Pixiq

The natural phenomenon of fire and ice is something I associate with Iceland, having seen graphic videos of dramatic sub-glacial eruptions. But never having managed to see this spectacle for myself, the best I could come up with was a staged shot of fire and ice taken in Colorado, to wish PIXIQ followers (and contributors) a Happy Christmas / Happy Holidays – depending on which side of the Pond you live.  

The starting point was a free-form sculpture by Lyle Braund taken in 2002, at a time when I was into taking ice sculptures at the spectacular annual exhibitions in Harbin – China's ice city. After Lyle creates a wire framework, water jets are played onto it so that the sculpture is gradually created as layer upon layer of ice builds up. The ice laid down at night resembles white porcelain, whereas the ice formed by day has a pale green color.

Having spent a couple of days taking every sculpture at varying angles against a blue sky by day and lit by colored lights at night, I had all the images I wanted. Nevertheless, niggling away at the back of my mind was the shot I REALLY wanted. So I asked Lyle if he was prepared to dig a hole beneath the sculpture as a fire pit. Much to my amazement, he thought it a neat idea and promptly set to work, managing to create leaping flames just as twilight set in.

For more Lyle Braund ice sculptures see his website