Sean’s long-held ambition to visit the historic Antarctica huts of Sir Ernest Shackleton and Robert Fal­con Scott came to fruition in 2015. This was made possible after his successful proposal to the Antarc­tica NZ’s Community Engagement Program. The plan was to sketch and photograph the huts & arte­facts, then on his return to Nelson he would complete a series of detailed oil paintings.

“Soon after my arrival I was engaged in 24 hours of survival training, which included digging one’s own snow trench and then endeavoring to sleep under the bright Antarctic sun. Even with my maritime background, I quickly realised that this beautiful Antarctic landscape can quickly turn into a brutal and extremely dangerous unforgiving environment, where the lack of preparation and any complacency can be fatal”.

The exhibition was held in Christchurch, October 2017 and was a great success with all works being sold. The popularity of these limited edition prints is testament to the ongoing interest in Antarctica.