Chris Foltz works on an ice sculpture with a chainsaw as team member Dean Murray looks on in Fairbanks, Alaska, in this photo from Feb. 20, 2023. The sculpture, called "The Wild Child," was the team's entry in the multiblock division of the 2023 World Ice Art Championships.
Noah Thomas / OPB
You might encounter an ice sculpture of a swan at a fancy banquet, or an ice luge on a night out. But have you ever seen an 18-foot-tall punk baby with a mohawk made of ice? That’s one of the massive ice sculptures dreamt up by world-class ice carver Chris Foltz. Every winter, master sculptors from across the globe converge for the World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks, where the temps are sub-zero, the ice blocks are sawed out of frozen ponds and the sculptures can weigh up to 20 tons. Foltz, a longtime chef who teaches ice sculpting to culinary students on the Oregon coast, has led teams to multiple world championships in Alaska.
“Oregon Field Guide” producer Noah Thomas followed Foltz and his team from Oregon to Fairbanks and joins us to share the thrills and chills of their quest for icy glory.
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Photo of "The Wild Child" ice sculpture taken in Fairbanks, AK.
Noah Thomas / OPB