Taylor Gray (left) from Waterford Mott H.S. works on his ice carving at Oakland Technical Center Northwest, in preperation for the annual Plymouth Ice Sculpture contest. Looking over his work is Chef Ramon Herrera (right). The Oakland Press/DOUG BAUMAN

No artists can claim a colder environment in which to be creative than ice sculptors such as county high school students under the tutelage of Chef Ramon Herrera.

Four of Herrera’s Brandon and Waterford high school students in the Culinary Arts & Hospitality program will compete in the 26th annual Plymouth International Ice Sculpture Spectacular from Friday-Jan. 27. They are David Huckabone and Aaron Hyde, both of Brandon High School; Taylor Gray, Waterford Kettering; and Louise Hunt, Waterford Mott.

They’ve been practicing their craft under the watchful eye of Herrera outside Oakland Schools Technical Campus Northwest buildings in Clarkston for a few weeks.

Armed with saws and chisels and 330-pound ice blocks, the students will face off with 100 ice sculptors in the International Ice Sculpture Spectacular in Plymouth. They will have four hours to finish their projects.

Taylor and Louise will compete in the high school single-block competition 4:30-8:30 p.m. Friday. David and Aaron will compete in the multiblock competition from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Jan. 27.

“This is something I really wanted to do,” said David, 16. He said he and Aaron will be carving a peacock using three of the huge blocks of ice. The two were selected to compete for their skill as well as their grades and attendance, he said.

Frigid temperatures are predicted, but David isn’t worried about bringing extra gloves.

“Once you get going, you don’t even notice the cold. With all the adrenaline going, you just want to get it done,” said David, son of Mike and Cindy Huckabone, and brother of Mallory, 11 and Tyler, 14. He expects his entire family to be there.

As much as he enjoys making sculptures out of ice, David does not see it as his future career.

“I want to be a chef for a living. I just like cooking anything I can.” He said it all started with visits to his grandparents in Messena, N.Y., where his grandfather enjoys cooking.

Although he doesn’t see his grandfather often, “when I do see him I do a ton of cooking,” said David, who works at Cherry Hill Bowling Alley, where he has enjoyed bowling since early elementary school.

As far as the upcoming ice competition, David feels confident.

“I think we are going to do really well. The sculpture we did at our school looked really good.”



Contact staff writer Diana Dillaber Murray at (248) 745-4638 or diana.dillaber@oakpress.com.