Most artists work in studios. David Popa works on frozen lakes in sub-zero temperatures with a two-day deadline and the distinct possibility that the weather will simply refuse to cooperate. For his latest project, it mostly did – and the result is one of the more remarkable things to happen on Alberta ice this winter.
Popa recently completed an earth fresco on Abraham Lake, a reservoir in the Canadian Rockies roughly three hours west of Edmonton. The piece, titled “New Beginning”, was created in collaboration with Travel Alberta and forms the first of three works planned across the province.
Abraham Lake Frozen Art Is Only Possible in One Place
Abraham Lake has a particular quality that makes it unlike most frozen bodies of water in Canada. During winter, methane gas released from decomposing organic matter on the lake bed rises and freezes mid-column, producing translucent white discs suspended beneath the surface.
Wind strips the snow from the ice and polishes it flat, leaving a surface that is, by most accounts, genuinely glassy. For a land artist, it is either a dream or a logistical nightmare. Probably both.
Two Days, One Fresco, and a Weather Window That Arrived Just in Time
Popa had two days to complete a work of significant scale and detail. By his own account, that is an ambitious timeline under any conditions – on ice, in winter, in the Rockies, it edges toward unreasonable. A shift in the weather brought him the window he needed. The piece was finished.
“New Beginning” is built around themes of renewal and rebirth in nature, which Popa describes as central to his broader artistic practice. Whether the methane bubbles beneath his feet registered as symbolic or simply as interesting ice physics is not recorded.
What Abraham Lake Is Actually Like in Winter
The lake sits within Clearwater County, outside the boundaries of Banff and Jasper National Parks, which means no park pass is required to visit. Access is via Highway 11 (the David Thompson Highway), and winter conditions on that road are what they are – plan accordingly, check road reports, and don't arrive expecting the infrastructure of Lake Louise.
The methane bubble season typically runs through the colder months, with the best viewing window generally falling between December and early March, depending on snowfall and ice conditions. Deep snow covers the bubbles; wind clears them. Abraham Lake gets a reasonable amount of wind.
If you’re visiting in winter and considering walking onto the lake, never assume the ice is safe. Ice thickness can vary widely, even when it looks solid. Check local conditions, take advice, and if you’re unsure about thickness or safety, it’s best to stay off the ice.
The Bigger Picture
This is the first of three works Popa has created in Alberta as part of the Travel Alberta collaboration, nearly a year in the planning. The remaining two have not yet been revealed.
For anyone making a winter drive along the David Thompson Highway, Abraham Lake was already worth the detour before someone painted a large-scale fresco on it. Now it has an additional talking point for the ride home.