Polar ice is cold, colorful and stunning. It is also melting away. As I viewed the documentary “Chasing Ice” by James Balog, it was simultaneously riveting and ruinous, gorgeous and ravishing, inspiring and catastrophic. The contradictory feeling of being swept away by beauty while watching devastation is the compelling motivation for this series. My first pieces were based on photographs and other peoples’ encounters with ice. As I continued working, I knew that I had to experience the ice directly. A recent trip to Alaska provided a powerful encounter. The textural beauty was expected, but seeing the ice in context fueled my understanding and motivation. The trip solidified my commitment to this work.