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ARTIST SERIES

Sculpting with Nature
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Instructor: Charlotte Godon

Objective: You will learn about the artist, Andy Goldsworthy, and create a sculpture inspired by his artwork.

WA Arts Anchor Standards: 1.1 and 2.1

Part 1: About the Artist
Andy Goldsworthy is a British sculptor, land artist, and photographer known for works created outdoors from natural materials found on-site. His art is transitory, which means that it is not meant to last forever. He takes pictures of his sculptures so that other people can see and enjoy it! There is even a movie about Goldsworthy called Rivers and Tides. You will find links to parts of the movie in the resources sections.

​Part 2: Materials
Andy Goldsworthy uses all kinds of things he finds in nature! 

​He uses rocks…
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He uses leaves…
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He uses sticks…
    

You can make art with anything you can find:
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• Rocks
• Sticks
• Leaves
• Flowers
• Pine needles
• Pine cones
• Whatever else you find!

Part 3: Gathering
This part is simple: go outside and gather whatever natural materials you can find! A bucket might be helpful! You can use one kind of material or many different kinds of materials in your sculpture!

Part 4: Assembling
Find a good spot outside that won’t be disturbed while you work. Look at the things you’ve gathered. Does anything just seem to go together? Think about repetition. Repetition, or rhythm, is when the same thing occurs over and over again. It can give artwork a sense of motion and excitement.  

​Start arranging things on the ground. Try different arrangements. Experiment to see what looks right to you. There’s no wrong way! Changing things around as you go is what artists do! If you have access to a camera, I recommend taking pictures of your sculpture as you go. It’s a good tool for reflecting on (thinking about) your process. The act of taking pictures can also help you see in a different way! Definitely take pictures when your sculpture is finished! Ask for help with a ladder if you want to take pictures from a higher vantage point. 

Suggested Resources for Andy Goldsworthy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LP_-P7ZcWZU
​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7sZv4_0Fxg
https://www.theartstory.org/artist/goldsworthy-andy/

WA Arts Anchor Standards: 1.1 and 2.1:
http://thumbs.media.smithsonianmag.com/filer/35_goldsworthy.jpg__800x600_q85_crop.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MmAaNRnlxFg/UaH9psAsg0I/AAAAAAAAD9Q/mr0VZRPCmLI/s1600/art+100.jpg
https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/land-art-andy-goldsworthy-410.jpg
https://guernseyartscommission.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/goldsworthy-1.jpg​

​​Have fun! ~Charlotte

​We would love to see what you create. Share your creations on Facebook or Instagram! #ArtSmartTroutLake

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Your donations are tax deductible. ArtSmart is a committee of the Trout Lake Arts Council, a 501(c)(3) organization. You may take a tax deduction to the full extent allowed by law for your contribution.

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