DeSoto Magazine – Southern Girl Afield - Ann Yungmeyer

■ about the arts
WINKER
FAMILY
CARVES
LEGACY
IN ICE
Text and photography by Karen Ott Mayer
IT’S A COLD JOB BUT SOMEONE HAS TO DO IT.
And in this case of crafting ice into elegant and
delicate sculptures, the task has fallen to the Winker
family of Memphis for over 30 years.
Mac Winker, owner and CEO of The Racquet
Club, built a complimentary career in the ice business,
winning multiple national competitions and serving as
captain of the U.S. Ice Sculpture Team. He has judged
local, regional and national events and co-wrote the
book “Ice Sculpture” in 1989 with his wife Claire.
While the senior Winker has retired and stepped
aside, his son David continues to carry the family’s icy
legacy forward.
“I carved my first piece when I was 11,” says David
Winker. The piece was a seal sculpture.
Since then, the younger Winker has carved countless
sculptures for weddings, parties, fundraisers and the
pieces are as diverse as the events themselves.
Winker recently carved a 3,000 pound, 15-foot ice
bar for the Blues Ball 2010.
“They literally served wine and champagne from
the bar,” says Winker.
Winker estimates he carved about 100 sculptures
during the summer for events in Memphis and the
surrounding areas.
Although it may seem a sculpture wouldn’t last for
hours outside a freezer, the opposite is true.
The ice bar was set up at 5pm and was still solid by
1am. “We can transport the sculptures in a truck or
van by placing them in a freezer bag. It would take
about eight hours for a piece to melt.
The Winkers even make their own ice from which
to carve pieces.
“We can control the quality of our ice,” says
Winker.
The carving is done with an electric chainsaw.
These days, Winker handles all the carving himself
22 DeSoto