Antarctica 2006

In October of 2006, I flew to Ushuaia on the southern tip of Argentina to join Quark Expeditions for their first ever voyage to the Snow Hill Island Emperor Penguin colony. Traveling on the icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov, a Russian ship equipped with six engines and carrying two helicopters for ice navigation and transit, we crossed the Drake Passage, entered the Weddell Sea, and approached the Antarctic Peninsula where we encountered thick spring ice.

Once the ship was firmly jammed in fast ice (ice that is attached to land), we spent three days visiting the Snow Hill Island Emperor Penguin rookery. Traveling by helicopter from the ship, we would land a couple kilometers away from the rookery and approach on foot to minimize our impact. Sketching the ice and penguins was marvelous, despite temperatures well below zero. In the cold, I bundled up and experimented with adding vodka to my paints to lower their freezing temperature.

Breaking out of the ice to head home was a challenge- despite the ship using all six engines to break free, we only made 1.5 nautical miles progress. After a morning of sliding and crunching the ice (burning massive amounts of fuel in the process) the captain opted to shut engines down early and we waited till the next day for a shift in winds. The strength of the ice was humbling and I can only imagine what the early explorers must have experienced.

Help sponsor an expedition

Pledge your support and help make my upcoming High Latitudes expedition possible. Donate and receive a gift from the field at one of four sponsorship levels.

Donations are tax-deductible, made possible through fiscal sponsorship from the Allied Arts Foundation.

Paintings

Once home in my studio, I developed a series of oil paintings and my field sketches, notes, and photos continue to inspire my work. View select paintings in my portfolio.

Outreach Opportunities

Bringing together art, the outdoors, and science is my passion. Learn more about hosting an exhibit, presentation, or workshop.

Thank you to those who have already supported this work including the Pacific Science Center, Polar Science Center, Vashon College, UW Faculty Club, and Race in JL.

Polar Arts Program

Interested in traveling to Antarctica as artist-in-residence? Quark's program is coordinated by Theme Exhibitions which also provides opportunities for artists in the Arctic.