This sculpture depicts a life cycle of a snow flake. Fresh snow flakes always have six sides.  In nature every snow flake is different. Once a snow flake is on the ground it starts changing its shape. This process of change is called METAMORPHOSIS. First, wind breaks off the arms.  Next, the arms of the snow flakes get rounded to snow grains. At the bottom of the 
snowpack new ice crystals form called depth hoar. Finally the snow changes into large rounded snow grains just before the ice melts.

Read more about the artists inspiration for the piece in: Metamorphosis of a Snowflake.