The ice used for sculpting has to be clear as glass. "It changes the dynamic of the sculpture if you can see imperfections in it," said Stretch. Stretch saws through the ice to cut out a slab.

Carving the snow sculptures is chilly work, so artists wear parkas and snow suits on Jan. 8, as they use a variety of tools to scrape the snow and ice into shape.

Photo by Larry Wong / POSTMEDIA Professional ice carvers Karlis Ile and Maija Puncule, from Latvia, are carving six 300 lb. blocks of ice into an eight-foot-tall sculpture of a rooster.

The sculpture atop it is crystal clear, however. It's literally just an icy hand brandishing the middle finger outwards toward King Street – and quite a nicely sculpted ice hand, I might add.

If you guessed an ice sculpture, you win the icy Canadian award. Britannia Beach carver Ryan Cook and fellow carver Kevin Lewis, of Comox, are currently representing B.C. in a national ice carving ...

SASKATOON,SK--JANUARY 31 0131-NEWS-Remai Modern- A sculpture called Freeze, which is commemorative of Neil Stonechild made by artist Rebecca Belmore, sits outside the Remai Modern in Saskatoon,Sk ...

Silver added four coloured balloons made of ice to the bottom of the sculpture. This is the couple’s second attempt at making an ice sculpture. Last year’s attempt, Nerenberg admitted, didn’t work out ...