“Ideas In Ice,” Takes Branson’s First National Ice Carving Competition

Winning ice sculpture "Ideas in Ice." Titanic -themed images by John Flottman of Oklahoma City. Photo By: TITANIC Museum Attraction.

Cold temperatures and rainy conditions didn’t prevent several of the nation’s top ice sculptors from competing in Saturday’s National Ice Carving Association– sanctioned contest at the World’s Largest Titanic Museum Attraction in Branson, Missouri.

Spectators gathered under umbrellas during the five-hour outdoor event to watch as the sculptors’ Titanic-themed creations came to life. Several Branson celebrities including the Lennon Sisters and Presleys’ Country Jubilee cast members even dropped by.

“We were very honored to host Branson’s first national competition,” said Mary Kellogg Joslyn, Titanic museum-attraction co-owner. “All of these carvers are incredibly talented and did an amazing job of memorializing the Titanic.”

John Flottman of “Ideas In Ice,” based in Oklahoma City, took top honors and $2,500 in cash with his chronological vertical collage of Titanic images. The sculpture portrayed a celebration of Titanic’s maiden voyage, followed by the New York Times announcement of it’s sinking, and finally the wreckage, as seen by a submersible.

Second place and $1,000 went to Stephan Koch of Indiana Ice Studio, Inc. from Yorktown, Indiana for his sculpture of the Statue of Liberty with the torch in one hand and Titanic in the other.

Third place and $500 went to Kenneth Burkemper of Ideas In Ice, in Oklahoma City, for his rendition of Titanic’s crows nest and two watchmen.

The World’s Largest TITANIC Museum Attraction plans to host next year’s National Ice Carving Competition on January 12, 2008. For entry information, please visit, http://www.nica.org/.

The World’s Largest TITANIC Museum Attraction is Branson’s new landmark tourist destination. The 17,000 square foot, ship-shaped structure – built half scale to Titanic’s original size – towers more than 100 feet above its anchored position on Highway 76. A 90-minute, self-guided tour covers 20 galleries on two decks where more than 400 priceless artifacts that once belonged to Titanic’s passengers or crew are on display. None of the artifacts were retrieved from the ocean’s floor. A creative mix of music from the period is accompanied by dramatic lighting, ambient sound, photographs, video and hands-on devices that give visitors the sensation of being an original passenger on Titanic’s 1912 maiden voyage.