I have loved the artwork of Andy Goldsworthy for years. He is one of my very favorite artists. I think I was introduced to his work in high school by one of my art teachers and have been a fan ever since.
Andy Goldsworthy is a sculptor who works in nature with materials found in nature:
rocks, sticks, snow, etc.
Many of his sculptures are impermanent, slowing or quickly disappearing with time, sun, wind, waves or the change of seasons. His work, to me, appears very meditative and reminds me of the process Tibetan monks go through to make their impermanent sand mandalas.
He says that for him,"to go off into the woods and make a piece of work, roots me again. And if I don't work for a period of time, I feel rootless. I don't know myself."
Watching him work, it appears that the rooting he gains though the work, seems to be less about the product and more about the process of creating itself.
A few years ago, I saw his video, Rivers and Tides, a documentary on how he works. Here is a clip from the movie:
I love what he says at the end of this clip:
"I am so amazed at times, I am actually alive."
Creating and making artwork can root me back to this remembrance too,
that I am actually alive,
when I let it.
When I hang on to the outcome less
and believe in the process more.
5 comments:
Oh, my goodness--he is an amazing artist! I love his artistic vision!
Thanks so much for sharing--I get such inspiration from posts like this. Namaste.
Andy Goldsworthy has always been one of my favorites. Once my husband and I drove 2 hours to go hear him talk at a college in upstate NY, he was amazing. We own his movie, Rivers and Tides, and even our kids like to watch it! There are so many levels to his work, I am always so drawn in when I hear him talk about his ideas.
He is one of my favorite artists as well! When I saw "Rivers & Tides" I felt like "YES! That is how I want to engage with my life ... through art and interaction with the world around me."
beautiful selection of his pieces :)
This is my first introduction to Goldsworthy. Very interesting...and beautiful.
This is my first introduction to Goldsworthy. Very interesting...and beautiful.
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