Sculptures in Ice Around the World

I made this photo last year in Bruges, Belgium. I was there for a snow and ice sculpture festival tour (Lübeck, Oberhausen and Bruges) for my job. The photo above is one of my favourite photos I take there.

Sculptor: Maurice den Boer from The Netherlands

Photo and description - courtesy of marie-ll

Six international ice sculptors, 24 hours, ten blocks of natural ice each and a great place for the ice sculpture: the garden of the Winter Palace of the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg!

Ice sculptor Maurice den Boer (author of the sculpture from the previous photo) from the Netherlands works on his ice sculpture late in the night.

Photo and description - courtesy of marie-ll

WHAT IS ICE?

We get ice when the water freezes - which happens to fresh water at 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius. Salt water needs lower temperatures to freeze, depending on how much salt the water contains, but more on that later.

Yesterday, I went on a bus trip to Lake Louise to see the Ice Sculptures there. Lake Louise is a two-hour drive from Calgary, through gorgeous mountainous scenery. This was the 14th annual Ice Magic Festival and the 2008 theme was "Snow Queen, Ice Fairies and the Enchanted Forest."

Photo "Ice sculpture" and description - courtesy of annkelliott

This Ice Sculpture was created in South Porcupine, Ontario for an Ice Carnival. Creator Darlene Racicot

Picture came to me in e-mail from a friend. I do not claim it as mine. I intend to only SHARE the photo. If you know who took the photo, please contact me so I can give proper credit.

Photo "Guardian Angel Ice Sculpture" and description - courtesy of jvc_scout_mom

Photo "Ice Mermaid at Winterlude" - courtesy of Guills

Ice Magic is an annual event held at Lake Louise, Banff where International Ice Carvers show off their talent.

Photo "Ben Hur in the Sky" and description - courtesy of njchow82

Photo "Quebec City Carnival Ice Sculpture" - courtesy of rldock

Photo Spirit of Climbing - courtesy of Glossyboy

Centaur to Snow Fairy @ Lake Louise, Calgary Canada

Photo courtesy of Kanna...

This artist was really friendly and nice (he was working in -45 degree weather and even had his foot in a cast!) This sculpture was the only one actually painted, the rest are left white, and one had coloured ice cubes in it.

Photo and description - courtesy of ::Taylor::

Visitors look at a giant ice sculpture of Santa Claus for the upcoming 25th Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival at a park in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province December 24, 2008.

Photo and description - courtesy of Sheng Li/Reuters

Harbin, China, "Ice & Snow World" across the Song Hua River is Part of the Harbin Ice Lantern Festival, at Night all Sculptures are colourful lighted with LED. Over a 100.000 Tones of Ice Blocks cut from the Song Hua River are used for the Festival Sculptors & Carvings from January till End of February, it is one of the largest of its kind & most interesting one in the World.
It was said that some Fishermen made rough & simple Ice-Lanterns of ice just for lighting, with the Time passed, Ice-Lanterns embodied their Cultural Features & artistic Fascination gradually. The making of Ice-Lanterns & Ice Sculptures started in the 1960s.
Harbin is an interesting Chinese City in the Heilongjiang Province Northwest of China & is strongly influenced by Russian Citizen which first immigrated to Harbin a 120 Years ago.

Harbin was the birthplace of Jin (1115-1234) & Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties, the latter of which had a very considerable influence on modern Chinese history. At the end of the 19th century, Russia built the terminus of the Middle East Railway here. Later, more than 160,000 foreigners from 33 countries migrated to Harbin, promoting the development of a capitalist economy in the city. The economy & culture of Harbin achieved unprecedented prosperity at that time & the city gradually grew into a famous international commercial port. Assimilating external culture, Harbin created its unique & exotic cityscape. The majestic St. Sofia Orthodox Church & Zhongyang Dajie each built in a European style have the effect of bringing you into an 'eastern Moscow'. Even though you are sure to be attracted by various exotic buildings, the Dragon Tower which embodies the wisdom of the Chinese people is a must on your journey.

Photo "Phot.Harbin.Ice.Sculp.Cathedral .010904.Fl.4255" and description - courtesy of frankartculinary

Ice Sculpture at the Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin, China in February 2007

Photo courtesy of m j c

Part 1: WHY DOES ICE FLOAT?

Things float in water when they are less dense, or have less mass per unit volume, than water.

