SNOW DAY

The Heart Behind “Snow Day”

In 2005, Dale and Machelle took a special trip to New York City — a journey filled with the energy of Broadway, the quiet wonder of museums, and the vibrant pulse of the city itself. Amid all the excitement, it was a quiet moment near their hotel that left the deepest impression.

A small gallery was featuring a sculpture by Bruno Catalano — an artist known for his enigmatic style, creating figures with intentional gaps and missing pieces. These weren’t just abstract forms; they stirred something deeper, evoking a sense of absence, mystery, and imagination. Dale stood quietly before the sculpture, captivated. Though he was still years away from retirement, and art was only a dream simmering in the background, the experience stayed with him. That encounter planted a seed.

Another pivotal moment came during a visit to Magic Town in Colorado Springs, where artist Michael Garman’s 1/6th scale sculpted scenes sparked Dale’s imagination once again. Garman’s intricate storytelling through sculpture reminded Dale that art could be immersive — even magical.

When Dale retired in 2013, he finally turned his long-held thoughts into action. Drawing from the Catalano experience and the Garman influence, he began experimenting with small-scale scenes. But it was in 2015 that he returned to that mysterious figure in New York — and began work on his own first enigmatic piece.

He envisioned a small child learning to ski — vulnerable, determined, and full of possibility. But translating that idea into an enigmatic sculpture, one with “missing” pieces yet full of emotional presence, required not just creativity but intense engineering and problem-solving. It took two full years, with trial and error, false starts and breakthroughs.

Finally, in 2017, Snow Day was complete.

The plaster cast art piece finished in iron and detailed with various acid patinas to bring depth and life to its surface, Snow Day is more than a sculpture. It is a story — of persistence, memory, influence, and heart. The piece has been exhibited multiple times and never fails to draw attention and curiosity. Yet, for Dale, Snow Day is not for sale. It holds too much of his journey, too much of what matters most. It now stands in his home, quietly greeting guests — a daily reminder of where inspiration can take us, and how every small moment, like a trip to a gallery in New York, can shape a future we never quite imagined.

Dale has considered recreating Snow Day in bronze or through 3D printing, but perhaps its magic lies in being one of a kind — not just a work of art, but a piece of a life well-lived and beautifully shaped.

Scale on this piece is life size and the style is referenced as "enigmatic". Snow Day is done in iron and I use 3 different acids to achieve the various patina's.

NOT FOR SALE