The Sculptors’ Support office at Ice Alaska is ghostly quiet today. This is the group of volunteers who take care of all the sculptors’ needs while they are carving. Now that the competitors have left, one of the volunteers who works here said she is going to take a “mental holiday”. Everyone involved with the Ice Carving Championships has similar thoughts. One of the carvers told us he slept uninterrupted for nearly twenty-four hours.

The toll on the bodies of the carvers is immense. One sculptor said that while competing in zero and subzero temperatures for hours at a time he can burn up to 7000 calories a day, eat everything he can and still lose weight. Staying hydrated is another problem they face while busy with their carving. If the chisels the sculptors use are sharp, it is like cutting butter. If they are dull, it is like cutting wood. If their gloves are too thin, the cold handles of the tools can cause frostbite. Exhaustion can often cause carelessness, resulting in damage to the ice as well as the body.

In opposition to this bleak picture, our sculptures have said that when they get into the rhythm of carving, and it’s going well, it is very relaxing, often mesmerizing. I’m quoting, “And if it’s not going well, GRRRR!” Many of them have music playing in their ears as they carve, and I have often seen dancing and carving happening at the same time. They are totally in their own zones, unaware of anything going on around them. 

The world is lucky to have these talented, accomplished, skilled and brilliant artisans. We benefit from their dedication and their hard, exhaustive work as we admire their breathtaking and awe-inspiring creations.