Most substances on Earth are most dense in their solid (frozen) state. Water is different. It reaches its maximum density at 4°C (40°F). As it cools more and turns into ice, it actually becomes less dense - begins to expand. No wonder the pipes burst if they freeze in winter.

Photo "Ice-sculpture gallery in the SnowCastle of Kemi_5" - courtesy of kulkuri

Ice sculptures exhibition in Berlin

It's a beautiful exhibition but doesn't give great photos. Ice doesn't have much contrast.

Photo "Eisbär - Ice Bear" and description - courtesy of Gertrud K.

Part 2: WHY DOES ICE FLOAT?

Ice floats because it is about 9% less dense than liquid water. In other words, ice takes up about 9% more space than water, so a liter of ice weighs less than a liter water. The heavier water displaces the lighter ice, so ice floats to the top. One consequence of this is that lakes and rivers freeze from top to bottom, allowing fish to survive even when the surface of a lake has frozen over. If ice sank, the water would be displaced to the top and exposed to the colder temperature, forcing rivers and lakes to fill with ice and freeze solid. (from http://chemistry.about.com)

Constructed by thousands of soldiers, these dinosaurs are the only ones to come back to life in the latest 'ice age'.

Ice sculptures at Sapporo Snow Festival, Hokkaido, 2004.

Photo "Hokkaido Ice Dinosaurs" and description - courtesy of Starfires

The 57th Sapporo Snow Festival started.
It is one of big events of my city.
Maybe the spectators of it will be over 2000000.

Photo and description - courtesy of dolphin_dolphin

Luxembourg, December 2008.

Photo "Ice Sculpture" and description - courtesy of gwenael.piaser

WHY DOES SALT MELT ICE?

If you add salt to ice, some of the ice will melt. You can suppose that the salt pulls some water away from its crystal form in ice. When that happens, the ice-salt mixture will get colder than 0 degrees. (from http://www.highlightskids.com)

Ice Sculpture Festival 2007 Eindhoven

Photo "Icy indian close-up" and description - courtesy of Mrs. Jolanda

Photo "Golden Carriage" - courtesy of Eisbeertje

The Dutch Ice Sculpture Festival Eindhoven 2003

Photo "Ice sculpture" - courtesy of sculpture grrrl

WHO INVENTED ICE SKATING?

While no one seems to be able to answer this question, we do have some related and interesting historical facts:

The oldest pair of skates known date back to about 3000 B.C., found at the bottom of a lake in Switzerland. The skates were made from the leg bones of large animals, holes were bored at each end of the bone and leather straps were used to tie the skates on. An old Dutch word for skate is "schenkel" which means "leg bone". (from http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bliceskates.htm )

I really do love ice sculptures, and this fox is my favourite.
Bye bye Perm. We're sorry we have to go and have had a great time.

Photo "ice sculptures fox detail" and description - courtesy of KarenSaraGaches

"Three angels" sculpture in ice from Severodvinsk, Arkhangelrskaya Oblast, Russia

Photo "Three angels" - courtesy of Mothlike

Photo "ice sculptures sunshine" - courtesy of KarenSaraGaches

Photo "Mask" - courtesy of Lenelenka

ABOUT THE ICE RINK

The first artificial ice rink (mechanically-refrigerated) was built in 1876, at Chelsea, London, England and was named the Glaciarium. It was built near the King's Road in London by John Gamgee. (from http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bliceskates.htm )

A visitor warms her hands as she admires an ice sculpture in Kiev, December 26, 2008.

Photo and description - courtesy of REUTERS/Gleb Garanich (UKRAINE)

Visitors admire roses in ice during an ice sculpture festival in Kiev December 26, 2008.

Photo and description - courtesy of REUTERS/Gleb Garanich (UKRAINE)

DID YOU KNOW?

In 1914, John E. Strauss, a blade maker from St. Paul, Minnesota, invented the first closed toe blade made from one piece of steel, making skates lighter and stronger. (from http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bliceskates.htm )

Artist Nick Fox at work on his penguin ice sculpture as London's first ice scuplting festival got underway on Friday.

Photo and description - courtesy of AFP/Shaun Curry

Ice Sculpture Festival and Trail, Norwich, Norfolk, England, UK

Photo and description - courtesy of Leo Reynolds

Ice Sculpture Trail - Norwich, UK
Sunday 16 December 2007

No 10: Victorian gentleman on Hay Hill.

