Lindsy Halleckson Portfolio Box

Greenland Sketches, 2023, $3000

In August 2023 I was given the opportunity to sail along the western coast of Greenland with a group of artists in order to study atmosphere and weather in the Arctic. In a region especially vulnerable to climate change, I gathered air quality data as we navigated Disko Bay. In my practice more broadly, I am currently studying the science behind particulate matter and pollutants in the atmosphere, the effects these particles have on the appearance of the sky, and how atmospheric makeup is changing because of climate change. So, I intend that paintings resulting from research during the expedition will serve as specimens that catalog the appearance of Arctic sky and its chemical makeup at this specific time and place. I envision the final product of this work to be installations of vast color gradations that echo the immensity of open space, shown in tandem with public events co-presented with scientists and researchers.

Aboard ship Skydancer, I captured the colors of the ice, water, and sky with raw pigment watercolors in order to create a reference for later in the studio as I create larger works that incorporate the data I gathered. But, what I noticed is that watercolor sketches are an exercise in giving up control. The majority of my work is created through a rigorous technique of applying acrylic paint to canvas with brushes. In working with watercolor pigments on yupo (a non-absorbent surface), control is relinquished. What can be seen is the quality of the natural pigments, the fluidity of the water, the dryness of the brush, and the motion of my hand. These pieces are antithetical to the perceived control of perfectionism, which I've found in myself to be an unconscious response in many situations. Unraveling that need for control allows for space for what is. So, in a sense, these sketches have taught me not to capture the world as I see it fitting into my own agenda, but rather how to be more present with its nuance.

Sketch Suite comes in handmade engraved clamshell box with museum gloves and artist statement.