Thomson’s work associated with ‘The First Month with the First Snow Storm’ , for instance, is a graphic example of the “vanishing act”. One fish bowl/vessel is a veritable storm site. The cracking and crazing depicts not just the grey-white snows of urban January, but also the almost total absence of any fish at all. On closer inspection, an almost ghost like fish presence becomes apparent. Not only that, but there is a deep dark and inky black, seemingly bottomless centre to that bowl that feels absolutely dead of winter. We could almost believe the fish do momentarily at least, disappear into the black hole that contemporary physics is so fond of using as an explanation for whatever it is that can’t be seen or measured. For a moment, at least, the vessel vanishes, and we are lost to the essence of an Ottawa winter...Janis Runge