Guardians of the Ice

 

GUARDIANS OF THE ICE: IGNITING HEARTS AND MINDS

Guardians of the Ice is a multidisciplinary art project attending to the Columbia Icefield and all that it means. The Icefield, located on the Continental Divide in the Canadian Rockies, is a significant bellwether of the accelerating effects of climate change. It is retreating faster than ever, and we are facing an unknown future, charged with stories of hope and prophecies of doom, and therefore rich with opportunity.

GUARDIANS OF THE ICE: IGNITING HEARTS AND MINDS

Guardians of the Ice is a multidisciplinary art project attending to the Columbia Icefield and all that it means. The Icefield, located on the Continental Divide in the Canadian Rockies, is a significant bellwether of the accelerating effects of climate change. It is retreating faster than ever, and we are facing an unknown future, charged with stories of hope and prophecies of doom, and therefore rich with opportunity.

GUARDIANS OF THE ICE: IGNITING HEARTS AND MINDS

Guardians of the Ice is a multidisciplinary art project attending to the Columbia Icefield and all that it means. The Icefield, located on the Continental Divide in the Canadian Rockies, is a significant bellwether of the accelerating effects of climate change. It is retreating faster than ever, and we are facing an unknown future, charged with stories of hope and prophecies of doom, and therefore rich with opportunity.

 

Our Purpose:

Guardians of the Ice is a nonprofit organization focused on the rapidly-shrinking Columbia Icefield as a leading indicator of the worldwide climate crisis. Our purpose is to effectively engage the public to build support for a low-carbon future.

Through our film, still photography and writing, we link the emotional power of art with the cognitive clarity of science, as a way to communicate the urgent implications of what the scientists are uncovering in the Icefield. As our slogan Ice=Water=Life implies, water and water security are central to our mission.

We seek to ignite widespread environmental stewardship in our communities leading to committed action that will tackle the challenge of global warming in practical and meaningful ways.

MORE ON THE ICEFIELD

 

Our Purpose:

Guardians of the Ice is a nonprofit organization focused on the rapidly-shrinking Columbia Icefield as a leading indicator of the worldwide climate crisis. Our purpose is to effectively engage the public to build support for a low-carbon future.

Through our film, still photography and writing, we link the emotional power of art with the cognitive clarity of science, as a way to communicate the urgent implications of what the scientists are uncovering in the Icefield. As our slogan Ice=Water=Life implies, water and water security are central to our mission.

We seek to ignite widespread environmental stewardship in our communities leading to committed action that will tackle the challenge of global warming in practical and meaningful ways.

MORE ON THE ICEFIELD

 

 

 

 

Our Purpose:

Guardians of the Ice is a nonprofit organization focused on the rapidly-shrinking Columbia Icefield as a leading indicator of the worldwide climate crisis. Our purpose is to effectively engage the public to build support for a low-carbon future.

Through our film, still photography and writing, we link the emotional power of art with the cognitive clarity of science, as a way to communicate the urgent implications of what the scientists are uncovering in the Icefield. As our slogan Ice=Water=Life implies, water and water security are central to our mission.

We seek to ignite widespread environmental stewardship in our communities leading to committed action that will tackle the challenge of global warming in practical and meaningful ways.

MORE ON THE ICEFIELD

 

WE ARE ARTISTS…

We are artists: filmmakers, photographers, scientists, writers. We know that forcing a false choice between a story of hope and a story of doom misses the essential dynamic synergy of the two.

MEET THE TEAM

 

OUR INTENT IS TO IGNITE HEARTS AND MINDS

Our intent is to sharpen awareness of this synergy by synthesizing our own perspectives and responses, artistic and scientific, to the beauty, majesty and vulnerability of the Icefield. Not to point the finger of blame, nor to sound the knell of despair, but to ignite hearts and minds in the discovery of possibilities yet unrealized.

 

WE ARE ARTISTS…

We are artists: filmmakers, photographers, scientists, writers. We know that forcing a false choice between a story of hope and a story of doom misses the essential dynamic synergy of the two.

MEET THE TEAM

 

OUR INTENT IS TO IGNITE HEARTS AND MINDS

Our intent is to sharpen awareness of this synergy by synthesizing our own perspectives and responses, artistic and scientific, to the beauty, majesty and vulnerability of the Icefield. Not to point the finger of blame, nor to sound the knell of despair, but to ignite hearts and minds in the discovery of possibilities yet unrealized.

 

WE ARE ARTISTS…

We are artists: filmmakers, photographers, scientists, writers. We know that forcing a false choice between a story of hope and a story of doom misses the essential dynamic synergy of the two.

