Return to Antarctica and South Georgia
David McEown
South Georgia Island
These recent works were painted on location during a trip to the Sub Antarctic island of South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula in January - February 2022. It has been a long term project of mine to study , record and raise awareness about the fragility of these natural wonders as well as try to express their inherent beauty. Looking forward to work on some new studio paintings from all the reference! Many more paintings circumnavigating Antarctica can be viewed on my Antarctica page.
How does one paint more than 200,000 King penguins spread out as far as the eye can see? There is not paper big enough to capture the vast display of life force present at the king penguin colony of Salisbury Plain, truly one of of natures great spectacles! I have painted this place over the years from to top of the hill in the background and from both sides, but in this 2022 expedition I decided to just look strait into the colony from the landing beach. With it lightly raining i paint between my folder angled against the wind. After establishing a good start on composition and the colour of a few key penguins , i clip another piece of paper on and expand the composition to the left side also taking notice of arriving penguins swimming on to shore with bellies full of food to feed their fuzzy brown chicks.
Antarctica
It was rare to have weather calm enough to be able to leave the ship and have a closer look at the historic site called Point Wild. Commander Frank Wild was Ernest Shackleton’ right hand man and played a huge role in the 1914-1916 Imperial Trans-Antarctic expedition . They had to abandon their ship the Endurance as it was beset by ice and sank. As second in command he was left in charge of 21 men on a desolate rock on Elephant island while Shackleton and crew of 5 made the epic rescue mission to South Georgia in a lifeboat. From April 24th to August 30 (winter in antarctica) , Wild and men waited until rescued at this place rock now called Point Wild. They all survived.
Deception Island is actually a flooded caldera of an active volcano. While sketching from the shore of the inner harbour , old boats and remnants from previous whaling activity swallowed up by the volcanic sands inspired this watercolour composition. The scene is a stark reminder of impermanence. On the outside of the island there is bustling Chinstrap penguin colonies and many whales are returning to these waters.
While looking down the Errera Channel from Danco Island a dramatic sky and snow squalls lift to reveal the Gerlache Strait and the shape of iconic Cuverville island. In the foreground is a small Gentoo colony in which I isolated one lone penguin walking along the top ridge. The exposed rocks on the way up the steep slopes make excellent nesting sites for these Penguins.
