‘Icehouse’

Pastel on Canson Paper · 30 × 21” · 1998. SOLD/PRINTS AVAILABLE

Originally built around 1895 as an icehouse, this structure supplied the nearby island mansion with ice before the advent of refrigeration. During the winter, local residents from the New York mainland cut large blocks of ice from the frozen St. Lawrence River and hauled them across the ice to this building. The walls, approximately one foot thick and insulated with sawdust, were designed to preserve the ice for culinary use throughout the summer season, from April to October.

Located on Whippoorwill Island—now known as Wintergreen Island—the building had only a single doorway and no windows. In 1945 it was converted into a cottage. The artist was fortunate to rent the Icehouse for weekend use over a period of sixteen years, making it one of the most cherished places of his life.