Ice is nice: NY sculptors turn blocks into bucks

The company, which claims to use more ice for sculptures than any other in the country — more than 10 tons annually — in the past has created replicas of Harley-Davidsons, the Prometheus statue for a party at the Rockefeller Center ice skating rink, even an entire lounge of furniture for a party at a chic Manhattan soiree for R&B singer Ne-Yo.

“It’s not just swans anymore,” said company co-founder, Dawn Rella.

Ice sculptors, she said, come from a variety of disciplines and bring their own special skills to the process. Many were trained in the food service industry, although some have been carpenters and others are trained artists seeking to hone their skills on a block of ice rather than clay or marble.

Bergin said he participated in one lecture while studying for a culinary degree in college. He had worked in restaurants and was cleaning pools seven years ago before approaching Rella for a job. “I knew there was something else out there for me. I told her I’ll do whatever I need to do. I’ll sleep in freezers; anything to get my foot in the door.”

Today he directs a small crew of other sculptors who crank out as many as 30 or 40 pieces daily. Many of the designs are drawn up on computers, and large robotic machines do the initial outlines of the carving before the sculptors perform finishing work. For larger specialty projects, he sketches designs that are then blown up on a projector to create a stencil that is then placed over the ice to create the finished product.

“Chisels would be OK if you were making one or two pieces,” Bergin said. “Almost all of our work is power sculpting, using chain saws, grinders and disc sanders. We have a whole arsenal of power tools to help us.”

He conceded it can be backbreaking work.

“A lot of people don’t realize how physical a job ice sculpting is when you have to carve out 20 or 30 pieces,” he said. “Holding a chain saw all day is quite exhausting, but when you love doing it, you learn to deal with the pain.”

Delivering the finished products, especially during the summer months, also is a challenge. Rella said that her company recently became associated with an ice-making company that produces the standard bags of cubes and blocks of ice, and that it uses their refrigerated trucks for deliveries. But the company produces so many sculptures, that some have to be delivered in vans with no refrigeration.

In those cases, the sculptures are wrapped in insulated blankets — like the ones used by moving companies — and are then packed in dry ice.

Many of the more complicated sculptures also feature elaborate colors. In some instances, colored sand is poured on the sculptures and then snow — shaved ice— is packed on top. Bergin said he prefers a method where gelatin colored with water-based paint is used to cover the sculptures. Once that process is finished, the sculptures are then refrozen, giving the designs more lasting power.

He said the average sculpture can last for about six to eight hours in ideal conditions before it melts into a messy puddle.

Rella said the prices for the simple sculptures start at about $300 but can soar into the tens of thousands for more elaborate projects. She was reluctant to discuss specific prices for some of the company’s larger works, citing competitive concerns.

“The thing is, nobody really needs something like this, but it really brings an event to life,” Bergin said. They are growing in popularity every year. It’s really a disposable art form. You know whatever you make is going to melt away.”

But, he added, that’s good for business.

“People have to come back and order another one for their next party.”