SYCAMORE – Lynden Bute's work of art might not stand for long, but that's OK with him.

This year, Bute poured about a dozen hours into a snow sculpture of an American bald eagle with outstretched wings spanning 10 feet. With temperatures approaching 40 degrees today, Bute isn't sure how long the sculpture will hold up.

He said it's gotten easier to watch his sculptures melt in the 40 years he's made the pieces. The best part of snow sculpting isn't the finished product.

"The joy is in doing it and pleasing yourself," he said. "As I grow older, I find it easier to [watch it melt] and not worry about it."

His latest creation is titled "The Eagle Has Landed." He said the patriotic theme was appropriate because he worked on the sculpture Tuesday, when President Barack Obama gave his State of the Union address.

"I don't know if he's Democrat or Republican, but he's definitely an American," Bute said of the eagle.

Bute has created the sculpture before and won an award at the Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition in 1996. He wanted to quickly create a piece before another wave of warmer weather melted the rest of the snow.

"Mother Nature hasn't been on our side," said Sycamore resident Mike Boddy, who has sculpted with Bute for about four years.

The two joined creative forces after Boddy helped Bute create a pond in his backyard, and Bute noticed Boddy had an eye for "putting things together."

Bute uses a variety of tools, including one that dates back to 1945 – the year he was born. He uses a U.S. Marine knife that's shaped like a fish head with a sharp edge that goes across the top. He also uses a survival saw to shape his snow sculptures.

"Here it is, a war tool used for art," Bute said.

Bute's sculptures start as drawings.

He then carves a small piece of Styrofoam to use as a model. After he carves the Styrofoam block, he covers it with clay so he can include details such as the eagle's feathers. The model also gives Boddy direction when assisting with sculptures.

They shoveled snow from Bute's front yard and ran the snow through a snowblower to create a texture that's easier to carve. They formed the snow into a block and carved away until the eagle took shape. The bird stands 8 feet high and is 4 feet thick. It is on display on the corner of North Avenue and Main Street in Sycamore.

If weather conditions were better, Bute said he considered making a themed sculpture based on the movie "War Horse." Instead, he stuck to a familiar sculpture he quickly could create because he knew it likely wouldn't last long.

Should the area see more snow and colder temperatures, Bute might carve a second sculpture. He hopes to put a motorized turntable to use later. That way, his art fans would be able to see the front and back of his sculptures, which are lit up at night.

"When the conditions are right, you can do beautiful stuff in snow and ice," he said.