Cold weather ice carving tips from a pro

Calgary ice carver Julian Lee is a true pro, working in weather like we have had recently.

He's just finished more than a dozen works of ice sculpting art for the Chinatown Business Improvement Area's tribute to Chinese New Year on Tuesday.

The Homestretch's Jenny Howe caught up with Lee on Monday to get some of the tricks of the trade.

"Actually, it's not really that cold. Welcome to sunny Calgary with a gentle breeze,"Lee said with a laugh.

"When you move around, it's actually not that cold. You feel just right. If it's 10 C, you actually break out in a good sweat, when you are working hard."

He says, maybe surprisingly, he doesn't have a long list of clothing tips to stay warm outside.

"Mine is nothing special compared to regular winter gear, but you need three pairs of gloves. Keep two in your pocket. Once you fingers get cold, change your gloves. That is the trick," he said.

Calgary ice carver Julian Lee

6 years ago

Duration 0:16

Calgary ice carver Julian Lee

"You can put Vaseline on your face if it gets cold, if you don't mind the look of it. That will keep you nice and warm."

Ice carving can actually be harderin very cold weather, he said.

"At, for example, 28 C, one side is really hard, the other side is actually really fragile. If you put a chainsaw on it, rather than a nice clean cut, it will chip off. And if you force it too much, it might even crack in half. That's the challenge," Lee explains.

"On a regular day, say 15 C or warmer, you can use water to glue pieces together.But on a much colder day, tiny drops of water will go, ping, ping, ping and then it will crack. With some bad luck, the whole thing could fall apart. So use a little bit of slush, just a tiny bit. But you can't handle it with gloves. You have to use bare hands. That's the fun part."

It's all about the commitment, Lee says.

"You have to look at as, 'Is my ice and my art more important than myself or not?'"

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