‘Ancient Advance’ painting unveiled at Lake Chelan Chamber event depicts Valley’s Ice Age past

CHELAN — The Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce hosted a special event Sept. 11 showcasing the intersection of art and science with the unveiling of an oil painting depicting the Chelan Valley as it appeared during the last Ice Age.

The piece, titled Ancient Advance, was created by artist Rowan Cary and commissioned on behalf of the Lake Chelan Research Institute. Measuring 24 inches by 48 inches, the oil-on-linen work depicts the Chelan Valley about 17,000 years ago, when a tongue of the continental ice sheet advanced up the valley.

“Ancient Advance depicts what Chelan looked like ~17,000 years ago as a tongue of the continental ice sheet advanced up the Chelan Valley. The ice sheet descended the Columbia Plateau and the Columbia River Valley before pushing up the Chelan Valley,” according to the painting’s description.

Phil Long of the Lake Chelan Research Institute discussed the glacial geology represented in the painting, while Cary explained his approach to recreating a landscape that has long since disappeared. Attendees had the opportunity to view the painting, meet the artist, and enjoy local cider from Cider Press along with hors d’oeuvres.

Somewhere between Lakeside and Rocky Point, geologists believe the ice moving up the valley met a glacier descending from the upper Chelan Valley. From that point, the entire valley was filled with ice until it began to recede about 15,000 years ago.

The Lake Chelan Research Institute said the painting was commissioned to help viewers visualize the scale of glacial ice that once covered what is now the City of Chelan. “Ancient Advance is the intersection of art and science, aiming to help viewers envision several hundred feet of glacial ice covering the City of Chelan,” according to the institute.

The painting will remain on display at the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce through Sept. 18 before moving to the Lake Chelan Museum. Over the following weeks, it will rotate among several locations in the Chelan Valley. Updates on its location will be posted on the Lake Chelan Research Institute’s website and social media pages.

The exhibition will culminate in an auction of the painting in late October, with proceeds benefiting the Lake Chelan Research Institute.