It’s winter here in the northern hemisphere and that means a whole new element to create with- SNOW! Whether we tramp down pathways to make gorgeous figures, lie down and flap out snow angels, admire nature’s ability to cover and encase, or actually paint with handfuls, snow is not only fascinating in its own right but offers the magic of drawing and painting with the living world.
Look how these two artists use snow as their canvas. Snow artist Sonja Hinrichsen’s work, recently shared in the Huffington Post, is a great addition to the handful of people making large snowy fields and plateaus their chosen canvas. Here’s a link to the article where she describes the scope of her work and how she involves dozens of people in her snowy creations. That certainly makes her unique. The top photo in this post is an example of her work. It looks so Hundertwasser like to me. Also there is an organic quality to her images that I enjoy.
In contrast, the work of snow artist Simon Beck is organic in that it is fractal (natural repeated self- similar patterns) but look how incredibly precise and ordered this is! It’s bit tricky to tell in a photograph (look for the roadway on the right hand side of the photo) but the sheer scale of his work is breathtaking.
I wouldn’t call myself a snow artist per se but I too enjoy scraping away snowy layers and painting with handfuls. In this article in Sageing magazine www.sageing.ca about snow art, creativity and pattern I explore perspective- both magnification and stepping back to get an expansive view.
I share some of the ways drawing and painting with snow can satisfy the drive to create in a quick yet fulfilling way. You can read it directly here.
For inspiration this Snow Art video tracks drawing and painting with falling flakes.
May your snowy days be filled with creative joy and gratitude for the myriad ways we can commune and create with the elements. I’d love to see the ways snow inspires you. Please share below.
Snow Art from Lisa Lipsett-Creative by Nature on Vimeo.