Suzanne's Mom's Blog

Photo: Simon Beck.
Simon Beck makes giant, transitory earth art using snow in the mountains or sand on the beach. Especially with beaches, it’s a race against time.

Here’s an artist who knows “you can’t take it with you.” And that’s OK. To him, all art vanishes. His just vanishes sooner.

Maggie Penman writes at the Washington Post, “Simon Beck’s work is, by its nature, temporary. For two decades, Beck has been using his feet to make intricate designs in fresh snow and on beaches. A former mapmaker, Beck designs many of the drawings ahead of time on paper. Then he spends 12 hours alone with a compass, walking in snowshoes to create complex patterns. Some designs resemble snowflakes, stars or flowers. Others include messages or peace signs.

“ ‘In mapmaking, you’ve got something in existence on the ground, and you’ve got to reproduce it in small scale on paper by measuring it,’ Beck said. ‘Making one of these drawings is the same process in reverse.’ Beck mostly works in France, but his art is seen all over the world on social media.

“At 67 years old, Beck has made nearly 700 artworks in sand and snow, and he said he aspires to make at least a thousand. The first time he tried making a pattern in the snow, in 2004, it was just an experiment. He started occasionally posting his snow and sand art. After a few years, he realized how many people were connecting with his work, and he started to dedicate himsel more seriously. He can work in the snow only from late October until early March, so he has a short season to make as many drawings as he can.

“The patterns can be as large as three soccer fields. After they’re done, Beck photographs them, often using a drone or by perching high on a nearby slope. Then, the drawings melt or are swept away by the wind or skiers — or they’re covered by fresh snow. The ephemeral nature of his work is part of the point. … He’s made hundreds of patterns in the same spots, and every time it snows, he has a fresh canvas.

“When Beck works in sand on beaches, the timetable is even shorter.

“ ‘When the tide starts going down, you have to wait until it’s dry before you can start drawing,’ he said. ‘Typically, you’ve got about five hours to get the drawing done before the tide comes in and starts covering it up.’ …

“ ‘The record was 75 people watching me,’ he said. … The skiing wasn’t very good that day, so dozens of people stopped to watch as Beck completed his work, yelling ‘Bravo!’ and applauding and taking photographs, he recalled.

“Often, though, Beck starts working on a snow drawing around 11 a.m. or noon, and doesn’t finish until around midnight, taking pictures of it the next morning. He eats a hearty breakfast before he starts: two big bowls of porridge with banana. He brings snacks with him for when he gets hungry while working, but he doesn’t take breaks. …

“By the time he finishes, he’s pretty hungry. …

“Beck usually works alone, but doesn’t mind the solitude. He listens to classical music while he works. ‘The Earth is beautiful, and the snow is beautiful, and winter is beautiful,’ Beck said.”

More at the Post, here.