ICE FEST

ICE FEST is currently taking place in Hagley Park. There are some superb events. Last night I went to hear Chadden Hunter, a zoologist and director of the BBC Frozen Planet series. he talked not only about the wildlife, as one would expect, but also the logistics and creative thinking required to use, adapt and sometimes even invent equipment that would cope with extreme temperatures and unique situations. If you have not see Frozen Planet you have something to really look forward to. There is a huge amount of artistic input in getting those shots right. 

Chadden worked with a friend of mine, Alastair Fothergill, who was executive director of the series. A while ago he selected his favourite 'ice' paintings. I ran a link to his  last year. Click below to find the link again.
Alastair Fothergill

Other favourtie artists who worked using snow and ice as their inspiration are
  Andy Goldsworthy

( I found very few images for his  Arctic work on line. Any search of his name will show you his other work, some of which does include working with snow and ice . However, I do have a copy of Touching North , a book on his  Arctic work. Just ask if you want to have a look.)

and Simon Beck see also previous posting on him

Space Art

When I was much younger I remember sitting and watching the first landing on the moon, as did anyone in the world with access to a TV. I imagine a huge number of people also listened to the radio. For the first time in human history a huge proportion of mankind were focused on this giant leap for mankind. This month the man who took that first step in 1969, Neil Armstrong, died

ARMSTRONG: I’m at the foot of the ladder. The LM [lunar module] footpads are only depressed in the surface about one or two inches, although the surface appears to be very, very fine grained, as you get close to it. It’s almost like a powder. Now and then it’s very fine. I’m going to step off the LM now. That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.

Just recently I discovered this clip of the first Space Art

 Reaching an astonishing 100 thousand 810 hundred feet near Space, whilst simultaneously creating a world-first work of art by all means made JoshingTalk Space Art (JTSA) a success. - Click on the image below to see the art work on it's 'birth journey'.