Harry Welty Posts

Harry Welty raises the flag with latest snow sculpture

Jan 11, 2023 No Comments

Harry Welty lit up his latest snow sculpture on Wednesday, an homage to Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal’s image of U.S. Marines raising the American flag on Iwo Jima on Feb. 23, 1945. You can read more about the famed photograph at pulitzer.org. If I were to hazard a guess, I’d say the artistic statement being made is that America has been through a difficult time, yet the country, its people and flag endure.

The sculpture is clearly visible driving up 21st Avenue East, at 2101 E. Fourth St. Welty spoke with Perfect Duluth Day in 2016 and KDLH-TV the next winter about his ephemeral artwork.


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Video Archive: Harry Welty’s 1993 Bill Clinton Snow Sculpture

Jan 20, 2018 No Comments

Twenty-five years ago today — Jan. 20, 1993 — William Jefferson Clinton was sworn in as the 42nd President of the United States. That winter, Duluth’s Harry Welty created a snow sculpture of the new president, and KDLH-TV’s Paul Guggenheimer was there to report.

Welty is still creating snow art on his front lawn, as covered in detail in a PDD “Selective Focus” piece last winter.


History, Videos ,

Welty hints at seeking another term with “this shaky video”

Apr 25, 2017 No Comments

Welty Thank YousAt-large Duluth School Board member Harry Welty wrote on his Lincoln Democrat blog about digging into a box of thank yous last night and spreading them on his office floor “to make a little campaign video for a campaign webpage.” And then he posted “this shaky video.”

Welty’s term ends Jan. 8; Duluth candidates officially file to seek school board positions between July 5 and July 18.

“Years ago I attended some session during which a presenter made a good suggestion,” Welty wrote. “She warned her listeners that it was easy to get discouraged and she suggested that we all collect thank yous and such. She thought that when we got down we could look in the old thank yous and remind ourselves that we weren’t such bad folks.

“Until I got on the School Board in 1996 my little sunshine folder wasn’t very big. Then I started reading to classrooms.”


Politics, Videos ,

Selective Focus: Harry Welty

Dec 30, 2016 No Comments

sf-teaserharrywelty
Every winter, at least when the conditions are right, Harry Welty turns his front yard into a sculpture garden of sorts, making huge snow sculptures on the side of his very steep hill at 21st Avenue East and Fourth Street. Here’s how it all started.

H.W.: I am a snow sculptor. Like every kid in Minnesota I started by making snow men and snow forts. My ideal work environment is a field of snow on a sunny day in the thirties – the kind that makes for perfect snowballs. If I had a muse it was my Mother who, as a baby boomer Mom, wanted me to be the artist she aspired to be. I was more interested in politics although I always thought being a political cartoonist sounded like a great occupation.

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Snow Sculpture

Dec 17, 2012 15 Comments

A snow sculpture at the corner of 21st Avenue East and Fourth Street depicts an angel with her arms around weeping children.

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