Snowmen

David Shrigley: 'A few years ago I went to St Moritz in Switzerland. I decided to build a non-conformist snowman. When the art collector who owned the hotel saw it he became very excited that I had created an artwork in the grounds of his hotel. I had to explain that it was not an artwork - it was just a snowman. It’s an easy mistake to make' Photograph: David Shrigley

Will Alsop, architect: 'This image shows a snowstorm, rather than a snowman in the traditional sense. I’ve imagined what a snowstorm would look like if you could actually catch the flakes as they fall ... I was thinking about the fact that snow hardly ever falls any more, and yet we still have in our minds an image of what a snowman is' Photograph: Will Alsop

Keith Tyson, artist: 'Snowmen are the first way in which children come across the idea of human vanitas and impernanence. We live under the myth that if we produce things, they’re going to last. When in fact, everything we make is like a snowman – it’s all going to melt in the sun eventually. This sculpture, on the other hand, is built to last. It’s made of glass-fibre polycarbonate painted to look like real snow' Photograph: Keith Tyson

Rachel Whiteread, artist: 'This is one of our family Christmas decorations. Could any child ever want any more from Christmas? A deluxe fibre optic creation of staggering beauty... MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL XX' Photograph: Rachel Whiteread

Yinka Shonibare, artist: 'When I was asked to create a snowman, the first thing I thought of was an African snowman, but then the thought of it made me laugh a lot, because he would melt immediately and there would be a puddle where he was. I thought my snowman should just be a puddle, but I suppose that would not be in the spirit of the thing, so I decided to use some African fabric' Photograph: Yinka Shonibare

Jasmin Vardimon, choreographer: 'I grew up in Israel, so I didn’t get to see snow until I was almost an adult. Like a Russian Babushka figure, a snowman almost never has legs. I decided to create a snow-woman, and to give her very long legs. I only kept the snowman’s colour and his traditional nose. I planned to cover her in flour, but then I found this costume in the National Theatre studio, and used that instead' Photograph: Jasmin Vardimon

Nigel Coates, architect: 'I liked the idea of a snowman born from the forces of nature. I found an image of a snowy mountain on the internet, and doctored it so that the mountain looks like a snowman from where we’re standing. It’s like seeing a face in the moon or a cloud like a rabbit' Photograph: Nigel Coates

Duncan Hamilton, ice sculptor: 'This is a snowman for children. I wanted to make something that people would smile at. He has a big smile – and if you give a smile, you usually get one back. It took me about five hours to sculpt him. He’s different to a traditional snowman because he has legs – most are just a blob' Photograph: Duncan Hamilton

Josie Long, comedian: 'That’s my friend Holly under there. I really like fancy dress, so I made her an outfit. It’s not very practical, but I’ve put in lots of things I like. Holly’s face is covered with Smash mashed potato. It’s gross, but it has just the right consistency for making peaks that look like snow' Photograph: Josie Long

Anya Gallaccio, artist: 'My dream snowman would be made of 12 gallons of sultana ice cream. It’s divine - wintery and warming at the same time. He’d have the sultanas as buttons for his coat, and possibly a peaked cap made from meringue' Photograph: Anya Gallaccio

Simon Periton, artist: 'This is a morphed monster of a snow thing; a ghostly figure which trails through the dark winter sky on its way back from another cold front, following the carrot that dangles before him. He is full of the detritus of past winters' Photograph: Simon Periton

Stephen Gill, photographer: 'This is a real 'snowman' - a man who makes snow. His name is Darcey E Crownshaw. I photographed Darcey standing outside his snow-mill in Gloucestershire; he’s just used the snow machine on his back to spray the ground. I like the way he's rigid and fixed in the photograph, like a snowman is in a garden' Photograph: Stephen Gill