Story of the Piece: Frozen Bonds

In Frozen Bonds, Michelle Blaesche-Lam captures a dreamscape born of imagination, emotion, and lived experience. Though she has never stepped foot on Antarctic shores, the spirit of the landscape is brought to life through found materials, hand-carved figures, and a quiet reverence for nature’s stories.

At the heart of the piece lies a mother seal and her pups, nestled protectively against a rugged driftwood formation. Their bodies curve into one another with a softness that belies the harshness of their imagined surroundings — a testament to the strength and comfort of maternal love.

Nearby, a penguin family huddles together, their gaze outward yet still somehow turned inward, as if listening to the silent conversations of the ice. The sculptural composition gently blends species not just in form, but in emotion — an act of creative compassion that reminds us how instinct, care, and community transcend the boundaries of biology.

The driftwood, smoothed and finished to mimic the frozen textures of glacial rock, is dusted with crystal beads that catch the light like fallen snow. The base is a swirl of ocean resin — layered, moving, still. Encircling the figures are clusters of natural stone, offering contrast and grounding. Each material has been chosen not just for its physical beauty, but for its ability to hold memory and meaning.

Michelle’s inspiration is both distant and deeply personal. Her past encounters with sea lions in aquariums and her enduring fascination with Antarctic wildlife breathe authenticity into the scene. This work is not a literal representation, but a longing — a tribute to a place she yearns to experience, and to the emotional landscapes she navigates through her art.

Frozen Bonds is a moment of stillness carved in time. A gentle reminder that no matter how cold or barren the world may seem, there is always warmth to be found — in togetherness, in resilience, and in the quiet bonds we shareA tender scene unfolds in Frozen Bonds, where a mother seal and her pups rest amid a shimmering, icy seascape, joined by a gentle penguin family. With crystal beads mimicking snow and driftwood evoking frozen cliffs, this heartfelt piece captures the serenity of Antarctica — a place the artist dreams to explore.

Materials: Locally sourced driftwood, land painted seals, resin base, natural stones and crystal rhinestones. 

Dimensions: 33cm x 16cm 

POA