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Posted on Sat, Jan 30, 2010 : 3:05 p.m.

Saw-wielding sculptors let chips fall where they may in Ann Arbor Ice Carving Extravaganza

By Ronald Ahrens

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University of Michigan student and U-M Ice Carving Team member Tara Regan chisels away at her diamond ring ice sculpture for Seyfried Jewlers at the Eighth Annual Ice Carving Extravaganza in downtown Ann Arbor Saturday

Angele Cesere | AnnArbor.com

Saws screamed and ice crystals flew as carvers transformed blocks of ice into sculptures ranging from a climber scaling a mountain to a delicate pearl inside an oyster shell at this weekend’s Eighth Annual Ice Carving Extravaganza in downtown Ann Arbor.

About 20 members of the University of Michigan Ice Carving Team participated in the sawing, grinding and chiseling as 300-pound blocks of ice were carved Saturday into figures that represented the services of downtown businesses on Main and Liberty streets.

The extravaganza started Friday evening and concludes Sunday at 6 p.m.

Members said that taking a die grinder to smooth ice and rendering a shape or letters in relief is a welcome artistic outlet.

“Being from a science background, there’s not a lot of room for artistic expression,” said Alena Gerasimova, of Brighton, who majors in neuroscience at U-M.

Before the carving season gets into swing, she said, the team holds planning sessions to design paper templates that guide the carvers. Then the chips start to fly.

“It’s just two very active months,” she said of the ice carving season.

Gerasimova stood by watching as Ryan Perkins reduced a monolith of ice to the likeness of a mountain climber in front of the Moosejaw mountaineering shop.

A graduate of Pioneer High School, Perkins, who studies mechanical engineering, said he enjoys handling tools and is experienced in metalworking and woodworking. Ice was a new medium for his experimentation when he joined the team. He is now in his second season.

Downtown businesses’ contributions helped the U-M ice carvers in their major fund-raiser of the year, said Tyler Osburn, who was coordinating the team’s effort.

“Chisels are more expensive than you’d imagine,” said Osburn, a Port Huron native majoring in civil engineering.

The blocks of ice measured 40 inches in height, 20 inches in breadth and 10 inches in depth. Osburn estimated each block represented an outlay of between $50 and $100. Completion of 28 sculptures was planned for the Extravaganza.

In addition, the team maintains 10 to 12 saws and a variety of other tools.

Entrance fees to competitions such as last weekend’s Plymouth Ice Festival are another team expense. The team competed in Holland earlier in the month.

Besides the handheld tools, part of the ice carver’s arsenal includes heated flatirons that are used to fuse together pieces.

Zach Pomerantz, a physics major from Highland Park, Ill., was looking forward to putting the final touches on his Leaning Tower of Pisa, which was taking shape before the restaurant Palio.

Pomerantz explained about the irons before adding, “And then at the end we have a big giant blowtorch.”

He squinted as he readied his saw.

“Anytime you get a chance to use chainsaws and blowtorches!” he said.

He didn't finish the sentence, but you get the idea.

Comments

nimbus123

Sun, Jan 31, 2010 : 7:58 p.m.

Where are the sculptures?

glenn thompson

Sat, Jan 30, 2010 : 6:30 p.m.

This looks like great fun. I hope the size of the competition and the size of the blocks of ice can be expanded. This is an art event that would be ideal for the plaza over the Library Lot parking structure.