Video: Ice, Ice Baby

His boss asked him if he could carve ice.

Matt Cooper said no problem, even though he'd only tried it a couple of times.

Before long, however, he was winning competitions and has since turned it into a business and makes ice sculptures for Olympia Entertainment, including Comerica Park and Joe Louis Arena events, Greektown Casino and several weddings, parties and more.

He works out of Fenton and takes special orders. He's completed life-sized statues, ice luges for bars and parties, ice chairs and more.

"You name it, we've done it," Cooper said.

In carving competition in Alaska, Cooper and three others carved a full farm scene from 12 220-pounds blocks of ice in three days.

"We won first place peoples choice and carvers choice," Cooper said. "That was pretty neat."

He said the hardest thing to learn to carve is the human figure.

"You develop the ability to adapt," Cooper said. "We can do anything. If people can draw it,  we can carve it."

Visit the Icon Ice website for more information.