that it wouldn’t crash onto the sidewalk.”

Despite the fleeting moments he had to build his piece, he still finds solace in his work.

“I got some nice pictures and some videos and had some great conversations while I was building it, so it was still a fun time,” he said.

The former educator has been honing his craft for over a decade now, initially inspired by a trip to the museum.

“My wife Lorna and I were in a museum, and we walked around the corner, and there was a 12-foot Moai from the island of Rapa Nui, sometimes known as Easter Island,” he recalled. “I looked at it and I said, ‘Lorna, we should make one of these on our front lawn next winter,’ and so we did.”