MEET THE TEAM

 

OUR INTENT IS TO IGNITE HEARTS AND MINDS

Our intent is to sharpen awareness of this synergy by synthesizing our own perspectives and responses, artistic and scientific, to the beauty, majesty and vulnerability of the Icefield. Not to point the finger of blame, nor to sound the knell of despair, but to ignite hearts and minds in the discovery of possibilities yet unrealized.

Glacial recession of Columbia Icefield

 

Aerial view of Castleguard Mountain Columbia Icefield

 

 

Glacial recession of Columbia Icefield

Aerial view of Castleguard Mountain Columbia Icefield

Glacial recession Columbia Icefield

Aerial view of Castleguard Mountain Columbia Icefield

SCIENCE, ART AND EMOTION

Art and science seem mutually exclusive. Art perceives the world through the emotions, the psyche, the aesthetic. Science grasps the world through impersonal observation and measurement, rational and quantitative.

Guardians of the Ice project is dedicated to bringing those two faces of human comprehension together, merging the art and science to induce a compelling synergy of perception and understanding.

Neuroscience tells us that, above all else, humans take action and make decisions based on emotion. Commitment springs from the heart. It cannot be coerced or legislated.

OUR OUTCOMES

OUR MISSION

To marry art and science in film, photography and text to illuminate the significance of what is being lost and the infinite possibilities to be realized in grappling with this urgent global climate crisis.

To mobilize a broad social movement around the retreat of the Columbia Icefield breaking the logjam of apathy and complacency towards the climate crisis. We can accomplish this by becoming committed climate activists in a community of individual action, community collaboration and policy change.

 

OUR MISSION

To marry art and science in film, photography and text to illuminate the significance of what is being lost and the infinite possibilities to be realized in grappling with this urgent global climate crisis.

To mobilize a broad social movement around the retreat of the Columbia Icefield breaking the logjam of apathy and complacency towards the climate crisis. We can accomplish this by becoming committed climate activists in a community of individual action, community collaboration and policy change.

 

COLUMBIA ICEFIELD

   FOUR OUTCOMES 

         THE TEAM       

          THE LOGO       

 

COLUMBIA ICEFIELD

   FOUR OUTCOMES 

         THE TEAM       

          THE LOGO       

SCIENCE, ART AND EMOTION

Art and science seem mutually exclusive. Art perceives the world through the emotions, the psyche, the aesthetic. Science grasps the world through impersonal observation and measurement, rational and quantitative.

Guardians of the Ice project is dedicated to bringing those two faces of human comprehension together, merging the art and science to induce a compelling synergy of perception and understanding.

Neuroscience tells us that, above all else, humans take action and make decisions based on emotion. Commitment springs from the heart. It cannot be coerced or legislated.

OUR OUTCOMES

OUR MISSION

To marry art and science in film, photography and text to illuminate the significance of what is being lost and the infinite possibilities to be realized in grappling with this urgent global climate crisis.

To mobilize a broad social movement around the retreat of the Columbia Icefield breaking the logjam of apathy and complacency towards the climate crisis. We can accomplish this by becoming committed climate activists in a community of individual action, community collaboration and policy change.

 

OUR MISSION

To marry art and science in film, photography and text to illuminate the significance of what is being lost and the infinite possibilities to be realized in grappling with this urgent global climate crisis.

To mobilize a broad social movement around the retreat of the Columbia Icefield breaking the logjam of apathy and complacency towards the climate crisis. We can accomplish this by becoming committed climate activists in a community of individual action, community collaboration and policy change.

 

COLUMBIA ICEFIELD

   FOUR OUTCOMES 

         THE TEAM       

          THE LOGO       

 

COLUMBIA ICEFIELD

   FOUR OUTCOMES 

         THE TEAM       

          THE LOGO       

OUR MISSION

To marry art and science in film, photography and text to illuminate the significance of what is being lost and the infinite possibilities to be realized in grappling with this urgent global climate crisis.

To mobilize a broad social movement around the retreat of the Columbia Icefield breaking the logjam of apathy and complacency towards the climate crisis. We can accomplish this by becoming committed climate activists in a community of individual action, community collaboration and policy change.

 

      TAKE ACTION: DONATE TODAY!   

      TAKE ACTION: JOIN THE GUARD!     

 

COLUMBIA ICEFIELD

   FOUR OUTCOMES 

         THE TEAM       

          THE LOGO       

       TAKE ACTION   

 

 

SCIENCE, ART AND EMOTION

Art and science seem mutually exclusive. Art perceives the world through the emotions, the psyche, the aesthetic. Science grasps the world through impersonal observation and measurement, rational and quantitative.

