Forest Fires of Greenland 3

As climate change brings forests to Greenland, so will it bring the forest ecologies of forest fires! Photo by Lisa Forman, with collaboration with the astounding members of the Chasing the Light Expedition (see the FB page!)

Forest Fires of  Kalaallit Nunaat

I created 2 simple ink & watercolor paintings, each of a driftwood stick with Greenlandic lichens.  One of them traveled with a different group to the scientific camp NEEM, which is further north and on the top of the Greenland ice cap.  There, its paints were partially dissolved in glacial meltwaters there and photographed about the base.  The 2nd painting is its companion, traveled with the Chasing the Light Expedition, and was also partially dissolved in glacial waters, where more green paints were released.  Like its companion painting, my hope is that they evoke the "greening" of the polar landscape, and its advance northward along the Greenland ice, from Disko Bay towards Thule. Both paintings were later partially burned by my collaborators.  Why?  If forests do advance into Greenland, eventually normal forest ecologies will be established on this currently treeless "continent-island"-- which would include the normal forest ecological cycles of forest fires.  These two "twinned" artworks will be iidentified by their GPS locations, be framed and shown together in future exhibitions, and be shown along with photographs of the artworks placed on a Greenland beach and in the NEEM research station.

Forest Fires of Greenland 2

Taken on a beach on the West Coast of Greenland in July 2012.

Photos by Lisa Forman, with collaboration with the astounding members of the Chasing the Light Expedition (see the FB page!) To her, my deepest gratitude!

First step-- The "Greening of the Arctic" as climate change advances by diluting the extra watercolor paint on the branch painting by dousing with glacial waters.

My statement about the project:

Forest Fires of  Kalaallit Nunaat

I created 2 simple ink & watercolor paintings, each of a driftwood stick with Greenlandic lichens.  One of them traveled with a different group to the scientific camp NEEM, which is further north and on the top of the Greenland ice cap.  There, its paints were partially dissolved in glacial meltwaters there and photographed about the base.  The 2nd painting is its companion, traveled with the Chasing the Light Expedition, and was also partially dissolved in glacial waters, where more green paints were released.  Like its companion painting, my hope is that they evoke the "greening" of the polar landscape, and its advance northward along the Greenland ice, from Disko Bay towards Thule. Both paintings were later partially burned by my collaborators.  Why?  If forests do advance into Greenland, eventually normal forest ecologies will be established on this currently treeless "continent-island"-- which would include the normal forest ecological cycles of forest fires.  These two "twinned" artworks will be iidentified by their GPS locations, be framed and shown together in future exhibitions, and be shown along with photographs of the artworks placed on a Greenland beach and in the NEEM research station.

Forest Fires of Greenland

Photo from Zaria Forman of the Chasing the Light Expedition (see Facebook page), taken on a Greenland beach in July 2012.

To her my deep gratitude.

Zaria says of this: "Beautiful painting by Diane Fiedler. She gave it to us to "deploy" in Greenland, with explicit directions to burn and then splash with glacier water before it was entirely destroyed. The burning part was tricky with damp paper and strong winds!"

Snowy Owl

The photo of snow-covered mountain peaks from Chasing the Light Expedition Facebook pages have reminded me of a this watercolor of mine of a snowy owl with an aurora borealis. Snowy owls are very close to my loft in South Boston-- just across the harbor at LOGAN AIRPORT! It is a favorite stop along their migration route to and from the Arctic.  See more about Audubon's Snowy Owl Project, which has tagged hundreds of owls, at the Snowy Owl Telemetry Project:

http://www.massaudubon.org/Birds_and_Birding/snowyowl/index.php

http://www.massaudubon.org/Birds_and_Birding/snowyowl/maps.php

"As part of his research, he (Norman Smith) has worked with Logan Airport, observing and capturing Snowy Owls that could potentially pose a danger to air traffic, banding them and releasing them further along their migration path.* 
Unfortunately, 
Snowy Owls love airports."

Polar Bear Effigies painting floating in Disko Bay

Here is my 5 ft by 8 ft watercolor of polar bears, photographed by Milbry Polk, floating in the 1000 year old glacial waters near the Illiusat Glacier in Greenland, August, 2012!  I am told that Greenlander hunter who helped with placing and removing it from the waters was moved to tears, and that he endeavored to keep it for himself afterwards.