Christmas shoppers stood in awe, pointing and guessing as the Japanese-born and trained artist worked his magic on a 150 kilogram block of ice.

Ogawa had to work quickly with chisels, picks and drills as the sun beamed through the shopping centre skylight.

But within minutes Ogawa heaved the glistening Santa Claus to its feet.

The 64-year-old artist has been competing and exhibiting his frozen art work all over the world since 1986.

He aid he usually created larger scale works from his below-zero studio, but said the dozen or so ice art works created for the Canberra Centre would fit with the season's theme.

"It is Christmas time, so today it is Santa Claus but on Sunday I will do a reindeer, Christmas trees and more," he said.

Ogawa demonstrated skill in drilling into the rear of the ice blocks and creating blooming roses and sea urchins suspended inside.

Watching with her mother and former Olympic swimmer Petria Thomas, Zara Jones, 5, said Ogawa's Santa was "pretty cool".

"It makes me think about giving Santa milk and cookies," Zara said.

Canberra Centre spokesman Brendan Hill said the two exhibitions of live ice art were part of a series of spectacles planned for shoppers in the lead-up to Christmas.

"It's really bringing Santa and reindeers to life for customers," he said.

"It's pretty hot in Canberra so I think it's fantastic and what better way to get a renowned ice sculptor like Kenji in to do something really unique."

Catch Ogawa craft his final series of ice sculptures on Sunday between noon and 2pm in the Canberra Centre food court near City Walk.