ice carving secrets: ice sculptures by Ed Tillotson of Elegance in Ice

Ed Tillotson

Ed Tillotson stands in front of "Rainmaker." (See the larger photo below.)

Ed Tillotson’s company Elegance in Ice serves Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Palm Beach, Florida. Ed has been carving for over 20 years and is known for his ice carving tool innovations. His sculptures are a mix of CNC machined precision and artful hand carving.

This dimpled golf ball on a tee ice sculpture features a snowfill engraved Glacier Club logo.

a twin doves and twin hearts ice sculpture by Ed Tillotson

This double open hearts and lovebirds ice carving is one of Ed’s signature wedding designs.

Cupid's arrow is shot through twin hearts; a perfect ice sculpture for a wedding reception or for Valentine's Day.

"Fallen Angels" ice sculpture carved in Alaska by Ed Tillotson and David Berman in 1999

Ed carved “Fallen Angels” with David Berman at the 1999 World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks, Alaska.

a bride and groom ice sculpture by Ed Tillotson

A bride and groom ice sculpture is displayed overlooking the water at a wedding reception in Miami.

ice sculpture of Cupid holding a heart by Ed Tillotson

A prancing Cupid holds an open heart in his hand; another ice sculpture for wedding receptions or for Valentine's Day.

pink colorfilled 50th birthday cake ice sculpture by Ed Tillotson

This 50th birthday cake ice sculpture for Michelle has pink colorfilled lettering frozen inside the ice.

This 10 foot long, two level seafood ice bar features stylized horse heads and the C-B-I logo engraved in the center.

Ed sparked a wave of major ice sculpting tool innovation in the 90's when he adapted endmill cutting bits for use in handheld electric die grinders. Previously, ice carvers had primarily been using straight-fluted cutting bits (usually used in woodworking) with their die grinders. Endmill bits are used in metal working and allow ice sculptors to cut much more aggressively into the ice. Similar endmill bits are also used with the CNC machines that some ice sculptors use.

winged archer ice sculpture by Ed Tillotson at an event in Ashland, Ohio

a multi-block winged archer sculpture from an Ashland, Ohio ice carving competition back in 2004

This “It’s a Heavenly Day” ice sculpture design includes a delicately crafted angel looking down from above.

A clamshell and seahorses ice bar by Ed Tillotson

The meltwater from this detailed clamshell and seahorse ice bar can just run right off the deck at this event in South Beach.

bunny and basket ice sculpture for Easter by Ed Tillotson

This bunny & basket ice sculpture is just waiting to be displayed on an Easter buffet and filled with fake grass and colored eggs.

Ed's most recent tool innovation is the line of hole cutting bits that he's produced. Once again, he's innovated by adapting tools from other industries so that they work for sculpting ice. His hole cutters work with 1/2" hammer drills and will cut holes ranging from 2 inches to 5 inches in diameter, perfect for cutting bottle-sized holes into ice sculptures. (See the photo below.)

This "End of Summer Bash" cosmo ice bar is set in a picturesque spot and has twin ice luges on top as well as bright colorfilled graphics frozen into the bar.

Ed Tillotson stands in front of "Rainmaker" ice sculpture

Ed stands in front of the imposing “Rainmaker,”
a multi-block sculpture carved with David Berman, from 2002 Ashland, Ohio event.

hole cutting bits for cutting bottle holes into ice, produced by Ed Tillotson

Ed has come up with a small line of aggressive hole-cutting bits for use with a hammer drill. The holes are great for displaying bottle of various sizes in the ice.

If you’re interested in getting an Elegance in Ice sculpture, your best bet is to call Ed at 954-971-1153, but you can see more of his ice art at ice-sculpture.org.

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