Internet inspires students to create ice sculpture

Project expected to be finished late next month

Senior+Alaythea+Herr+holds+two+of+the+expected+400+ice+blocks+that+will+be+needed+to+complete+the+ice+sculture.+%C2%A9+2014+Danielle+Pahl

Photo by Danielle Pahl

Senior Alaythea Herr holds two of the expected 400 ice blocks that will be needed to complete the ice sculture. © 2014 Danielle Pahl

Story by Danielle Pahl, Multimedia Editor

Those who browse Reddit and Imgur may have come across the story of Daniel Gray, a man who built an igloo from hundreds of dyed blocks of ice.

According to Global News, the project required about 500 blocks and was completed in 150 hours.

This work of art sparked the interest of UW-Eau Claire Art Student Association (ASA) members.

Alaythea Herr, senior art major and Public Relations Liaison for ASA, said the project is a way for the group to create a piece for both the campus and the community.

“I wanted to get people to really engage with each other,” Herr said. “This would be an installation open to the public as well as to students, and it’s something they can interact with.”

Because Herr is focusing on illustration, this project will bring a lot of firsts for her. She said this is the first time she has worked on a project this large, the first time she has worked with ice and the first time she has created a piece outdoors.

“I wanted to do a 3-D art piece to really learn more about myself and others because a project this big requires a team of people and that is something else I was really interested in,” Herr said.

Because none of the people working on the piece are sculpture majors, Herr said recreating the igloo will be difficult, so they decided to redesign it and create something more original. According to Herr, the piece will be two semi-circular walls that will be open for people to walk through. Herr said she is unsure how tall the work will be or when it will be completed since they are still collecting materials.

“We are collecting cartons, we are freezing and we are going to start building sometime this week or next week,” Herr said.

Herr said the piece will be constructed on the side of Haas Fine Arts Center, facing the parking lot, though she would like to see it closer to a street or busy area where people can better interact with it. Herr said she isn’t worried people will damage the sculpture.

“Ice is pretty solid and something that large and packed together would be pretty hard to break.” Herr said.

For the group to continue working on the project and for it to be completed at the end of the month, Herr said the group is looking for milk carton donations.

“In order for this project to be realized, we are going to need a lot more help from outside of our club members,” Herr said. “Just getting the cartons, which are our primary material.”