Inspired by the proximity of an old icehouse to Nepco Neon, Chihuly and Carpenter decided to combine neon and ice. At the Providence ice block manufacturer they placed an array of U-shaped neon tubes in about sixty standing molds filled with water, with the electrodes above the tops of the molds. The strength and slight flexibility of the glass tubing kept it from breaking as the water expended and froze into 300-pound blocks of ice.

First unveiled in a memorable gathering for RISD students, faculty, and friends at the icehouse, the piece was later re-created outside the RISD art gallery in conjunction with the opening of the annual glass faculty show. 20,000 Pounds of Ice was installed as a corridor at the entrance of the building, arranged in zones of similar hues. Some blocks were pushed and others fell over immediately, making their arrangement appear random. The piece took about ten days to melt. 20,000 Pounds of Ice was the most beautiful and dramatic of the Chihuly/Carpenter installations. The opening of the Seattle Art Museum's 1992 exhibition is the only other time 20,000 Pounds of Ice has been re-created.