Find out why ice is nice at Okamoto Studio in LIC
BY TAMMY SCILEPPI
Ice, ice, baby!
Summertime is party
time and there’s nothing like
a frosty mug of beer on a
hot day.
At Okamoto Studio, located
at 35-03 31st St. in Long Island
City, you can meet new
friends and break the ice — in
more ways than one. Become
a budding ice carver, create
your own ice mug and enjoy
your fave icy cold drink! No
rocks needed.
Owner and master ice
carver Shintaro Okamoto
said this interactive ice
sculpture turns your favorite
designs into a perfect
conversation starter.
“Summer is the perfect
time to spend some time
around ice, cold drinks and
friends! We think the ice
mug workshop incorporates
all three elements to create
the perfect team-building/
bonding experience for
anyone (over 21, of course),”
he added.
Ice. It’s a versatile material
that can be both functional
and aesthetic. With designs
based on individual taste,
sculpted ice does more than
just chill your food and
drinks; it makes any event
extra special.
Using drills, picks and
other tools of the trade,
Okamoto thrives on the drama
as he tames the complexities
of ice to create his clients’
desired experiences. This
means careful execution of
details and an artist’s keen
eye for form and beauty. The
result? An amazing work
of art: Life-like sculptures,
live performance carvings
and delicate ice creations of
all kinds.
He has been teaching this
unique craft to his eager
students during year-round
workshops and events. “Our
Ice Mug Making Workshop is a
great way to bond with friends
or coworkers. You reserve a
date to come in with a group to
our studio or we can come to
your office instead,” Okamoto
explained. “First, we spend
15 minutes introducing you
to the process of ice carving,
as well as how to keep things
Photos courtesy of Okamoto Studio
safe and fun. Next, you are
given a block of ice along with
tools to chip and shape the icy
beer mug of your dreams.”
Ice is of the moment; it’s
fleeting and ephemeral but
embodies the “here and now.”
And sculpted ice has that
glam wow factor. It’s all about
celebration, so it’s perfect for
a wide range of events, from
birthdays and office parties to
weddings, anniversaries and
one-of-a-kind celebrations.
It’s even great for public
installations in NYC, which
Okamoto has greatly enjoyed.
As a working material,
ice’s capacity for last-minute,
large-scale production also
makes it very cost-effective
and time-efficient, according
to the ice king, who said his
diverse clients ask for a wide
range of designs. “We have
had the pleasure of working
with exciting clients like
Reebok, HBO, the NY Yankees
and Uber,” he noted.
“We recently collaborated
with Coors Light and CNN to
create a mini-documentary
clip where we capture the
essence of summer within
blocks of ice.”
Ice is nice but what’s
behind Okamoto’s passion
for it?
“Ice is one of the most
interesting mediums to work
with. There’s something
poignant about creating
something that will disappear
without a trace in a matter of
hours,” he explained.
The studio also offers
Image Carving and Penguin
Carving Workshops – which
are just as enjoyable as the Ice
Mug Making experience – but
are also suitable for those who
don’t drink or for kids (with
adult supervision) who want
to join in the icy fun.
For the Mug Making
Workshop, pricing for the setup
starts at $360; price per is
person $65.
Make reservations (right
away) by contacting info@
okamotostudionyc.com or
calling 212-842-0630.
Tues. & Wed. $1895
1 1/4 lb. Lobster, Clams, and Mussels
Served with Corn on the Cob
and Baked Potato
with Purchase of 2 Cocktails,
2 Wines or 2 Beers
TIMESLEDGER,44 AUG. 23-29, 2019 BT QNS.COM
/okamotostudionyc.com
/QNS.COM
