Made in Tampa Bay: Ice Pro sculptures defy Florida heat

PARRISH, Fla. (FOX 13) - Florida is not known for its ice sculptures, but maybe it should be.  Frozen sculptures made in Parrish, Florida have been displayed in huge exhibits and even appeared in a major motion picture. 

Joe Rimer is the Ice Pro. In the middle of his 90-acre farm, full of Angus cattle and Tennessee walking horses, sits an ice plant.

It may seem obvious, but Rimer explained why crystal clear water is the key to a good ice sculpture. 

"What most people don't realize is that they think that's just a pot of water because it's crystal clear, but I'm touching ice at that point. That's how clear it is, you can't tell."

Rimer uses bottled water quality aqua. A standard block usually takes approximately three days to freeze and weighs about 300 pounds.

Rimer used to be an executive chef at the Memphis Country Club. When Hollywood came to town to film "The People vs. Larry Flynt," Rimer discovered he couldn't find decent ice to make sculptures for the movie.

He now fills that void, making ice sculptures for major clients like Walt Disney World and ICEBAR in Orlando.

Creating an ice sculpture is similar, in many ways, to making a sculpture made from metal or wood.

The professionals at Ice Pro use bandsaws; CNC machines, which cut and shave with computerized precision; AutoCAD to create computerized plans for the sculptures; and a process called welding, where the ice is melted and refrozen to create bonds between pieces. 

When they're not producing large pieces for his biggest clients, the folks at Ice Pro make sculptures for corporate and private events in the Bay Area and Orlando.

For more information, visit https://iceprofl.com/