Earlier this week, a blizzard immobilized New York City, dumping nearly two feet of snow in parts of Kings County. As the snowfall slowed on Monday, some Brooklynites like Nikky Martin braved the chilling temperatures for the sake of playtime.
“Does anyone want to actually build a snowman,” Martin, a 28-year-old comedian, said, recalling a friend’s social media post. “And I swiped up immediately, and I said, ‘Yes.’”
After spending two hours at Bushwick’s Maria Hernandez Park, Martin constructed what she called “Snow Ma’am Eve,” a snow woman with an exaggerated skirt, large bust and chiseled arms. The process, she said, restored a sense of childlike whimsy and joy.
Before long, other characters appeared: a Hello Kitty, My Neighbor Totoro and a snow lizard. Someone added museum-style labels, like “Lady of the Flake” and “Oaken Embrace,” to several snow works. As plows and sanitation crews cleared roadways and sidewalks, an amalgamation of snow characters and critters in Bushwick’s town square became a snow sculpture garden.
In the wake of the historic storm, residents found an opportunity to reconnect with neighbors, find joy in the bitter cold and gain a new appreciation for the fleeting art form.
Michael Galligan and Maddy Rosaler, self-proclaimed “pro snow day” enthusiasts, walked into Bushwick’s sculpture garden Monday and carved a tree hugger with tufts of hair, broad shoulders and outstretched arms. The snow’s wet and sticky texture made for good packing. As they reconnected with the make believe, they also found time to meet community members.
“We got invited to a DJ set at Mood Ring.” Rosaler, 27, said. “We heard people inviting each other to their stand-up shows. We got in someone’s igloo.”
Karen Chou, who called herself a Maria Hernandez “artist in residence,” crafted “Bushy” — a snow pup named after the neighborhood. Her creation was featured in a viral “snowman garden” video that drew more than seven million views and celebrated reconnecting with one’s inner child. For Chou, a 29-year-old illustrator, the works also sparked conversations about the virality of AI-generated art and the emotional resonance of handmade creations.
“People value human-made art even more, or just being able to do things themselves, with their own bare hands,” Chou said.
A gaggle of snow structures appeared at other Brooklyn parks with Herbert Von King getting the name “Snowmanhenge” by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura told Brooklyn Paper the transformation symbolizes how these parks are more than open spaces, but places for people to connect, play, and support one another, “even in the coldest moments of winter.”
The frosty works at Maria Hernandez Park and McCarren Park in Williamsburg also reflect the creative communities that call those neighborhoods home, said Katie Denny Horowitz, executive director of the North Brooklyn Parks Alliance.
“You have people who have a blank canvas and this free and beautiful and magical material of fresh snow, and in this case, that is perfectly conditioned to sculpt,” Horowitz said. “The world is your oyster to create.”
Ameya Okamoto, a 25-year-old third-generation ice sculptor, headed to Fort Greene Park with metal bowls, scissors, blush and pink ribbons. Though she initially planned to create a life-size Hello Kitty, she instead spent six hours carving Punch, the viral Japanese monkey, swaddled by his mother.
When it comes to impermanent art, Okamoto said she believes in its ability to invoke emotion, even if it’ll be gone in the next 24 hours.
“The beauty of it is seeing how people interact with it and how it goes away,” Okamoto said. “I love the fact that when people are like, ‘Where is the monkey?’ I text back ‘Fort Greene, and you better hurry, because it’s gonna melt.’”
