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It usually takes about two days to complete an ice
sculpture, without any external factors or work flow influencing the time
commitment necessary to complete an art piece. Ideally, we would prefer as much
notice as possible prior your event or special occasion is enough time. Two
weeks would be optimal, although during the holiday season we prefer to have
even more notice
Carvings are supposed to melt and often look their best after a few hours at
room temperature—they do not need to be refrigerated when they are
presented. An average size sculpture will last at least 6-7 hours in good
conditions, and for a carving to completely melt away can sometimes take
several days (we also handle disposal however). Some smaller sized pieces such
as miniatures for the center of banquet tables will last less than 5 hours in
their optimal condition.
We are based in Lexington, and deliveries in the Lexington area are included in
the price of the sculptures. However, we can arrange delivery all over Kentucky
for an additional cost. Our refrigeration truck will ensure that your sculpture
is as nice when it arrives at your location as it was when it left our studio.
We provide a complete service to our customers—our prices include the cost
of delivery, presentation, disposal if desired, and equipment hire and
collection. For parties and events, sculptures are set-up by our team at the
venue with optional special lighting and drainage about an hour before the
guests arrive.
Absolutely. We sell our 300-lb ice blocks to anyone who might want or need
them. The cost is $100.00 and we usually have several on hand (but there are
exceptions, so please call ahead).
That’s a little tricky to answer without knowing a few more details. How
large a sculpture are you wanting (how many blocks of ice)? How intricate is
the carving? Is it going to be interactive or have multiple facets (such as
sand, photos, or something frozen inside)? Where is it being delivered or
shipped? Are other items also being purchased? Ice sculptures are more
affordable than they have ever been, and really are worth the nominal cost if
you truly want to leave an impression. Costs typically range (for the larger
sculptures) anywhere from $225-$575 for most pieces.
Finished sculptures resemble pieces of fine crystal. These pieces can range in
size from something palm size to things that must be moved by trucks and
cranes. Seasons specializes in both the intricate carvings as well as large,
detailed pieces or multi-fused block pieces. The first step in the process is
the creation of the 300-lb ice blocks by a special block-making machine. The
clarity of the blocks comes from filtration and circulation during the freezing
process. The advantage of owning these machines is that we can freeze objects
into the blocks as they are being created (i.e., company logos, flowers,
product such as liquor, meats, fish, lights and tubes for liquor luges). It
takes approximately three days for the block to be thick enough to be
harvested. Once it is harvested and trimmed it is ready to be cut. Each block
of ice measures 40 inches tall, 20 inches wide and 10 inches thick. Larger
sculptures must be fused together and carved in large sections. Cost of an ice
sculpture will vary based on size, intricacy, location of delivery, etc.
We use a variety of tools depending on which stage of carving we are at. Large
hoists and tongs are needed to maneuver whole blocks. Then a chainsaw is
usually employed to rough out the shape of the piece, before we move on to
chisels. The majority of the chisels we use are hand-made Japanese ice
sculpting tools, similar to wood working chisels, but we also use handsaws made
of laminated Japanese steel in the tradition of Samurai sword making. The final
stages of sculpting involve polishing with heated implements in order to get
the best possible finish.
Yes, we produce our own ice through an extremely careful and tedious process
mentioned above. Ice is developed from very pure water in order to make it
perfectly clear. We have also refined the techniques necessary for controlling
the number of bubbles, fractures, etc., which any one block of ice contains, as
well as being able to make white ice when required.
There have been several large sculptures that we have made, a huge flag for
9/11, a 57 Chevy, a Baby Grand, a huge ice bar for Makers Mark, Santa’s
sleigh with reindeer flying into the sky… it’s hard to remember the
largest! The smallest pieces that we are routinely asked to make would be the
shot glasses, martini glasses for sliced fruit display, and sorbet cups for a
seven course meal.
Yes! We can do very intricate work thanks to the addition of a CNC-type machine
into the shop several years ago. We can create very specific logos, which can
be complimented by miscellaneous colors (created with biodegradable sand and
snow), by freezing special items into the ice, and by creating
multi-dimensional carvings. We usually use an ornamental base to support and
compliment the piece.
Maybe, depending on what’s underway in the freezer. Call us, we’ll
see what we can do.
Yes! We offer shot glasses made of ice, beer mugs, high-ball glasses, martini
glasses, unusual ice cubes, and more.
Sure. We are very interested in talking more about your project and being able
to help however we can. We have had several clients who choose to pre-pay for a
number of sculptures throughout the year in order to get a discount. Make no
mistake though, working in freezing cold temperatures with very dangerous tools
trying to create intricate art pieces is hard and heavy work, whether one or
several sculptures are being created!
We’ve talked about it. There are different restaurants, event planners,
hotels, and things that prefer to either purchase several sculptures in bulk
which are kept in their own freezer space to re-sell to guests or choose to
pre-pay for an anticipated number of sculptures needed throughout the year. If
you are interested, email us. We can talk more:
iceman@seasonsevents.com.
We wanted to include this question to make visitors to our site smile; however,
you wouldn’t believe that this is one of the most commonly asked questions
about our sculptures once they are set up on location. The long-pondered
answer—yes, you can lick the ice without fear of reliving A Christmas
Story. |
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