McMurdo Digi-paintings

The 2012 Eclipse (1)

We have been reading the book 'Totality' about every aspect of eclipses. It is an amazing read, there is so much to know. For example, the beading of light that occurs just before totality is due to light from the sun being let through valleys of the uneven, cratered surface of the moon. The longest possible eclipse can last for 7.5 mins when viewed directly overhead. 


We are planning to go to Cairns to see Australia's only total eclipse for around 20 years. The environment of tropical Queensland should be a great setting to observe the erratic behavior of animal life around us as the sun dims shortly after sunrise. The path of this eclipse starts to the west and travels over Cairns. The majority of the path is over the Pacific ocean, visible to very few people, finishing close to sunset over Chile.


The Ivanic family viewed the 1999 eclipse in Austria on the drive home after visiting family in Slovakia. This was very 'experiential' and dramatic. We witnessed flocking birds, darkening to a starry sky. As we were lucky not to have clouds, we saw a beautiful warping corona and it lasted long enough to get the panicked feeling that the sun might not return. The cloudy sky of cumulus clouds had its convection subdued by the half-sun, and that 'burned' a streak along the eclipse path across central Europe. Who knows what weather we will get for Nov 14th in Cairns. We will certainly try to get some good photos if we can see it, and if not there will be tales to tell of puzzled Koalas I'm sure.

Tim's Art Blog (1) - Visual Yoga

I have been through a bit of visual yoga over the last few years. Stretching the spectrum from the light at the hottest interiors of Australia has been very challenging, certainly changing my appreciation of reds, oranges and yellows. The cobalt blue skies radiating down provide an alien feel and the bleached vegetation with its desaturated greenery can be spooky to say the least. The crispness of the dry atmosphere also provides hugely sharp contrast to deal with.

Walga Rock, Western Australia, 60 x 90 cm, acrylic on canvas (2011)

Bergessen Ridge, Norway...an example of the use of 'Scottish colours', 40 x 30 cm, acrylic on canvas (2003)

One thing is that Australia has kicked me into action as all this stimulation is very inspiring. The dull-grey, rocky and lush landscapes of Scotland, the home of geology, still has a calming and homely feel for me. This will constantly be with me in my palette, however the spectral diversity available challenges and advances me to a wider perspective.

Last year our visit to Antarctica has challenged the eye once again. The effect of the light and conditions there was complicated and difficult to deal with, absorb and process in relation to previous experiences. This time there was a challenge of extreme low-saturation and high brightness. One material result of this was the purchase of 1 litre of Titanium White on our return.

Here is a list of the strange visual experiences in Antarctica:

• 24 hours of light, a dizzying feeling where midnight seems like midday 
• Low sun angle and permanent sunset sensation...constant yellowing of the sky at the horizon
• Glare from the snow and ice.
• Vertical cliffs of rock producing the harshest of shadows
• Atmospheric phenomena such as numerous haloes and sun dogs
• Totally dry atmosphere where objects on the horizon have similar contrast to middle-distance objects
• The blue colour of light that has passed through a foot or more of ice
• A surface of ice crystals
• When overcast, the occurrence of zero contrast conditions. Ultra-diffuse scattering of light results in the shadows caused by surface features disappearing, little for the eye to focus on, a nauseating, no horizon world.
• Bizzare arrays of ice-crystal clouds such as common radiating cirrus and then skies of lenticularis
• Extreme contrast means that tents and objects seem to be floating in white at an unknown distance
• Mirage effects, fata morgana producing cliffs of rock beyond the ice-sheet.
• No scale
• An inorganic world with minimal vegetation
• Gentle curves produced by enormous streams of glaciers
• A wind-sculpted snow surface seen everywhere
• Our brightly coloured equipment