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All the information pages from the site are provided here in printer-friendly format. Unique Ice Carvings by Bill BywaterMake your party or wedding extra special with an ice carving designed especially for you and your event by experienced commercial sculptor Bill Bywater. What type of event are you planning? Unique Ice Carvings for Weddings and CelebrationsOriginal ice carvings show off your style!Congratulations! Weddings and personal celebrations are occasions to show off your personal style. Instead of choosing an ice carving company that offers only a limited range of standard ice carving designs, let trained sculptor Bill Bywater design an original ice carving to capture the unique spirit of your celebration. Real ice sculptures--Not moldsMany ice carving companies use ice molds to create identical ice forms for all their clients, but Bill Bywater designs and sculpts original, unique ice sculptures that are created exclusively for each reception. And while most ice carvers are chefs or people who specialize in food service, Bill Bywater is a professional sculptor with training and experience in design. He has been a professional commercial sculptor since 1987, and he been creating award-winning ice carvings since 1990. Bill is a member of the National Ice Carvers Association. To see examples of ice carvings created by Bill visit the ice carvings gallery. Unique ice sculptures give maximum impact for your budgetGet the most impact from your reception budget with a unique ice carving that surprises and delights your guests. Ice carving costs are determined by a variety of factors that are specific to each project, including whether the sculpture will be carved on or off site as well as the needs of your caterer or party planner and the amount of lead time available for designing the ice carving. Send Bill the details of your event in as far in advance of the event as possible using the online contact form to best ensure that he will be able to meet your needs. Unique Ice Sculptures for Business EntertainingOriginal ice sculptures express your organization's styleUnique ice sculptures by Bill Bywater can help you meet your entertaining goals by expressing your organization's style--whether that style is one of professional elegance or of fun creativity--and by adding an extra special touch to help make your event memorable. Look to a professional commercial sculptorWhile most ice carvers are chefs or people who specialize in food service, Bill Bywater is a professional commercial sculptor with training in design and experience in meeting his clients' business and creative goals. He has been a commercial sculptor since 1987, and he has been creating award-winning ice sculptures since 1990. Bill's training and experience mean that he can design an ice carving that reflects your organization's image and the message you want to communicate to your guests. Bill is a member of the National Ice Carvers Association. To see examples of ice carvings created by Bill visit the ice carvings gallery. Entertain your guests with an ice carving demonstrationConsider entertaining your guests with an ice carving demonstration where guests can see an ice sculpture created right before their eyes. The finished sculpture can become a focal point of your event. Read more at ice carving demonstrations and party style tips. Unique ice sculptures get the most impact from your entertaining budgetTo get the most out of your entertaining budget, choose an ice sculptor who can design a unique ice carving especially for your event. Costs for Bill Bywater's ice sculptures are determined by a variety of factors that are specific to each project, including whether the sculpture will be carved on or off site as well as the needs of your caterer or party planner and the amount of lead time available for designing the ice carving. Send Bill the details of your event in as far in advance of the event as possible using Bill's online contact form to best ensure that he will be able to meet your needs. Ice Carving DemonstrationsIce carving demonstrations become a focal point for your eventIce carving demonstrations are great for special events because people love watching an ice sculpture take shape before their eyes, and the finished sculpture becomes a focal point of the event. Ice carving demonstrations can be performed indoors or outdoors all year round, even during the summer. Letters and words, such as the name of the event sponsor, can be sculpted into your ice carving. To see examples of ice carvings created by Bill visit the ice carvings gallery. Look to a professional commercial sculptor and experienced ice carverWhile most ice carvers are chefs or people who specialize in food service, Bill Bywater is a professional commercial sculptor. He has been a commercial sculptor since 1987 and has been carving award-winning ice sculptures since 1990. Bill is a member of the National Ice Carvers Association. Bill can provide his own microphone and speakers for ice carving demonstrations. Ice carving demonstrations provide entertainment and decorationYour budget does double duty when the entertainment results in an ice sculpture that becomes part of the festival decorations. Costs for ice carving demonstrations are determined by a variety of factors that are specific to each event, such as travel distance. Send Bill the details of your event in as far in advance of the event as possible using Bill's online contact form to best ensure that he will be able to meet your needs. Party style! 6 Tips for using ice carvings for maximum impact1. Mark the entrance to the event with an ice carvingFor your guests, one of the most crucial moments of your event is their arrival. Guests decide in the first few minutes of a party whether or not they will enjoy themselves. An ice carving at the event entrance tells guests that they have arrived at the party and they are about have a great time. When using an ice carving to mark the entrance to the event, choose a design that sets the mood, captures the theme, or serves as signage with welcoming words carved into the ice sculpture. 2. Create a visual or spatial focal pointAn eye-catching ice carving creates a visual focal point that helps set the mood and pull a party together. The décor for an elegant cocktail reception, for example, might feature a large vase carved from ice and filled with a sumptuous bouquet of flowers. Party planners often place ice sculptures on buffet tables, but you can place an ice carving anywhere in the room provided it sits on a stable table or platform. For maximum impact, place the ice carving where people will see it as they walk in the door. In a darkened reception room or at a party outside at night you can add even more drama by lighting the sculpture, either by bathing it in light from above or by placing it on a light box and lighting it from below. If you think that this technique would be great for your party décor, make sure you ask any prospective ice sculptors you are considering if they have lighting equipment before you choose your ice sculptor. 