One of the many aspects of the 2017 Lake Superior Ice Festival in Superior is a community art project called Orb365. This collaborative display gives individuals and families in the community the opportunity to contribute to a lit ice display that will be seen by hundreds of people as part of this year's festival.

So, what is an orb? In essence, it is a ball of ice. Orbs for this project are formed by putting water in a balloon and freezing it. This can be done by using Mother Nature's freezer (your backyard) or anywhere else cold enough to freeze water. Individuals that create orbs can have creative fun with their contribution. While it is not a requirement, doing things like adding a couple drops of food coloring or forcing the balloons to freeze in rounder or flatter shapes allow you to add a personal touch to your orb.

For individuals interested in participating, it's incredibly easy! All materials are provided and pickup for your orbs can even be arranged. All you have to do is fill the balloons, freeze them, and you're done! In order to ensure the success of your orb creation, the organizers have a simple set of instructions, which you can see here.

Andrea B. Crouse
Andrea B. Crouse
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These individual orbs will be assembled into an art display that will be formed in the shape of Lake Superior. The display will be lit and put on display at Barker's Island for everyone to see during the Lake Superior Ice Festival January 27-29. Anyone who creates an orb for the ice project needs to make sure it is either delivered or picked up by noon on Thursday, January 26. Arrangements can be made to pick your orb up by contacting Andrea with the City of Superior. Her contact information can be found here.

This orb project has been going on for a few years, and is orchestrated by the City of Superior's Environmental Services Division. The goal of the project is to have 365 ice orbs, one to represent each day of the year and how much water is an important role in each of those days. These orbs are arranged in the shape of Lake Superior to signify the importance the lake has in the local water supply and ecosystem.

 

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