As the glacier moves down the valley the landscape in the background changes frequently and the exposed walls of the steep slopes show where the glacier has scraped past creating flakes and dust which coats the moving glacier with a fine layer and adds to the top of the terminal face.  The terminal face changes frequently as blocks of ice shear off and form icebergs, which can be snow covered, or clear ice in a variety of blues. The icebergs slowly melt, and sometimes turn over and show linear patterns and colour from being submerged.  The colour of the lake is intensified by the tiny mica schist particles in the water and gives a milky appearance to the water as it exits the lake to flow slowly down through a braided system into Lake Pukaki.

Technique:  pattern developed from my drawing inspired by photographs.  Fabrics used were almost 100% from  my hand dyed stash, with the addition of organza.  The terminal face was cut from one piece of fabric which had developed large “ice crystals” of blue on the grey background, during the dyeing process. The iceberg was made from a combination of materials (also in my Geode quilt) – crumpled tissue paper, which was adherred to pellon with a firm fusible web, then painted.   The final coating was a light spray of Moon Shadow Mist with a turquoise glow.

After quilting, more white paint was added for the snow and coloured pens were used for detail.  

Close up View:

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