Svalbard Impressions 2022
David McEown
It was inspiring to be back in Svalbard earlier this year for the month of April and return for the Summer Solstice. This Norwegian archipelago of which Spitsbergen is the largest island is located in the arctic ocean north of Norway. These landscapes have some of the most dramatic scenery that I have ever painted as well is home to abundant populations of arctic wildlife.
The video above features wildlife encounters and landscape highlights which I try to capture in watercolour. I used my Nikon Z9 taking most of the video. Many thanks to Daisy Gilardini for additional clips. At this time of year the light is ideal as sunrise and sunsets start to merge into one, iIlluminating still frozen fiords and crystal blue icebergs.
“Hornsund Reflections, 15in. x 22in watercolour
The following selection of painting were sketched on location as our small ship navigated its way through ice and some completed later on in the studio . Early in the season it is often well below freezing temperature. On some paintings I use a flash freeze technique in which I lay the water wash down and it freezes immediately leaving crystal textures. On others, when smoother transitions are required, I sometimes add flow medium like ox gall from Winsor Newton, (there are synthetic version on the market now) and glycerin in my paint mixture. Other times it is just to darn cold so I draw several compositions, and paint inside the ship from memory. Dressing in lots of layers is essential to stay warm and I use good gloves that open at the finger tips in order to feel the pencil.
These plein-air sketches are indispensable captures of the complex and surreal colour and light effects cast by glaciers and drift ice. The paintings are also used as references for bigger studio painting completed later on when back home, such as “Walrus and Ice” and the polar bear in “Ice Edge Sunrise”.
“Ice Edge Sunrise”, 28 x 40 inches watercolour
Fjord ice starts to break up in spring by a long deep swell from the arctic ocean creating endless inspiring compositions.
“Spitsbergen”, 14 x 22 inches watercolour
“Polar Shorelines”, 29 x 40 Inches watercolour
Svalbard Summer Impressions
Summer is an exciting time to be back in Svalbard. Countless birds are nesting along the cliffs while thundering glaciers give birth to icebergs. Low lying arctic flowers emerge and bloom while reindeer graze and polar bears are found scouring the shorelines looking for food. In the video above we had a wonderful encounter with a mother Polar Bear with two almost grown cubs feeding on a whale carcass. The temperature is now above zero so it is ideal for watercolour. I often prefer to work late at night or early morning when the light is not too harsh.
While painting along the drift ice in North East Svalbard on a moving ship I often work on 3 small studies at a time using 140 lb A’rches cold press “bright white” paper. While observing the fantastic icescape ahead of the ship I quickly block in the open water shapes around the ice leaving the dry white of the paper to represent snow and ice. Often the dramatic islands are reflected in the calm water between the ice patterns. While being on deck most of the day I photograph seals and polar bear tracks on the ice floes hope to spot the next bear! Many of these smaller paintings will be used as concepts for larger works completed in the studio. I am currently starting a new series of large watercolours. I will add them to this blog post over the next few months.
“Monacobreen”, 7 x 22 inches watercolour
“Surfacing Ice” is a studio painting inspired from a previous trip and represents a rolled and shattered iceberg about the size of a large house. Compressed jewel like ancient ice is exposed to air for the first time in thousands of years revealing embedded moraine sediment lines and patterns of fantastical creature shapes.
“Surfacing Ice”, 22 x 30 inches, watercolour from a few years ago.
“High Arctic Summer", 22 x 30 inches watercolour
“High Arctic Summer” Keeping the eye and heart close to the ground and discovering small pockets of wildflowers in the high arctics short but intense summer.
We thank Amazing Views Photo tours for organizing these trips and inviting us as guides. I really look forward to return again next year to experience photographing and sketching the wonders of Svalbard. For upcoming trips with Daisy Gilardini and myself on board please visit my upcoming events page. Most of the artwork on the page is available for sale, please contact us for more details.
To view more artwork from Svalbard please visit my Arctic Wonders page that also includes gallery links to locations that I have painted while circumnavigating the arctic and visiting the North Pole numerous times.
Polar Bear n.8