See Photos of Live Ice Carving of Sea Creatures

All photos by Jeremy Gordon, courtesy of Arts Brookfield

In spite of the chilly weather, New Yorkers were recently given a reason to step outside: Presented by Arts Brookfield, New York City based Okamoto Studio returned for a seventh year for a spectacular ice carving show, where artists transformed blocks of ice into sea life. The two-day, live-carving event, Grace-ful Ice: Seas Life took place at the Grace Building (Grace Plaza between 42nd and 43rd Street at 1114 Avenue of the Americas), and visitors were taken on a “frozen journey” in the process. See photos of the event below:

Past themes for the event have included the safari and dinosaurs, but this year’s ice carving gave rise to a host marine characters, such as dolphins, a sea turtle and a shark.

Okamoto Studio specializes in the art of “crystal clear ice,” ranging from the creation of sculptures to live performance carvings. The company mission is to showcase both the beauty and potential of ice — a goal it does not fall short of it. Crowds easily gathered around to watch the carvings come to life despite the frigid bite of winter.

Next, check out 17 Art Installations and Exhibits Not to Miss in NYC This December.