The photographs in this series were taken from October 2014 to February 2016 with a Nikon D90 using a NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8 lens.
Ice fascinates me(!)–I have photographed it for about 11 years. My earlier images (not shown here) were more metaphorical and provided more context for the viewer, making it easy to orientate herself/himself. This ice series, however, simply grew from having fun and playing in nature—freedom. This is the first group that I can recall which has no association to another person or relationship. It is purely an exploration of texture and colour, inspired by Nature. Creating these photographs was pure pleasure and refreshing. A psychological and artistic palette cleanser.
Trips to Big Hill Springs meant wearing full rain gear. These excursions were messy and often physically demanding. I was often cold and wet, walking and crawling through the mud and spring, gathering pieces of ice from the shadowy forest and hauling them up the hill to meet the sunlight. Yes, I met a few puzzling looks from people who were curious about my muddy appearance—wondering why I was carrying chunks of ice up the hill!
I became so in tune with the various ice formations near the spring that I knew where to locate specific surfaces. I explored these textures and pursued ways to emphasize their distinctive qualities. One way was to use nature’s toolbox (my large collection of natural artifacts!) of colour—by pressing and mashing natural objects like berries, seeds and rose hips onto the ice’s surface and using sunlight to help draw attention to all the interesting details, I revealed the most unusual surfaces.
