At Your Service: Ice Capades
September 2008
Ice sculptor Kevin O'Malley takes a chip off the old block.
Looking for a dramatic focal point to heat up your next soiree? Check out the crystallized creations of Ice Sculptures by Kevin O'Malley in Tinton Falls. Under O'Malley's careful attention, 300-pound blocks of ice are transformed into team emblems, cars, comic characters, corporate logos—or just about any other creation you can conjure. "Right now I'm working on a sculpture of Dr. Zaius, a character from Planet of the Apes, for a fraternity barbeque," says O'Malley. "I'm not sure why."
After graduating from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, O'Malley went to work as a cold-foods chef for the Hilton organization, where he learned the finer points of putting chisel and chainsaw to work on ice. He has also taken traditional sculpting courses to refine his technique.
After his creations graced tables at New York's Rainbow Room and Helmsley Palace, word of mouth soon established O'Malley as the area's go-to iceman. "I started doing ice sculpture in my spare time," he says.
Working in his subzero studio, O'Malley has immortalized hundreds of subjects in ice, even though the legend only lasts as long as his medium. "The ice will melt at a rate of about an inch an hour in a 70-degree room," he says. "I can deal with seeing something I may have spent 10 hours making disappear."
Ice luges are a popular sculpture feature in Kevin's creations. They're seen at all types of events, including: birthdays, weddings, college graduations, even corporate events!
A popular feature O'Malley builds into some sculptures is a "luge," where tubes are inserted through holes drilled in the ice to dispense chilled beverages. The fraternity boys are eager to put Dr. Zaius to work. "They want vodka to pour out of his mouth," O'Malley says.
Prices range from $150 for a half-block sculpture up to $1,000 for special requests. Visit the Order Form to see our list of options.
Written by Chris Burns, Monmouth Health & Life, September 2008