Sculptures look good enough to eat: No licking allowed

Sentinel photo by Amy Erickson) Terry Utesch built a 6-foot-3-inch steel ice cream cone sculpture to support Ice Cream Days activities at the Le Mars Arts Center. It took Utesch and several helpers to carry and assemble the about 300-pound piece. [Click to enlarge]

You don't have to worry about a 6-foot steel ice cream cone on display at the Le Mars Arts Center cone melting in your hand.

The 300 to 350-pound stainless steel 6-foot-3-inch ice cream cone is part of a "Cone Sculptures" exhibit at the Arts Center as part of Ice Cream Days fun.

Ice cream cone sculptures including that one will be on exhibit at the Arts Center through June 28. Afterward, they will be auctioned to public bidders for private placement around Le Mars in support of Ice Cream Days 2010.

(Sentinel photo by Amy Erickson) Tim Lohafer, of Hinton, built a colorful, bent metal ice cream cone sculpture on display at the Le Mars Arts Center in support of Ice Cream Days. The outdoor sculpture invites visitors to check out what the Arts Center has to offer from 1 to 5 p.m. today (Friday) and Saturday. [Click to enlarge]

Terry Utesch, of Le Mars, the mastermind behind the overgrown ice cream cone said he started fashioning it in February and has been working on it part time ever since.

"I was hoping I could get it done in time," Utesch said. "I like a challenge. I've made other artsy stuff, but nothing like this."

He constructed the top of the cone and the flowers at the bottom from stainless steel and used an expanded steel for the rest, Utesch said.

Utesch said he built the ice cream cone at Gus Pech Manufacturing Inc. where he works and thanked his bosses for allowing him to use the space.

He started with a few sketches, Utesch said, but he doesn't use many drawings because his art changes form many times during creation.

"I know where I start, but I never know where I'm going to end up," Utesch said.

Along with Utesch, Remsen-Union High School industrial art students and Tim Lohafer, a rural Hinton artist, also built ice cream cone sculptures in honor of this weekend's festivities.

The R-U students' piece is white on top and tan on the bottom -- just like a vanilla ice cream cone. It also has an attached bench inviting visitors to sit for a spell.

"It was a good learning and teaching project for the students because they had never done any welding before," said Kathy Moore, Arts Center executive director.

Outside the Arts Center, Lohafer's colorful bent iron cone sculpture has been in place since April to entice passers-by to stop in for a look at the Arts Center.

Lohafer also created the barn frame for the Barn Quilt "Star Bound" at the Arts Center and has several smaller items for sale in the center's gift shop, Moore said.

People are encouraged to visit the Arts Center, 200 Central Ave. S.E., from 1 to 5 p.m. today (Friday) and Saturday to check out the ice cream cone sculptures.