Arctic Ice

I have been wanting to do a piece of fused glass artwork, based on last year's visit to the pack ice, for some time. But not knowing how to go about it, or what I wanted to achieve made me hesitant. So finally I gave it a go! It's amazing how different a piece of glass looks with different angles and amounts of light through it.   It was hard to photograph! Hopefully you get the feeling of looking deep into the crystal clear ice and seas of the Arctic.

The inspiration.

Fused glass wave - layed flat.

Detail...

The wave with light through it...the sky is an opaque grey emphasising the translucent nature of the water. 

Details and below...

Sandra Meech at Farfield Mill

It's not often that I travel any distance for an exhibition, especially when everything is on the web .....but this was well worth it. Farfield Mill is a superb venue on the outskirts of Sedbergh and Sandra's exhibition didn't disappoint! 

Having been brought up on the Somerset Levels and been to the Arctic earlier in the year, this exhibition was a must. 

The iconic willows/withies make superb silhouettes...I'd love to do something based on willows and the fabulous patterns in frozen floodwaters as the water levels drop....

I really enjoyed reading about the levels on the underside of each strip - references to the rivers Parrot and Tone took me back to childhood. 

and moving on ...to the Arctic ....

I love this piece - and need to experiment with Snapseed to create multi layered images ...

By printing onto fabric and then machine embroidering, a realistic image is achieved...

So now all I need is to find the time to develop my ideas! 

Playing ...

I don't know where the time seems to go and recently I have been doing a lot of the normal reproducing prints etc, but last night I had a play ...I don't do water-colour, so this is very much experimental! ..and fun! Somehow I keep getting drawn back, excuse the word-play, back to Norfolk. 

Using an embelisher

With a meeting coming up, where we sahll be looking at the use of embellishers, I thought that I ought to metaphorically, dust mine off. An embelisher is like a sewing machine, but rather than an threaded needle that goes up and down, it has pronged needles that 'needle-felt' flet nad fabric into a background. although there is a lot more you can do with them I am sure - and hopefully will find out just what next week - watch this space! In the meantime ..and 'dusting off' here are three ice inspired semi abstract pices - made with an embellisher, incorporaating marino tops, dyed muslin and other fabrics and wool and  then a bit of machine stitching was added. What to do with them next is the question, as they are ok in their own right, but shall I chop them up and incorporate them into another piece? 

Arctic prints

A great afternoon earlier this week, at Linden Print Studios using their press which enables me to produce larger pieces of work ...more work is required to get the image I want, but I know where I am going! 

Drypoint of a glacier ...crevasses ....this will be hand coloured, but I'd like to take a section of this in black and white and develop it both in plain ink and as a textile.

Drypoint ...I like  the introduction of a bit of colour and am particulalry pleased with the sea. 

And I loved this collagraph ...same view as above - just a different technique - now to try to combine the two techniques! 

Oceanwide Expeditions: Hondius

Several people have been asking about our Arctic trip and specifically the ship we went on ...so here goes. 

We booked through Heatherlea (click here for their website) on their Arctic to Aberdeen expedition. The trip was on the Hondius which is run by Oceanwide Expeditions (click here for their website) .  

As part of a group of 17 Heatherlea clients,  we had two excellent leaders with us and we were on the Hondius which has a capacity of 174 guests. 

To cut a long story short I couldn't both recommend these companies more! 

On the ship we had 21 different nationalities and everyone was there to enjoy the Arctic spectacle. Oceanwide are full members of AECO (Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators) which is an organisation dedicated to managing respectful, environmentally-friendly,  safe expeditions in the Arctic. Being environmentally friendly as possible was very important to us when choosing this trip, although speaking to people, prior to our booking, everyone said the difference it makes to you in your passion for environmental issues always offsets any impacts - it certainly has affected us and I am seeking to continue to spread the message ......

Fair Isle  - Hondius and zodiac. 

Our cabin window ..

The Hondius is the first vessel built to class LR PC6, meeting the latest and highest demands of Lloyd's Register for Polar Class 6 vessels, the world's highest notation for ice strengthended vessels - she is an ice-mover rather than ice-breaker. 

We used zodiacs for our trips onto land ...

Zodiacs.

Pack ice landing ...basically drive the zodiac at the ice ..after all the H&S assesments .

Polar bear safety...

Our esteemed leaders - two nicer blokes you couldn't meet ..

People ask ..Was it crowded? No, is the answer we never felt that we were anything else than in a small group. 

We were always welcome on the bridge and there was a large monitor showing progress at reception...

..and where we were ...

The lectures, four a day, whilst travelling were brilliant. 

..and there was always time for a meet up and chat...with excellent coffee ! 

..and then there was the last night midnight sun ...and party! ...oh and as for the food...well what can I say - fabulous!

Pack ice textile

When you google pack ice textiles and pack ice felt - not a lot comes up - so here's a start - my textile interpretation of pack ice. I began by coating calico with gesso; 'threw' some acrylic inks on it and then added hand dyed fabrics with stitchwork. I think I may do another similar piece ...larger and slightly abstracted; we'll see....

I think this was the photo it was based on! 

Arctic larger sketches ...

While in the Arctic I did do a couple of larger watercolour and ink sketches...and I'm looking forward to working them up at an even larger scale. 

Watercolour sketching at 2am in the morning ...but with a view like below - why wouldn't you! 

Svalbard.

Sketching ...

..and acrylic ink pack ice ...in the ice like below. 

Arctic sketches

While we were away I did, of course,  do an illustrated diary .. so here are few of the sketches ...which are 10cm x 7cm ish.

Fair Isle.

One of many sea pics.

Jan Mayen.

Pack ice.

Polar Bear.

Harp Seals.

Rough sea.

Svalbard.

Walruses.