FRANCES IN ANTARCTICA. photograph by Roff Smith.

Antarctica

DRAWN TO ANTARCTICA

I went to the Antarctic Peninsula in February 2005 for a fortnight in the company of about a hundred passengers on MS Endeavour. It was a ridiculously short visit compared to the time spent travelling there- and looking back at the decision to travel as a current inhabitant of the 2020s- I consider it as unjustifiable and indulgence. Yet, the decision was made and I determined to go out of a sense of personal internal necessity. If I’m honest, if I hadn’t gone, it would not have been because of environmental principles, it would have been because of the infamous bit of water that encircles and separates the continent from other land masses. Of course, Antarctica is to a large extent as it is because of that isolation. By remaining risk-adverse to that crossing …this ‘terra incognita’ would have remained unknown. 

I did not go as a ‘traveller’- there was no real travail. I was a tourist and as such ‘valuable’. Every paying guest on the ship was obliged to wear the red anorak provided so they could keep a count. We were well fed and whenever we went ashore, lifting gear was standing by. The tremendous affection and respect the Captain and crew had for Antarctica warmed me greatly.This trip was not routine for anyone. 

And in that spirit I set out from Ushuaia along the Beagle Channel and into the open sea.   

Antarctica’s proximity made itself felt one morning during the two-day sea journey across Drake Passage when the ship moved across the Antarctic Convergence. The sea temperature dropped suddenly by several degrees and we met cold Antarctic surface water, bringing with it mist, Wandering Albatrosses and icebergs. I painted my way through the days and nights. Everything was extraordinary.
A bewildering spatial dimension opened up and has remained open since.

The experience was not what I imagined it would be. Anticipating the sublime is very different to experiencing it. Experience is disturbing and well as awe-filled. 

I thought I was travelling nearer to the very heart of my longing… and yes, I did see the edge beyond which I could not exist… that edge was at a comfortable distance. I sailed by wilderness nobody would ever step on… the spirit was moving over those waters just as it did in the book of Genesis. 

The images below are reproduced in Drawn to Antarctica available to purchase on this site. The experience extends far wider than the actual time on Antarctica. The book begins in 2004 when I began to anticipate an adventure. 

ANTICIPATION

Branksome, Dorset:

In anticipating the journey ahead, disparate things come to my attention:

icy shattering of wing mirrors in a gutter
cartography of worn bread board
scored surface of a van made ready for re-spraying
snow patch map on a watering can
gift of silver birch bark from Norway
fragility of blossom on winter concrete

ANTICIPATION Antarctica map bread board
ANTICIPATION A blurred photograph of a map of Antarctica

JOURNEY

Wandering albatross: 3.3m wing span
skimming the seas
my sense of scale is confounded
furniture zipping across cabin.
white chinned petrels

wandering albatrosses
roll

lurch
shuddering of endeavour

JOURNEY Drawing from sketchbook
JOURNEY Drawing from sketchbook
JOURNEY
JOURNEY Drawing from sketchbook
JOURNEY Drawing from sketchbook 6

ON LOCATION

ART MATERIAL LIST
glue, rubber, 2 light weight boards, brush pen, black ink, oil pastels, acrylic inks
water soluble crayons, water soluble pencils, graphite sticks

SLR film camera, digital camera

plastic sheeting, waterproof trousers, lidded container for palette
PAINTS
watercolour: indigo, cobalt, ultramarine, lemon yellow, cadmium yellow deep, permanent rose, vermillion hue
gouache: white, primary yellow, cerulean
acrylic: white, phthalo blue, cobalt blue
gel mediums

