Imagine being an artist and every piece of art you’ve ever created no longer exists. As a professional ice sculptor of 15 years, every ice sculpture I’ve ever made has disappeared.
The question I’ve been asked most often over my career is, “Aren’t you sad or disappointed it’s going to melt?” To answer bluntly, no. That always shocks people, but let me explain.
Photo Courtesy of Erik Eastman.
I believe my legacy is the memories I create for people. Ice is a temporary medium, and the true joy comes from witnessing people’s reactions to what we can do with it. An ice sculpture has to be experienced in-person, which creates a sense of urgency for our projects and installations; pictures rarely do them justice. For me, the impression left on the viewer who sees the sculpture or watches us carve the ice in real time is paramount.
Photo Courtesy of Trevor Pearson.
If you’ve ever been to an event with an ice sculpture, you probably remember exactly what it was, while other details of the event décor, (table settings, flowers, centerpieces), likely escape you. That’s the power of the art and medium of ice. We work hard to create art that will make an impression, stop you in your tracks, and make you wonder, “Is that really ice? How did they do that?”
I get to enjoy the ice sculptures through the process of creating them and giving them to the public to be seen and experienced. The only sadness I get about a melting ice sculpture is that more people don’t get to experience the memory.
Photo Courtesy of Trevor Pearson.
Photo Courtesy of Trevor Pearson.
Photo Courtesy of Robbie Harrell.
