I wish I could say I have long been fascinated by The
Endurance expedition and Shakleton’s incredible real-life adventures in
Antarctica, but in reality it wasn’t all that long ago that my friend Grace introduced
me to the book Endurance and thus got me entirely caught up in that
amazingly captivating tale of heroism and survival against more than all the
odds.
It’s an entirely unbelievable story; that Shakleton and his
crew would undergo such torture at the hands of the icy Antarctic. That they
would live through so much, and yet be met by some greater horror of nature.
But least believable of all, is the blatant fact that after all that nonsense
the entire crew, Shakleton and all, would survive the entire voyage. Not a man
lost. Incredible as it all may seem, it is pure fact. No fiction, no
exaggeration; the voyage of Endurance and her courageous crew is
absolutely solid truth and a historic venture that ought never be forgotten.
If you have not read Endurance (Written by Alfred
Lansing…) before now, I would like to highly recommend finding it. Buying it
online, ordering it from the library, or purchasing it at a used book-sale for
an attractive bargain (As I did… Yep, I’m cheap.) are all perfectly acceptable
ways of getting your hands on that beautiful narrative on the topic. (And it
really is an excellent read. Not only is it absolutely stuffed with
historical facts, all of which I found to be enthralling, but it is written in
a really exciting and suspenseful style which keeps the reader quickly turning pages to learn what happens
next.) It, most-definitely, is an excellent read!
The same friend that introduced me to Endurance
(Bless her soul, I honestly don’t think she was expecting me to be as
enthusiastic about the whole expedition as I ended up being…) came for a visit
with her family about a week back and brought her copy of South
with Endurance: Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition 1914-1917 The Photographs of
Frank Hurley which we sat down to look through together. I was absolutely
and entirely swallowed up by the amazing full-page photographs on the pages.
One of the larger photographs was a large black and white print of a number of
the Endurance’s crew pulling the James Caird which is mounted on
sled runners. (These times of pulling the smaller boats like the James Caird
were tremendously difficult for the crew, and they gained little ground per
day…)
We were both struck by the beauty of the photograph and I
decided quite suddenly that I would draw it. We decided
immediately that large paper would be a necessity, and after taking a quick
look through my drawing-pads I found an 18x24 one that has some paper that
would be perfect for the piece. Sadly, since last we spoke, I just haven’t had
an opportunity to work on it. I made a bit of time for myself this morning,
though, and sketched out the preliminary lines I’d need to rough out the
drawing.
During the process I learned that my desk is most-certainly
more suited for my 9x11 drawing pad, but I think it will manage at least for
this one drawing.
 |
| What a mess... |
I can’t wait to finish it. Though I adore the drawing
process for all its therapeutic advantages to me, I always love looking at a
finished art-piece and marking its strong points and weaker ones. That’s where I learn
the most…
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