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13″ × 15″, oil on linen (2010) Henrietta Nesmith Glacier, Quttinirpaaq National Park, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada

From the INTO THE ARCTIC Project

Lake Hazen is a thermal oasis in a polar desert that receives less than 2½ centimetres of rain per year. The massive lake basin helps to create temperatures exceeding 20°c at times. As I approached Henrietta Nesmith Glacier, however, the temperature dropped, a reflection of the cold weather system created by the huge mass of the glacier itself. Once up close, I could see clearly one of its many deep crevasses, and patterns of intimately woven ice and ancient earth. The sun shone briefly as I painted, bringing a touch of warmth to the ice and to my body.