Beauty, like ice, our footing does betray; Who can tread sure on the smooth, slippery way: Pleased with the surface, we glide swiftly on, And see the dangers that we cannot shun.

~John Dryden

Those of us living in the colder climes, have coexisted with snow and ice for a good portion of our lives. The silent beauty of a white landscape covered in snow has often been the focus of our photographic endeavors, when winter has placed it's hand upon the earth.

Much less an object of our attention has been the ice that forms as the water in ponds and lakes turns to stone. To most of us, this stone is lifeless, amorphous and cold, but to some, it is a medium of choice. Awaiting only the hand of the artist to give shape to the beauty that lies within. Ice sculpture is a form of art that usesiceas theraw material. In the world of ice sculpture, the high point of the year is the World Ice Art Championships held each year in Fairbanks, Alaska.

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