Guardians of the Ice project is dedicated to bringing those two faces of human comprehension together, merging the art and science to induce a compelling synergy of perception and understanding.

Neuroscience tells us that, above all else, humans take action and make decisions based on emotion. Commitment springs from the heart. It cannot be coerced or legislated.

OUR OUTCOMES

 

OUR MISSION

To marry art and science in film, photography and text to illuminate the significance of what is being lost and the infinite possibilities to be realized in grappling with this urgent global climate crisis.

To mobilize a broad social movement around the retreat of the Columbia Icefield breaking the logjam of apathy and complacency towards the climate crisis. We can accomplish this by becoming committed climate activists in a community of individual action, community collaboration and policy change.

 

COLUMBIA ICEFIELD

   FOUR OUTCOMES 

         THE TEAM       

          THE LOGO       

OUR MISSION

To marry art and science in film, photography and text to illuminate the significance of what is being lost and the infinite possibilities to be realized in grappling with this urgent global climate crisis.

To mobilize a broad social movement around the retreat of the Columbia Icefield breaking the logjam of apathy and complacency towards the climate crisis. We can accomplish this by becoming committed climate activists in a community of individual action, community collaboration and policy change.

       TAKE ACTION: DONATE TODAY!   

      TAKE ACTION: JOIN THE GUARD!  

 

COLUMBIA ICEFIELD

   FOUR OUTCOMES 

         THE TEAM       

          THE LOGO       

       TAKE ACTION   

 

       TAKE ACTION: DONATE TODAY!   

      TAKE ACTION: JOIN THE GUARD!   

OUR MISSION

To marry art and science in film, photography and text to illuminate the significance of what is being lost and the infinite possibilities to be realized in grappling with this urgent global climate crisis.

To mobilize a broad social movement around the retreat of the Columbia Icefield breaking the logjam of apathy and complacency towards the climate crisis. We can accomplish this by becoming committed climate activists in a community of individual action, community collaboration and policy change.

 

COLUMBIA ICEFIELD

   FOUR OUTCOMES 

         THE TEAM       

          THE LOGO       

       TAKE ACTION   

 

Your generous gift will help us keep moving forward on our purpose: to build broad support for a low carbon future

 

With any gift of $100 or more, we will send you one of our Guardians of the Ice tee shirts ($45 retail)

 

They are made with a beautifully soft bamboo material by Jerico, a Socially Conscious Canadian Company

 

Guardians of the Ice is incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act

 

Your generous gift will help us keep moving forward on our purpose: to build broad support for a low carbon future

 

With any gift of $100 or more, we will send you one of our Guardians of the Ice tee shirts ($45 retail)

 

They are made with a beautifully soft bamboo material by Jerico, a Socially Conscious Canadian Company

 

Guardians of the Ice is incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act

 

info@guardiansoftheice.com © 2023
  • Overview
  • The Columbia Icefield
  • The Four Tangible Outcomes
  • The Team
  • The Logo
  • Take Action: Donate Today!
  • Take Action: Join the Guard!
  • Events
  • Blog

We’re Live!

 

We’re excited to announce our new photography website, Meltdown. It tells the story so far of the central photographic mission of the Guardians of the Ice project: Meltdownphotography.com

The site features the beautiful collaborative work of our photographic team in the Columbia Icefield. Jim Elzinga and Roger Vernon have been capturing awe-inspiring images of the crown jewel of the Rockies.
Seeking the heart of our purpose – to capture and exhibit images that will immersively engage and inspire people with the fragile beauty of the Columbia Icefield – we are using the finest camera system in the world, Phase One, specifically designed for the creation of extremely large and detailed digital images.
This project was conceived to be a large-scale gallery exhibition. We want to provide our audience with a visceral visual experience and this imperative limits our choice of camera systems.
The result has been a growing portfolio of gorgeous large scale prints that draw the viewer into that unique world.

       

     

                                   

Images Above: After the Heat Dome; Toronado

Having accumulated a portfolio of exceptional images, we began putting together our first book, MELTDOWN.

We worked with legendary Kallen Printers of Calgary: founder Urs Kallen, with a long history of alpine climbing and a Swiss devotion to technical perfection, and his daughter Nadine, who is carrying on the Kallen tradition. Their expertise and commitment to supreme quality guided us through selecting the right premium papers, and we went through multiple iterations of test printings to get the product we wanted.
The binding and slipcase involved much careful handwork and the result is superb.

The book is available through Guardians of the Ice and at Patagonia Banff.

Exhibition and the UN Year of Glacier Protection

 

Our initial exhibition will be at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies in early 2025. More exhibitions across the world are in the planning stages.