3. Serve chilled food or beverages from ice carvingsAn ice sculpture can do double duty when used to display and serve chilled beverages and food such as wine, champagne, or shrimp. Imagine an ice carving of a shrimp boat filled with shrimp. Or make an even bigger impact by serving beverages from a bar carved from a block of ice! 4. Entertain guests with an ice carving demonstrationNot only will an ice carving demonstration entertain your guests, the finished sculpture can become a focal point of the event. Ice carving demonstrations can be performed indoors or outdoors all year round, even in the summer. 5. Create a photo opportunity for publicity or guest momentosWhen guests can interact with an ice sculpture, the cameras come out! Your guests will want to have their picture taken sitting on an ice throne or in a winter sleigh carved from ice. And the photographs make fun publicity shots or personal mementos that your guests will take away with them. You may even want to provide a photographer to take photos that you can give to your guests. 6. Delight your guests with an ice carving that is uniqueThe most memorable parties include some special element that surprises and delights your guests. Ice carvings can provide that special element, and they make the biggest impact when they are unique and perfectly suited to the occasion. Most ice carving companies offer only a limited range of ice carving designs that they have used for many clients. The more often your guests see these standard ice carvings, the less impact the ice carvings have. If you want your ice carving to make an impact, make sure it's unique. Make sure it has been designed especially for you to express your personal style and the style of your event. Ice Carvings FAQsAnswered by professional commercial sculptor Bill Bywater
What do you do, exactly?I create unique, original ice carvings for special events. After being contacted by the host or coordinator for an event, I consult with them to get a feel for the type of party or event they are planning and to find out if they already have an idea of the type of ice sculpture design they want. Then I come up with a design and discuss it with them to make sure it is what they want. When it comes time to carve the ice sculpture, I usually carve it off site. Then either I deliver the ice carving to the event and set it up or the client picks it up. Of course, if the event is an ice carving demonstration, I carve the sculpture on site during the event. Do you use ice molds?Many ice carving companies use molds, but I do not, unless some design requirement of the client demands it. The ice carvings I create are unique and personalized, and each one is hand sculpted. How much do ice carvings cost?Because every ice sculpture I create is designed and carved exclusively for each event, costs vary. Often, the cost is not determined by the design, unless the sculpture requires more than one block of ice. Usually the cost is determined by other factors specific to the event, such as its location, whether the ice carving will be set up by me or your caterer, whether the client needs equipment to light the sculpture, and the amount of lead time I have before the event to design the sculpture. Other factors can also come into play. Because the amount of lead time is a factor in the cost, I encourage clients to get in touch with me in as far advance of their event as possible. (Contact Bill by using his online contact form.) How long do ice carvings last?The answer depends on the conditions of the event, but generally, under the conditions of most parties and receptions, an ice sculpture will look good for up to four hours. Can ice carvings be displayed outside in the sun?Ice carvings can be displayed outside, even during the summer. I once carved a Sea Serpent on the Atlantic City Boardwalk in the heat of summer. If the sun is bright the ice carving should be shaded so that it will last and look good for as long as possible. It's not only the heat of the sun but also the ultraviolet rays which cause cracks in the ice that can look unsightly and cause the sculpture to break apart. Do you have any tips for using ice carvings as party decorations?Read my party style tips. Do you really use blow torches and chain saws?Yes, often. How did you become an ice sculptor?I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Studio Arts in 1988 and since then I have worked as a commercial sculptor, producing sets, props and other theatrical sculptures for Broadway shows, television shows, theme parks, and other clients. Because of my background in sculpture I approach ice carving from a different perspective and different type of training than most ice carvers, who are chefs or who specialize in food service. Read Bill's professional bio. Does it bother you to put so much work into an ice carving that you know is going to melt away?No. Actually, from a design standpoint, I find the transient nature of ice liberating. I've worked in lots of different types of media, but knowing that an ice sculpture will eventually melt frees me to be more creative. In fact, sometimes the melting process and the glistening effect it produces are integral to a sculpture's design. Where are you located?I am based in New York, so most of my clients are in Manhattan, Long Island, New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. But I do travel to other states for ice carving competitions and clients, so people should feel free to contact me if their event is outside that area. How far in advance of my event do I need to contact you?Adequate lead time is important for best serving clients' needs. I can occasionally take on work with not a lot of lead time, but I encourage people to contact me in as far advance of their event as possible, even if they have only a vague idea of what they will be needing. Bill's online contact form. Ice Sculptor Bill BywaterProfessional bio: Experienced commercial sculptorIf you have been to Disney World or a Broadway show in the last twelve years, or if you watch television, chances are you have seen theatrical sculptures by Bill Bywater. Bill earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Studio Arts with a concentration in sculpture from the College of Saint Rose in New York in 1988. Since 1987 he has worked for theatrical sculpture companies, creating stage sets, props, and costumes for Broadway and television shows, restaurants, theme parks, and myriad other clients. He has created theatrical sculptures for clients as diverse as the New York City Opera, the soap opera All My Children, and the World Wrestling Federation. At left is an ant costume created for Disney's Animal Kingdom. Bill first turned his sculpting talents on ice in 1990. He is a member of the National Ice Carvers Association. Partial list of Broadway shows for which Bill created theatrical sculptures:
Television, stage and other productions for which Bill received production credits:1998
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