A 10-metre teddy bear, a giant snowboarder or a life size combie van all carved out of snow are just some of the things you may stumble upon at Perisher Blue.

These snow creations are the work of Perisher Blue�s resident sculptor, Andrew �Grassi� Kelaher.

Grassi, who has been with Perisher Blue since 1996, amazes guests with new sculptures regularly on Front Valley. His creations are used as elements of the children�s ski school as well as to promote sponsors and special events at the resort such as The Footy Show.

His artwork is admired by thousands of Perisher Blue guests, but the well-recognised artist had humble beginnings.

Originally employed as a Perisher Blue lift operator he would entertain himself in the slower periods by making sculptures beside his lift.

�I would build Tweety Birds and Marvin the Martians when I was bored,� he said. �People started getting hit by lifts when they were taking photographs so the company asked me to stop.�

Realising the amazing talent at its disposal Perisher Blue asked Grassi to sculpt a giant snowman at Blue Cow.

�I think the resort was pretty happy with that and from there I started to do more and more sculptures,� he said.

From there Grassi joined the Trail Crew and would sculpt as well as perform general trail crew duties.

Then in the season of 2000, he was employed as a full-time sculptor. �I started getting more and more sculpting work and I just couldn�t fit it all in,� he said.

Grassi is generally found on Front Valley working away at his latest masterpiece, which have included a giant Nikon camera and skier and snowboarders in action.

He received national exposure with Channel Nine�s The Footy Show, his sculpture of the crew used as the backdrop, when the show broadcast from Perisher recently. Grassi cites that sculpture as his favourite. �I like doing Stirlo�s nose.�

When the snow melts away and Grassi has nothing left to work with, he fills his days painting.

Grassi is a well-accomplished artist, with work commanding between $1,500 and $3,000 a piece.

�My paintings are bright surreal landscape and nature images, mainly of the beach,� he said.

But while the snow continues to fall Grassi concentrates on snow and his snow creations.