PAPERS
Saunders (NOT)
Bristol 224g (very white) sketchbook
Khadi assorted colours
300g Fabriano cream sketchbook (HP)
papers and foil for collage
chocolate wrappers

rucksack
gloves with flaps
ear patches for sea sickness

ON LOCATION ADELIES ON DEVIL ISLAND
ON LOCATION: ADELIES ON DEVIL ISLAND. acrylic ink, oil pastel on Bristol paper. original sold. Reproductions available.
ON LOCATION SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS
ON LOCATION: SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS. passing. sketchbook.
ON LOCATION IMMATURE ADELIES
ON LOCATION: IMMATURE ADELIES. acrylic ink on Bristol card.
ON LOCATION SNOW HILL ISLAND
ON LOCATION: SNOW HILL ISLAND. local clays and graphite on paper. sketchbook.
ON LOCATION SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS
ON LOCATION: SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS. rock bristling with penguins. watercolour.
ON LOCATION
ON LOCATION:
ON LOCATION
ON LOCATION:
ON LOCATION
ON LOCATION:
ON LOCATION AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE
ON LOCATION: AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE. gouache and watercolour.
ON LOCATION SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS passing sketchbook
ON LOCATION: SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS. passing. sketchbook.
ON LOCATION PAULET ISLAND
ON LOCATION: PAULET ISLAND. Gentoo penguin rookery. sketchbook.
ON LOCATION WEDDELL SEA DAWN
ON LOCATION: WEDDELL SEA DAWN.
ON LOCATION
ON LOCATION:
ON LOCATION
ON LOCATION:
ON LOCATION
ON LOCATION:

ON REFLECTION

‘P.S. I THINK I’LL TRY AND CLEAR UP SOME OF THOSE BLANK SPACES’.

A quotation from a note from Byrd scribbled on a map in October 1932. It is intended for his friend ‘Bert’, Dr Gilbert H. Grosvenor, then President and Editor of the National Geographic Society’s new 1932 map of Antarctica.

I bury a copy of Byrd’s note in the lower section of a painting.
Antarctica Territory stamps are embedded in others.
I reflect upon National flags announcing newly acquired bits of territory flapping across the pages of articles about the history of Antarctica.
I think on the miles and miles of shifting ice and all that I din’t see.
and remember that
Antarctica was once warm.

ON REFLECTION ANTARCTICA WAS ONCE WARM
ON REFLECTION: ANTARCTICA WAS ONCE WARM. acrylic and plant material on MDF. 20x40cm
SNOW STILL FALLS IN ANTARCTICA
ON REFLECTION: SNOW STILL FALLS IN ANTARCTICA. Collage (National Geographic magazines, billboard paper, Worm's Head, (Rhossilli in Gower) sand and beach debris on MDF. 61x122x5cm
ON REFLECTION ANTARKTIS
ON REFLECTION: ANTARKTIS 1 mixed media on Khadi paper.
ON REFLECTION detail-of-Snow Still Falls in Antarctic
ON REFLECTION: detail of Snow Still Falls in Antarctica.
ON REFLECTION sold
ON REFLECTION: sold.
ON REFLECTION FLOATING BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY
ON REFLECTION: FLOATING BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY. acrylic and stamps on canvas.
ON REFLECTION AND SO-THE-EXPLORATION CONTINUES
ON REFLECTION: AND SO THE EXPLORATION CONTINUES. acrylic and National Geographic magazines on MDF.
ON REFLECTION BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY
ON REFLECTION: BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY. acrylic and British Antarctic Territory stamps.
PINK-AND-GREEN-SCAPE-ANTARCTICA- FRANCES-HATCH
PINK AND GREEN SCAPE. Acrylic on canvas. 26x36x4cm
ON REFLECTION BIG SEA BERG
ON REFLECTION: BIG SEA BERG. acrylic and collaged elements on MDF. sold.
ENDURANCE-CREW-PLAY-ICE-SOCCER
ENDURANCE CREW PLAY ICE SOCCER. acrylic and travel magazines on board. SOLD
ON REFLECTION PINK RIMMED BERG
ON REFLECTION: PINK RIMMED BERG. monoprint and collage.
ON REFLECTION AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC TERRITORY
ON REFLECTION: AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC TERRITORY. detail. acrylic and collage on canvas.