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Mud Paintings, Icicle Sculptures, and More Temporary Nature Art

Andy Goldsworthy spins magic out of twigs, pebbles, and flowers.
SYCAMORE LEAVES EDGING THE ROOTS OF A SYCAMORE TREE. BERRYDOWN FOUNDATION, HAMPSHIRE. 1 NOVEMBER 2013. © ANDY GOLDSWORTHY

Dirt, rocks, leaves, ice, snow, and other organic materials become ephemeral artworks in British artist Andy Goldsworthy's natural sculptures. They're works he leaves out to be exposed to the elements and erased by nature itself. His art is about the whimsy of encountering his materials in nature and in process of eroded time.

From Colorado to Scotland, Goldsworthy has created works of art in rolling landscapes. In the book Andy Goldsworthy: Ephemeral Works 2004-2014 (Abrams) we witness the artist in relation with his surroundings. His artistic wonders exist temporarily in bogs, creeks, boulders, and tree trunks: he paints trees with black mud in Scotland, groups colorful poppies in Spain, and arranges frost in England.

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This latest book captures thousands of artistic interventions he made between 2001 and the present. Goldsworthy’s process is a poetic translation of material, place, and the passage of time as it relates to seasons. He gives weight to temporality. Ephemeral Works spans over 368 pages, including 400 color photographs. Our favorite moments are when the artist is absorbed in fits of production at stunning corners of the Earth.

CURVED STICKS LAID AROUND A RIVER BOULDER. TOOK LONGER TO FIND THE STICKS THAN TO MAKE THE WORK. WOODY CREEK, COLORADO. 16 SEPTEMBER 2006. © ANDY GOLDSWORTHY

ICICLES FROZEN TO ICICLES. MIDDAY SUN WARMING THE BANK ABOVE WHERE I WORKED. CAUSING SOME ICE TO MELT AND FALL. CONTINUED TO FREEZE IN THE SHADOWS. COLD OVERNIGHT. DUMFRIESSHIRE, SCOTLAND. 8 JANUARY 2010. © ANDY GOLDSWORTHY

CHALK. DUSTED ON LEAF. BERRYDOWN FOUNDATION, HAMPSHIRE. 29, 31 AUGUST 2013. © ANDY GOLDSWORTHY

TREE PAINTED WITH BLACK MUD. COLLECTED FROM NEARBY BOG. DUMFRIESSHIRE, SCOTLAND. 21 MARCH 2014. © ANDY GOLDSWORTHY

POPPIES. IN FLOWER AFTER RECENT HEAVY RAINS. COLLECTED FROM FIELDS. LAID ON STEPS. HELD WITH WATER. CAÑETE, SPAIN. 7 JULY 2014. © ANDY GOLDSWORTHY

LIMESTONE DUST. BY-PRODUCT OF SLEEPING STONES. CUENCA, SPAIN. 7 OCTOBER 2014. © ANDY GOLDSWORTHY

To learn more about Andy Goldsworthy: Ephemeral Works 2004-2014 (Abrams) click here.

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