Artist reveals his land art masterpieces
A TALENTED ‘land artist’ shows off his vast catalogue of temporary visual masterpieces – created from natural objects.
Winston Plowes, 58, uses an array of materials, like stones, berries, sticks and grasses, to make his mesmerising patterns that can sometimes take up to nine hours to complete.
The artist and teacher began working with ‘environmental resources’ ten years ago as a way of creating pieces in ‘sympathy’ with the natural world.
And although he has now spent thousands of hours crafting hundreds of artworks, they can sometimes last for a matter of moments before disappearing.
Some of Winston’s art is influenced by famed painters like 1960s icon Bridget Riley, but he often comes up with his design using whatever is available. Winston said: “Land art is made in sympathy with nature.
“I like the idea that because we are from nature, the more we find out about nature, the more we find out about ourselves and it helps that connection process.
“I’ve got no problem with traditional art, people producing paintings – it’s wonderful, and I’ve done that myself.
“But this is also different because we tend, as land artists, to remember the making experience and the process more.”
Winston, from Calderdale, said he usually makes one or two pieces per week while exploring his local surroundings. And he catalogues the art by taking photos of it before the works later fade back into the beaches, meadows or forests where they’ve been created.
He once spent nine hours over three days on a piece called ‘Halo,’ which used overlapping rings of bread soldiers to discuss the “never-ending circle of daily life”.
But Winston also said his art can sometimes take just minutes from the point at which he has his first idea to when it is finalised. Winston said: “There are different categories within this genre of land art.
“So you might just balance one stone on another and the way it’s photographed can make it look quite amazing.”