Andy Goldsworthy

Broken pebbles/scratched white with another stone, 1985 Icicles/thick ends dipped in snow then water/held until frozen together, 1987 Broken pebbles/scratched white with another stone, 1985 He likes spirals, holes, and working with different elements Goldsworthy, Andy. Icicles/thick ends dipped in snow then water/held until frozen together. 1987. Dumfriesshire. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010. Goldsworthy, Andy. Broken pebbles/scratched white with another stone. 1985. The Scottish Borders. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010.

Pebbles around a hole, 1987 Goldsworthy, Andy. Pebbles around a hole. 1987. Japan. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010.

Biography Born July 26, 1956 in Cheshire, England Raised in Yorkshire, England Attended Bradford Art College 1974–1975 and Preston Polytechnic 1975–1978 Has been making art in the environment, both rural and urban, since the mid-1970s1 Creates outdoor sculptures that manifest a sympathetic contact with the natural world2 Uses large range of natural materials - snow, ice, leaves, bark, rock , clay, stones, feathers, petals, twigs3 Copyright © 2010 2008 National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC Goldsworthy, Andy. Rivers and Tides. 2000. Galerie Lelong. “Contemporary Art.” ARTstor.Web. 2 Sept 2010. 1) Some places include: Canadian Arctic; Digne, France; the streets of London; and Tochigi Prefecture, Japan 2) Works will disappear, so records in color photos 3) Materials: uses whatever is in the area

Biography Cont. Goldsworthy deliberately explores the tension of working in the area where he finds his materials Undeterred by changes in the weather which may melt a spectacular ice arch or wash away a delicate structure of grasses The intention is not to “make his mark” on the landscape1 He is an Andrew D. White Professor at Cornell University2 Produced more than 70 exhibitions and projects all over the world Temporary museum installations3 Large-scale installations in the United States4 Copyright © 2010 2008 National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC (http://www.nga.gov/cgi-bin/pbio?571670) 1) Create a new perception and understanding of land 2) Professor: Named after Cornell’s first centenary, it is honored to any 20 people at one time and become full members of Cornell’s faculty. Visits school and does lectures 3) J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles (1997); The Metropolitan Museum or Art (2004), New York; and The Tate, Liverpool (2004) 4) Museum of Jewish Heritage (New York), Des Moines Art Center (Iowa), Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase (New York), Museum of Contemporary Art (San Diego), Stanford University (Palo Alto, California), and Storm King Art Center (Mountainville, New York)

Slate arch/made over two days/fourth attempt, 1982 1) Mastered the art of slate balancing Goldsworthy, Andy. Slate arch/made over two days/fourth attempt. 1982. Whales. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010.

Artist Statements “Movement, change, light growth, and decay are the lifeblood of nature, the energies that I try to tap through my work. I need the shock of touch, the resistance of place, materials and weather, the earth as my source. I want to get under the surface. When I work with a leaf, rock, stick, it is not just that material itself, it is an opening into the processes of life within and around it. When I leave it, these processes continue.” Hollis, Jill, Cameron, Ian. Andy Goldsworthy: A Collaboration with Nature, New York: Harry N. Abrams Incorporated, 1990 “For me looking, touching, material, place and form are all inseparable from the resulting work. It is difficult to say where one stops and another begins. Place is found by walking, direction determined by weather and season. I take the opportunity each day offers: if it is snowing, I work in snow, at leaf-fall it will be leaves; a blown over tree becomes a source of twigs and branches.” Andy’s thoughts on his work/process – THERE IS A LOT Has a whole philosophy behind his work

Leaves/polished, creased/mad in the shadow of the tree from which they fell/pinned to the ground with thorns, 1989 New York Cone, 1995 One of his exhibits that still thrives Makes the titles of most of his works by how they were made Goldsworthy, Andy. Leaves/polished, creased/mad in the shadow of the tree from which they fell/pinned to the ground with thorns. 1989. France. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010. Goldsworthy, Andy. New York Cone. 1995. Galerie Lelong. “Contemporary Art.”ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010.

Artist Statements Cont. “At its most successful, my 'touch' looks into the heart of nature; most days I don't even get close. These things are all part of a transient process that I cannot understand unless my touch is also transient-only in this way can the cycle remain unbroken and the process be complete.” Hollis, Jill, Cameron, Ian. Andy Goldsworthy: A Collaboration with Nature, New York: Harry N. Abrams Incorporated, 1990

Line to follow colours in pebbles, 1985 Stacked ice/sound of cracking, 1985 He likes playing with the different colors that others may not notice around them Goldsworthy, Andy. Line to follow colours in pebbles. 1985. The Scottish Borders. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010. Goldsworthy, Andy. Stacked ice/sound of cracking. 1985. London. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010.

