Sea Ice

I have been fortunate to visit Antarctica and the high Arctic regions where I experienced sea ice in person. I found myself completely mesmerized by icy landscapes that surrounded me. The incredible sights and sounds of cruising through the brash ice in an inflatable boat is something I will never forget. I was exhilarated by the challenge of kayaking through and around ice cakes that were continually shifting with the wind and tides. Ice floes are amazing, seemingly alive, and almost surreal in their size, color and different shapes. Icebergs are gigantic sculptures, each with its own unique character and the most beautiful array of blue and white colors. Best of all, the natural beauty of the places where sea ice exists helps sustain a vast variety of sea life and wildlife. So many creatures rely on the sea ice to survive in their natural habitat, and this in turn serves a much broader ecosystem. I am so glad I got to experience these wild places before they began to change so dramatically, and I do hope we can find better and more effective ways to protect these remarkable features of our planet.

The things that I saw and experienced on these trips have continued to influence my basket making. Occasionally, new ideas just pop up like an emerging chunk of sea ice. This basket is an example of that. I started this basket with one concept but ended up taking a different path -- with this basket representing sea ice.  

I made my "Sea Ice" pine needle basket using a variety of dyed blue and green Longleaf pine needles, dark blue artificial sinew, handmade mottled blue recycled glass beads from Ghana, blue matte crackled agate beads, blue kyanite sliced stick point beads and a blue crystallized Brazilian agate set in resin center base.

This basket is approximately 8" x 7-1/2" x 3-3/4".

ENJOY!