The Antarctica Project - By Lisa Goren

 

Thank you for taking the time to look at my work.  I have been fascinated by the Antarctic all of my life and in 1997 I was lucky enough to be able to travel “South” for a short time.  

 

All of these paintings are from photos (as opposed to “plein air”) and most of those photos are mine from the trip.  I did do some very small paintings while I was in Antarctica but they were more “studies” rather than finished pieces.  I have found that polar landscapes render the term “abstract” meaningless.  These paintings address this question of reality vs. imagination by attempting to bring the beauty of Antarctica to our world here. In general, my work is more “realistic” and representational which can be a surprise if you’re not familiar with the Antarctic landscape.

 

I have often been asked what is there to paint in Antarctica aside from white snow and black and white penguins? I found Antarctica to be awash in color. As my trip was scheduled for the height of the Antarctic summer (February) everything that could be in bloom, was. With such a short season, there is a very short riot of color.  Along with the plants, volcanic rock, blue ice, penguins and seals (among others) created a varied and colorful landscape.  I’ve spent much of my time working on the kelp which littered the shores along with the ice.

 

Seeing this landscape made me rethink how we perceive water and ice which have so many manifestations that are beautiful and ever changing.  In Antarctica, dirt and snow algae can create amazing effects in what might be assumed to be a totally white landscape and icebergs are so dense that the only light waves which pass through are what I call a “Caribbean” blue.  It was my interest in water and its variations that encouraged my foray into the use of watercolors.  When I’m working I feel that I am closer to understanding the variety of my subject(s) because I am using my water as a critical part of my tools.

 

Painting ice also reminds me of the transitory nature of water.  Of course, ice melts, but some of these scenes include ice that was millions of years old.  Global warming is another factor which makes me want to document this landscape before it changes beyond recognition.

 

After the birth of my son, I became a “stay-at-home mom” and I began to think about painting the ice again.  Through classes and work during naps and at night, I have managed to create a group of pieces entitled, “The Antarctica Project”.  I have been painting for about 3 years now and I have exhibited in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.  My work has been collected by people from Seattle, San Francisco, Boston, New York and Iceland (among other places).

 

With these paintings I hope to bring out the colors I saw and make people revisit their views of the bottom of the earth, one of the most exciting places on the planet.

 

 

 

Lisa Goren

lisagoren@verizon.net

www.lisagorenpaintings.com

617-686-8407