About

Greenland touched me deeply. It touched the scientist in me. It touched the artist in me. It touched the human in me.

My name is Arielle (pronounced R-E-L). It goes without saying that Greenland has become my life’s work.

I became aware of Greenland as a destination in 2012 when I saw the film by a fellow Stanford alum that changed my life: ‘Chasing Ice.’ I didn’t know anyone lived in Greenland nor had I ever given thought to a place that seemed so other worldly and desolate. The story they told in the film was very straightforward about climate change but the call to action made me feel compelled to do something. At the time it seemed preposterous because I worked for one of the largest oil companies in the world.

In addition to the stunningly beautiful but haunting ice, the Kalaallisuut / Greenland National Costume captivated me. There is a photo of me in an antique one below. The expressive and intricate beadwork and the masterful application of natural seal skin with embroidery and brilliant colors took my breath away. But when I learned that it can take about a year’s worth of work to make one, I really felt compelled to want to learn more about Greenlanders and their relationship with the land, the seal, and, of course, the ice.

I made the dream a reality in 2016 when I decided to execute on the promise I had made years earlier to do something. I turned 30 in Greenland but I never anticipated how much Greenland would come to dominate my life’s purpose. I now go as often as possible to learn about how climate change is impacting indigenous culture and the rapidly warming environment in one of the most remote civilizations on the planet.

It wasn’t intentional but understanding Greenland allowed me to reframe how I viewed problems and reshape solutions. This is why I have a mission to help others understand Greenland to see what it will unleash in them.

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Greenland feels like another planet and the way of life there is unlike anything I’ve experienced. I’m at the mercy of the weather, the limited resources in a very remote part of the world, the ingenious inventions of the indigenous (we say Kalaallit for West Greenlanders or Tunumiit for East Greenlanders instead of “Inuit”) people to survive, the vast amounts of unspoiled nature, and the fascinating history.

Like snowflakes, icebergs are unique because the way they are born by breaking off a glacier. The big ones are so beautiful to witness that my photographs cannot capture the essence. There are expressive, interpretative, sculptural forms but others are absolutely abstract. Every single one, without exception, is an ephemeral design that inevitably disappears, never to be seen again.

What’s become clear over time is that my lived experience as a minority and a woman lends itself to understanding indigenous Greenlanders and a sensitivity to the nuances.

Even though the climate crisis is a largely systemic issue, you still have the power to make a difference. The choices we make today have the ability to make a positive difference for years to come. Get involved and make it personal.

A note on images: I have personally taken all of the photos on this site unless noted otherwise. Please see the copyright info section to learn more.

Mission + Vision

Mission

Educate humans on Greenland through imagery and /or meaningful engagements.

Vision

Greenland is personal for me so the vision is two-fold. The Icebergchick Imagery and Adventures vision is to promote responsible and sustainable tourism with significant impact in the isolated communities that need it most. A bonus would be if my photography inspires people young and old to care about Greenland and its stunning environment while we can still take action.

The ultimate vision is to apply the learnings from my deep relationship with Japan to Greenland. I intend to co-found a public-private partnership that underwrites people-to-people exchange for all Greenlanders to have the opportunity to visit Arctic Canada and Alaska during their lifetime. Why? I have seen the Tomodachi Initiative in Japan in action. We can seek to foster a generation of Greenlanders who are committed to and engaged in strengthening the bond between Arctic Indigenous Peoples.

More about the vision can be learned from the Nat Geo film ‘The Last Ice’ and the book The Meaning of Ice and the Inuit Circumpolar Council. Please give me a shout if you want to get involved.