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Team Canada
Training/Education:
Donald Watt
- 1969, Graduated from Prince George Senior Secondary School, Fine Arts program
- 1969 - 1974, University of Manitoba, Fine Arts program, Sculpture major and printmaking minor.
- 1990, started to sculpt snow at national and international competitions. (more)
Michael Lane
- 1969 - 1974, Kootenay School of Art in British Columbia, graduating with a degree in sculpture and printmaking and a certificate in commercial art.
- 1973 - 1974, Kootenay School of Art in British Columbia, completed a special graduate course in sculpture
- 1998, started to sculpt snow with Donald Watt at national and international competitions. (more)
Gisli Balzer
- 1995, Graduated from F.H. Collins High School - Art award for outstanding achievement.
- 1997-1998, Vancouver Institute of Media Arts, Certificate of classical Animation.
- 2001, started to sculpt snow with Michael Lane and Donald Watt at national and international competitions. (more)
Performance History:
As a group of professional artists, the Canadian Snow Sculpture Team of Donald Watt, Michael Lane, and Gisli Balzer, have been sculpting together since 2000. We have developed a cohesive group where we each brings a different skill set into the art form and complement the other two artists talents. We are known nationally and internationally for our strikingly dynamic and emotionally charged sculptures.
2010
1st Place - Canadian Internationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Publics Choice - Canadian Internationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Volunteers Choice - Canadian Internationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
2nd Place, Public - 28th World Snow Festival, Grindelwald, Switzerland
Two Sculptures For The 2010 Winter Olympics in Whistler, BC, Canada
2009
3rd Place - Harbin, China
1st Place - Breckenridge, Colorado, United States
1st Place - Canadian Nationals, Quebec City, Quebec
Public's Choice - Canadian Nationals, Quebec City, Quebec
2nd Place - Canadian Internationals, Quebec City, Quebec
Public's Choice - Canadian Internationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Artist's Choice - Canadian Internationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
2008
2nd Place – San Candido – Innichen, Italy
1st Place – San Vigillio – St. Vigil, Italy
2nd Place – Breckenridge, Colorado, United States
1st Place – Canadian Nationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Public Choice – Canadian Nationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
1st Place – Canadian Internationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Public Choice – Canadian Internationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
2007
1st Place – San Candido – Innichen, Italy
1st Place – San Vigillio – St. Vigil, Italy
Artist Choice – San Vigillio – St. Vigil, Italy
1st Place – Canadian Nationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Public Choice – Canadian Nationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
4th Place – Sapporo, Japan
2006
2nd Place – Canadian Nationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Public Choice – Canadian Nationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
1st Place – Sapporo, Japan
2005
2nd Place – San Candido – Innichen, Italy
2nd Place – Canadian Nationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Artist Choice – Canadian Nationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
1st Place – Sapporo, Japan
2004
1st Place – Murmansk, Russia
2003
1st Place – Canadian Internationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Public Choice – Canadian Internationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
2002
3rd Place – Canadian Nationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Public Choice – Canadian Nationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Volunteers Choice – Canadian Nationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
1st Place – Canadian Internationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Artist Choice – Canadian Internationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
2001
1st Place – Canadian Nationals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Donald Watt:
Don and Jim in Paris
Since the mid seventies Donald has been working in both sculpture and printmaking, developing his skills and learning new ones. In the Nineties he went to his first juried snow sculpture competition in Quebec City, Quebec. Since then Donald has returned nearly every year and has gone on to compete in snow sculpture in many juried competitions internationally.
Donald has had many exhibitions of his artwork over the last 30 years since leaving his formal training. He has competed with several different team members for over the last 18 years, and has been awarded many artist and public prizes.
Donald also works in ice. His ice sculptures have been seen in several television commercials. (Return To Top)
Michael Lane:
Since leaving his formal training Michael has exhibited his art many times. Notably in the Territorial Art Gallery in 1988 a showing of his watercolours. At the Heritage Gallery in 1992 as part of a three person show of watercolours. From 1998 to 2001 he has competed in snow sculpture along with Donald Watt, on Parliament Hill, Ottawa. From 1999 to the present he has been Donald’s number two team mate.
Michael also works in ice. His ice sculptures have been seen in television commercials. He also has several commissioned soap stone carvings in private collections.
Michael is the team’s specialty toolmaker. He anticipates the requirements for different tools the team will need to carve different pieces. He researches tools used by other teams we meet during the travels and constructs tools to fit our purposes. (Return To Top)
Gisli Balzer:
Gisli works in wood, modeling clay, and acrylic on canvas. He has a showing of his current paintings at Triple J’s Music Café. . The band he plays in (+ - Standard Deviation) has just released their second CD.
His skills in art were used in 2003 on the Opus Car Commercial where he worked on miniatures for Atomic Pictures. In 2004 he worked for Man Its Cold Production Company on “The Big White” and later for Gearhead Entertainment, carving Ice for a “Lexus” car commercial.
Gisli produces our highly detailed maquette. (Return To Top)
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