Antarctica and South Georgia Island in Watercolour
David McEown
Videos merge into paintings during an expedition to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. (Watercolours and video by David McEown, additional video by Daisy Gilardini)
Lemaire Channel Sunset n.1, 7 × 15 inches , watercolour
We have just returned home after an incredible trip to Antarctica, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands, which took place from December 2025 through January 2026 aboard the M/V Sylvia Earle. The voyage marked the 20th anniversary of my first painting expedition to Antarctica, and conditions were nearly perfect for every landing, with beautiful light inspiring watercolour painting, photography, and citizen science. I am now working on larger studio paintings and look forward to sharing updates soon. Many thanks to the crew and staff at Aurora Expeditions for taking us there!
Many watercolours are completed on location, whereas others are done on a moving ship with sometimes rapidly changing foreground in which case I sketch in 3 or 4 compositions on a large piece of paper and take colour notes to finish the series later, either from memory or with additional photo reference.
On landings, we all abide by strict IATO biosecurity protocols to avoid bringing in any foreign items, plant seeds, or viruses that may affect the wildlife. All my gear stays on my back, or I hang my pack on a tripod so that when returning to the ship, the boots and tripod pole are sanitized. I have an empty water bottle for waste water from mixing paint to bring back to the ship.
One highlight of this trip was having time with the iceberg named by scientists A23a. It was the largest iceberg in the world and has been on a journey for nearly 40 years since it was released from Antarctica. I have seen it in the distance in previous trips, but this year it is melting fast. The massive ice block creates its own weather patterns and microclimate. From the ship, I had time to put down some marks and pay homage to this piece of history and ancient ice that is rapidly released back into the ocean.
“Iceberg A23a”, 11 × 22 inches, watercolour
South Georgia Island
The King Penguin Colony at St. Andrews Bay on South Georgia island is one of the world’s great wildlife spectacles. From a moraine viewpoint one can witness 100’s of thousands of adults with their woolly brown chicks, surrounded by peaks and glaciers. There is not paper large enough for such a scene , so I often hinge sheets of paper together to record the panorama. These studies on their own are finished paintings but all contain indispensable information for a larger studio work.
“King Penguin colony at St. Andrews Bay”, 11 × 42 inches triptych in watercolour.
Fortuna Bay, 13 × 22 inches watercolour
Art Workshops
On this trip, I was invited to provide art programming and enrichment presentations to complement the expedition team’s informative lectures and citizen science program. The ship was very comfortable and well-stabilized, which allowed for cosy drawing sessions in the lecture theatre/lounge and watercolour sessions in the Sylvia Earle Science Centre, which is equipped with sinks and workstations with a view. I was impressed by the level of participation and talent on board!
I look forward to sharing more workshops later this year during back-to-back Ross Sea expeditions with Aurora Expeditions . Dates listed on my Events page.
Antarctic Painting Locations by David McEown 2005-2026
Photos By David McEown, Nikon Z9 and Z8