Known in the 14th century as Le Nether Rowe, 'the lower row', it became Gentleman's Walk in the 18th Century, named after the gentlemen who walked and talked there on market day.

Photo and description - courtesy of StewieD

Ice Sculpture Festival and Trail, Norwich, Norfolk, England, UK

Photo and description - courtesy of Leo Reynolds

DID YOU KNOW?

The largest outdoor ice rink is the Fujikyu Highland Promenade Rink in Japan, built in 1967 and boasts an ice area of 165,750 square feet-- equal to 3.8 acres. (from http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bliceskates.htm )

In this Oct. 29, 2008 file photo, a man passes by an ice sculpture entitled 'Main Street Meltdown,' in New York. The economic crisis that will dominate Barack Obama's first 100 days as president, and beyond, will give him a rare chance to enact big portions of his agenda that otherwise might have languished for months or years.

DID YOU KNOW?

Every March, Fairbanks in Alaska turns into the site of the World Ice Art Championships. They offer the sculptors a very unique opportunity - to carve a pure and transient medium - the largest natural ice blocks in the world, provided by the town of Fairbanks.

Photo "Northern Lights over Fairbanks, Alaska" - courtesy of Alaskan Dude

DID YOU KNOW?

Extremely low Alaskan Interior's winter temperatures turn pure water into ice quickly and densely. That gives the newly formed ice slightly glacial blue tint. The ice is clear enough for a person to read a newspaper through a four-foot block of ice! No wonder sculptors consider Fairbanks' ice as the best in the world for sculpting.

Ice sculptor Don Chapelle, of Brilliant Ice Sculpture, puts the finishing touches on an ice sculpture called Pipeline, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008 at the Boston Common in Boston.

Photo and description - courtesy of AP Photo/Lisa Poole

DID YOU KNOW?

Most competitions in Northern Hemisphere use commercially manufactured ice blocks in size about 2' x 4' x 2'. As a contrast, Fairbanks in Alaska, the home of the World Ice Art Championships, harvest from local ponds gigantic blocks of naturally formed ice. These blocks measure approximately 3' x 8' x 5' - and weigh over five tons! A single final creation in the Multi-Block Classic can weigh up to twenty tons and measure up to 25 feet in height.

Ice Sculptor Don Chapelle, of Brilliant Ice Sculpture, puts the finishing touches on a leatherback sea turtle ice sculpture, Friday, Dec. 26, 2008 in preparation for First Night at the New England Aquarium in Boston.

Photo and description - courtesy of AP Photo/Lisa Poole

DID YOU KNOW?

As a cultural competition, Ice Sculpting has been added to the Winter Olympic Games only recently. In 1993 and 1997 the World Ice Art Championships has served as the U.S. Olympic Trials, sending Kevin Roscoe of Kirkland, Washington and Steve Brice of Fairbanks, Alaska to the Olympic Games in Japan - in January, 1998 - representing the United States of America.

Boston's First Night ice sculptures at Copley Square

Photo "FIRST NIGHT ICE SCULPTURES" and description - courtesy of snowriderguy

DID YOU KNOW?

This year's World Ice Art Championships (in March, 2009) also has a role of a Qualifier for the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. They already have a ton of participants for the Championships, so this coming ice carving event in Fairbanks, Alaska just might be one of the best yet!

Annual ice sculpture event in downtown Plymouth.

Photo "Frozen Art" and description - courtesy of cheroberta123

DID YOU KNOW?

The National Ice Carving Association (NICA) is the only organization in the United States that is devoted to promoting the art of ice sculpture, networking carvers, education, business and competition across the country and around the world. With nearly 400 members, NICA sanctions and organizes ice carving competitions around the world. Providing standardized guidelines for judging, learning seminars and certifying carvers, NICA has given the art focus and direction. Continually reaching for the highest standards, NICA carvers have become some of the best in the world.

NICA's National Championships will be held Feb. 7-8 in Downers Grove, IL

I think (could be wrong) this was part of the winning entry to an ice sculpture contest in Boston a few weeks back.

Photo "A horse of ice" and description - courtesy of Today is a good day

Recently I went to a Christmas ice show - it was fun to be a kid again.
It is great if anyone is in the Nashville area this season.
The stars in the window are pictured in a previous photo.

"ICE! featuring How the Grinch Stole Christmas! in larger than life, intricately carved, interactive ice sculptures. Some of the sculptures weigh more than two tons each."

Photo and description - courtesy of berlyjen