Sketching Below Sea Level

Whether I’m walking down a nature path or swimming through a kelp forest, sketching connects me to my surroundings, inspires my creativity and fills me with curiosity and gratitude.

Kirsten Carlson Kirsten Carlson

The Jetty | Ross Island, Antarctica

NSF Antarctic Artists and Writers Grant
Dive III of XXXIII
55 feet | 40 minutes

color, text, detail added after dive while sitting at my warm desk with cocoa

color, text, detail added after dive while sitting at my warm desk with cocoa

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Kirsten Carlson Kirsten Carlson

Turtles | Hawaii [Oahu]

Aaron’s Dive Shop
35 feet | 45 minutes

Digitally colored from original underwater sketch (blue), post dive additions (graphite)

Digitally colored from original underwater sketch (blue), post dive additions (graphite)

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Kirsten Carlson Kirsten Carlson

The Nai'a 2011 | Fiji

This video showcases that sketching underwater really means I do alot of chasing, swimming, and maintaining good buoyancy.

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