'I'm a jerk': Alberta woman parodies Talus Dome, then finds beauty in controversial art piece
What started out as a way to goof on a high-priced public art installation in Edmonton has become somewhat of a labour of love for Laurie Keindel.
The Devon, Alta., hairdresser makes cool things out of ice every year. She's made displays themed after Star Wars and the Disney movie Frozen. She also formed large ice dinosaurs one year as part of her holiday tradition.
This winter, she decided to create a cheeky ode to the Talus Dome, often called the Talus balls, which is a $600,000 City of Edmonton display featuring 1,000 stainless steel spheres located on the side of Whitemud and Fox drives.
“Mostly, I guess I’m a jerk. I meant to do a parody and as I was building, I kinda liked it,” Keindel told CTV News Edmonton.
“It is 1,000 balls for $600,000. Someone’s gotta pay me right?" She added with a belly laugh.
- 'It's too pretty to be covered up': Local company cleans vandalism off Talus Dome
- 10 spots to visit in Edmonton during your summer staycation
The local hairdresser covered her front-yard parody in Christmas lights. There's also a penguin, a reindeer and a Santa Claus.
Creating the display was not easy. Keindel spent many hours freezing spheres using balloons and plastic pails. She said it's also kind of dangerous, because the ice sometimes explodes, so she had to wear safety goggles.
Laurie Keindel's Talus Dome parody (Sean McClune/CTV News Edmonton) and the real Talus Dome in a file photo (Matt Marshall/CTV News Edmonton.)“It was stupid hard,” she said of stacking the ice.
“Each ball is five to eight pounds. On a warm, sunny afternoon, even if it's -20 degrees, they’ll just roll down. They’re heavy.”
Keindel estimated she's made about 300 ice balls so far and said she plans to keep going, in an effort to reach 1,000.
Keindel chose not to share her address but hopes the story and photos give people a laugh and something cool to look at during a cold Alberta winter.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
developing Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Kinew, Poilievre meet at Manitoba legislature, discuss each other's priorities
Premier Wab Kinew and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre met at the Manitoba legislature Thursday afternoon.
Biden OKs US$60M in aid after Baltimore bridge collapse as governor warns of 'very long road ahead'
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore warned Thursday of a 'very long road ahead' to recover from the loss of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge as the Biden administration approved US$60 million in immediate federal aid after the deadly collapse.