Of all the months to pay a visit to Portland, February might not be very high on most people’s lists. Sure, coffee feels great on cold hands. And yes, the Trail Blazers heat up the hardwood with dunks and shots from downtown. But, have you looked, or rather, been outside?
It’s chilly. It’s murky. And that’s just how ice carver James Stugart likes it.
The Fairbanks, Alaska, native is a world champion ice carver, and as you can imagine, winter is ideal for shaping giant blocks of ice into glistening works of art. “What I like the most about it is working at night,” Stugart said. “When your whole environment is really dark and you have lights shining onto the ice and the whole block just glows, it’s really cool and magical.”
For Stugart’s business ICEovation, the bread and butter often involves creating drink luges for holiday office parties or captivating wedding centerpieces — two T-rexes hugging each other was a particularly memorable request — but his personal projects lean into the surreal, honing mind-bending shapes that also bend the light.
Photo courtesy of Brooke Hoyer and Portland Winter Light Festival
It’s no surprise that Stugart has become a fixture at the Portland Winter Light Festival (PDXWLF), an annual event that encourages people to get out and explore immersive, illuminated art installations across the city. This year, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Feb. 6-7 , he will be at Pioneer Courthouse Square, carving ice for a crowd and answering questions that people may have about his craft.
For instance, how did he get started? Stugart first came across ice carving as a junior in high school, becoming the only one out of a dozen or so kids to pursue it, entering a competition as soon as he turned 18.
“After school, I would get dropped off and work until about 10 or 11 o'clock at night, and it was a super cold year, so it was negative 30 below with, you know, 20-to-30-miles-per-hour wind chill,” he said. “There I am, just hunched over hacking with this dull chisel. That would be enough to tear people away, but I don't know, for some reason I fell in love with it.”
Today, Stugart’s tool belt is a bit more advanced. He uses a special machine that freezes ice blocks from the bottom up, while a fountain pump keeps the water circulating, ensuring no air bubbles are trapped to maximize transparency. Carving usually begins with a chainsaw, before moving to chisels and die grinders, and then specialized drill bits for the details. To finish, he smooths the rough surfaces with a heat gun and rag, or sometimes just a garden hose, giving his sculptures a glossy finish.
You won’t want to miss Stugart in action, or any of the other dazzling PDXWLF displays, for that matter. There will be fire performers, silent disco dance parties and more than 200 pieces of art, and it’s all free to experience.