“Why. ” Why is this relevant to me “Why?” Why is this relevant to me? What interests me about this artist and their work? I am an artist/photographer similar to Andy Goldsworthy, which is the main reason why I chose him. I look at his work and can seriously see myself doing what he does in my own future. Goldsworthy’s photography is simple and routine. No matter if his work doesn’t turn out the way he wants it to, it is still documented. Nature is important in my life and it amazes me that Goldsworthy is able to include the loose and disordered aspects of nature while also incorporating the tight and regular. Each work grows, strays, decays—integral parts of a cycle which the photograph shows at its height, marking the moment when the work is most alive. Much like in my own photography, life is captured and it makes the viewer feel something. There is an intensity about each work at its peak that is expressed in his images. Process and decay are implicit, just as in real life. His goal is to understand nature by directly participating in nature as intimately as he can. I can’t say that I am a purist in all of the photography that I do, but it definitely makes more of an impact when I have taken a photo that looks surreal and it has not been altered in any way. The viewer seems to be taken aback that such existentialism exists on its own.

Ice and icicles/dipped in water/held against rock and ice until frozen, 1987 Goldsworthy, Andy. Ice and icicles/dipped in water/held against rock and ice until frozen. 1987. Dumfriesshire. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010.

Slits cut into frozen snow/stormy/strong wind/weather and light rapidly changing, 1988 Some photos have to be quick before his work disappears. Goldsworthy, Andy. Slits cut into frozen snow/stormy/strong wind/weather and light rapidly changing. 1988. Cumbria. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010.

“What. ” What was the artist trying to accomplish “What?” What was the artist trying to accomplish? What else was going on at this time that might have influenced their thinking and approach? Even though I could not find anything historical that had an impact on Goldsworthy’s work, it is correct to assume that nature had the biggest influence on his art. Goldsworthy wanted his art to be sensitive and alert to changes in material, season and weather All of the forms he used were to be found in nature with there being many qualities within any material Movement, change, light, growth and decay are the lifeblood of nature, the energies that Goldsworthy tries to tap into. He thrives for the shock of touch, the resistance of place, materials and weather. The earth is his source. He turns random piles of stones into gravity-defying structures and scattered leaves into dazzling gradiated rainbows

Sycamore leaves/stitched together with stalks/hung from a tree, 1986 Japanese maple/leaves stitched together to make a floating chain/the next day it became a hole supported underneath by a woven briar ring, 1987 Sycamore leaves/stitched together with stalks/hung from a tree, 1986 1) When the leaves fall, he uses the leaves. He uses whatever is around and what time of the year it is. Goldsworthy, Andy. Japanese maple/leaves stitched together to make a floating chain/the next day it became a hole supported underneath by a woven briar ring. 1987. Japan. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010. Goldsworthy, Andy. Sycamore leaves/stitched together with stalks/hung from a tree. 1986. Glasgow. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010.

“How. ” How has this information influenced my thinking about art “How?” How has this information influenced my thinking about art. What new ideas and concepts has it challenged me to consider. How can this approach be applied to your life, to other fields of study? I have my own philosophy; everything changes except for change. Looking at Andy Goldsworthy’s art, it seems to me that he has the same philosophy. Even though his art as a whole won’t always last, there will be remnants. If you’re starting to think of an art project to start, you don’t have to look for ideas or materials – they’re ready for you in nature. You just have to put them together. When a change comes, the idea must alter or it will, and often does, fail. This can be applied in all aspects of life. You can’t just give up when something doesn’t work or your project falls apart, because eventually, it will fall apart. It’s the acceptance part of its demise that is the hardest to grasp. More often than not, you start doing a project and it won’t not turn out the way you wanted it to. It might turn into something better or spark a bigger idea. Don’t always think of the negative if change arises.

Fine dry/edges and ridges softened by the breeze, 1989 Bright sunny morning/frozen snow/cut slab/scraped snow away with stick just short of breaking through, 1987 Most don’t last very long, like the one in the sand was blown away rather quickly Goldsworthy, Andy. Bright sunny morning/frozen snow/cut slab/scraped snow away with stick just short of breaking through. 1987. Japan. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010. Goldsworthy, Andy. Fine dry/edges and ridges softened by the breeze. 1989. Arizona. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010.

Slate Hole Wall, 1990 Goldsworthy, Andy. Slate Hole Wall. 1990. Edinburgh. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010.

Goldsworthy, Andy. Bracken. 1988. Cumbria. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010. Two works made in the same place/sticks and willow herb stalks/pushed into lake bottom/shallow, 1987 Bracken, 1988 Goldsworthy, Andy. Bracken. 1988. Cumbria. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010. Goldsworthy, Andy. Two works made in the same place/sticks and willow herb stalks/pushed into lake bottom/shallow. 1987. Yorkshire Sculpture Park. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010.

Touching North, 1989 Mastered snow balancing Goldsworthy, Andy. Touching North. 1989. North Pole. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010.

Rhododendron leaves/creased to catch the hazy to bright light/held to the ground with thorns, 1987 Dandelions/newly flowered/none as yet turned to seed/undamaged by wind or rain/a grass verge, 1987 Even uses the thorns from nature and not pins Goldsworthy, Andy. Rhododendron leaves/creased to catch the hazy to bright light/held to the ground with thorns. 1987. Yorkshire Sculpture Park. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010. Goldsworthy, Andy. Dandelions/newly flowered/none as yet turned to seed/undamaged by wind or rain/a grass verge. 1987. Yorkshire Sculpture Park. ARTstor. Web. 4 Sept 2010.