By Abigail Cox
Second Year Journalism and Communications student and intern with Holland College Marketing and Communications

Holland College graduate Kelly Caseley was one of two people selected to represent PEI in the National Ice-Carving Championship. It is part of Canada’s Winterlude Festival and Discover Charlottetown’s Ice City Festival.

Caseley and her ice carving partner Patrick Brunet first heard about the contest through the City of Charlottetown. They put together a proposal, which included sketches and a plan of what they wanted to carve and were accepted as P.E.I.’s ice carving team. 

“After being accepted, we spent about a week preparing for the competition,” said Caseley. 

The team purchased two blocks of ice on their own because neither of them had used tools on ice before and wanted to practice. 

“We have both worked in carpentry and with woodworking but it’s very different working with ice,” she said. 

They practiced shaping, patterns, and scale. They even came up with a plan to stack the blocks. 

“The ice blocks are very heavy, so we had to make sure the weight was distributed evenly.” 

The team was supposed to begin carving Saturday at 8 a.m. and the competition allowed them 20 hours to carve, but due to a snowstorm that weekend, the ice didn’t arrive on the Island until 10 a.m. on Sunday.  

They worked for 12 hours straight on Sunday, trying to make up for lost time. 

“We only took one break Sunday to sit down for a meal,” said Caseley. 

In total, they were able to put in a full 16 hours of carving, even with the delay getting the ice. 

“All competition photos had to be sent to Ottawa by Monday, which is why we didn’t get a full 20 hours of carving in like the other teams.” 

Despite the slow start, Caseley felt very supported throughout the whole process and had a great experience. 

“It can get pretty stressful and tiring when you are working in the cold for so long, but we had an amazing team from the City of Charlottetown who stayed with us the whole time to support us and help us out.” 

Going in as the underdogs, the team’s main goal was to enjoy the process and use it as a learning experience. 

“We both really enjoyed it and we are quite happy with what we were able to complete and do in the end.” 

Caseley graduated from the one-year Heritage Retrofit Carpentry Program at Holland College in 2019.  

Since taking the program, she has worked in set building for theatres and film and has completed multiple large-scale art installations. 

“Without the skills I learned in the program I would have been at a loss with the ice carving because it is all the same skills, just in a different form.” 

The next project Caseley will work on is a large outdoor sculpture for Glenaladale, a historic property in P.E.I. 

“I actually would have never known about this opportunity if it wasn’t for me taking the Heritage Retrofit Carpentry program at Holland College because it was my instructor, Josh, who had taken us on a tour of the property during my program.” 

Caseley & Brunet's completed sculpture is currently on display outside the Confederation Centre of the Arts. Voting for the Winterlude ice carving competition begins Friday, February 11 and goes until Sunday, February 20. 

To support Caseley, and the Island carving team vote at: 

https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/winterlude/team-prince-edward-island.html