Extreme Ice Carving

Delight in these 14 frozen creations by artisans and sculptors around the world.
By: Lori Johnston
Related To:
Accessories Art Winter

Photo By: Photo courtesy of Hotel de Glace/Xavier Dachez

Photo By: Photo courtesy of Gaylord Hotels

Photo By: Photo courtesy of Gaylord Hotels

Photo By: Photo courtesy of ICEHOTEL/Paulina Holmgren

Photo By: Photo courtesy of Moody Gardens

Photo By: Photo courtesy of Moody Gardens

Photo By: Photo courtesy of Gaylord Hotels

Photo By: Photo courtesy of Gaylord Hotels

Photo By: Photo courtesy of ICEHOTEL/Martin Smedsén

Photo By: Photo courtesy of ICEHOTEL/Christopher Hauser

Photo By: Photo courtesy of Hotel de Glace/Xavier Dachez

Photo By: Photo courtesy of ICEHOTEL

Photo By: Photo courtesy of Hotel de Glace/Xavier Dachez

Photo By: Photo courtesy of Fannin County Chamber of Commerce

Natural Environment

There's an ethereal effect to the ice sculptures that celebrate natural creations in the 44 rooms and suites at Hotel de Glace in Quebec City.

Nativity Display

A special ice carving of a nativity is presented at Gaylord Hotel's four ICE! attractions: Gaylord Texan’s Lone Star Christmas, Gaylord National’s Christmas on the Potomac, Christmas at Gaylord Palms and Gaylord Opryland’s A Country Christmas.

Icy Animation

The story of Frosty the Snowman is retold in ice by sculptors from China. The scenes are seen at the ICE! attractions at Gaylord Texan’s Lone Star Christmas near Dallas in Grapevine, Texas, and Gaylord National’s Christmas on the Potomac in Maryland.

Floral Ice Suite

New ideas for ice designs bloom each spring at ICEHOTEL, such as "The Flower" by Natsuki Saito and Shingo Saito. Then each November, artists arrive from all over the world to build their designs in the northern Sweden hotel and wedding venue.

Frosty SpongeBob

SpongeBob SquarePants—made out of colorful ice bricks—towers above a slippery foundation in Ice Land at Moody Gardens. Sculptors from China created the world out of 900 tons of ice.

Colorful Creations

The inhabitants of Bikini Bottom from the children's TV show, SpongeBob SquarePants are depicted using 900 tons of ice at Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas. For its Winter Wonder Island exhibit, Moody Gardens worked with 31 ice carvers from Harbin, China.

Magical World

Scenes from The Nutcracker, such as this one featuring Clara and her Nutcracker Prince, get a wintery treatment with blocks of colored ice. Artisans from Harbin, China, home of the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, built the displays for the ICE! attraction at Christmas at Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Fla.

3-D Effect

More than 2 million pounds of ice sculptures, including a Nutcracker-themed winter wonderland, are part of the ICE! attraction at four Gaylord Hotels resorts.

Lovely Moment

Snow and ice sculptor AnnaSofia Mååg created this couple in love at ICEHOTEL in Sweden. ICEHOTEL hosts more than 100 wedding ceremonies annually.

Arctic Accommodations

Visiting artists and designers from around the world bring new designs for beds and more annually to ICEHOTEL in Northern Sweden.

Grand Room

Ice ceilings measure up to 19 feet in Canada's Hotel de Glace, the only hotel in North America made from ice and snow.

Surrounded by Ice

Designs are carved into ice blocks that make up the ICEBAR in Jukkasjärvi, a small town in northern Sweden. Even the glasses are made out of ice.

Works of Art

The construction of Hotel de Glace in Quebec City begins every December, with about 15 sculptors joining workers who produce the hotel. Ice blocks weighing 500 tons are used to create sculptures, columns, furniture and drinking glasses.

Barely There

Bear sculptures are often found in mountain homes, but this chilly carving was on display during the 2014 "Fire & Ice" event, an annual ice sculpting display and chili cook off, in Blue Ridge, Georgia.

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