The morning after the record snowstorm of 30 December 2006, Saskia, Walter and I went downtown, armed with a snow shovel and a breadknife, to make a snow sculpture. More than two feet of snow had pretty much shut everything down. We selected the bench on the SW corner of the Plaza, and went to work.
Photo by Walter Sondheim
First we made a big compacted heap of snow.
Photo by Walter Sondheim
After the heap was formed, we drew our knives and carved out the sitting guy.
Photo by Walter Sondheim
After about an hour, we were done. In the back are my brother-in-law, his wife, and son Peyton who had helped us. They had driven from Baton Rouge right through the height of the blizzard (in an inappropriate vehicle), and miraculously made it to Santa Fe unscathed.
Photo by Walter Sondheim
Note the little dog that Walter (3rd from the left) had made.
Even while we were working, people sat doen to have their picture taken with the man.

another pic

Photo by Walter Sondheim
... people were lining up...
As we walked away, we noticed another man taking shape on the next bench.

another pic of this guy

and one by Walt

and onother one on the next bench over - we had started a movement!
number 4 around the corner

another pic

The whole plaza was full of people enjoying being out in the snow. A reporter from the local newspaper (the Santa Fe New Mexican) was out taking pictures of everything that was going on. She took this picture, which actually was not used in the next day's paper. It was, however, put on the AP wires.
Photo by Amiran White
I next discovered this picture was picked up by papers in Bloomington ,   the UK ,   Canada,   Taiwan ,   Thailand ,   Romania ,   and who knows where else.
When we went back the next day, our guy was still there (bulk matters), though the arm that had rested on the back of the bench was gone - not surprising. It was clear that some of the regulars on the plaza were taking care of him, and he had acquired among other things a scarf, cane, mohawk hairdo, a 5-o'clock shadow, and the little dog also had gotten some color on his face. Clearly he had turned into a community project. I love Santa Fe!

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Photo by Marta4
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