The following pieces of art were chosen for this exhibit based on the theme A Walk in the Park.  Although some are a touch of fantasy for an actual park, they tug on the imagination to explore what it might be like to see such things on a walk through the park.  Most include a pool or creek, which I believe all good parks should have.  This theme also gave me an opportunity to explore works from my favorite styles from the postmodern era: environmental art and street art.  The gallery includes art form two artists: Julian Beever and Andy Goldworthy.

Julian Beever is a British artist who specializes in street drawing incorporating optical illusions.  Beever’s work has been seen gracing the streets throughout Europe, Australia, and the United States.  As his mediums is chalk, the only remnant of his life’s works are the photographs that capture the images.

Andy Goldworthy is an Environmental artist who creates sculptures from various item found in nature.  His creations are constructed in their natural setting and only documented through the photographs taken of them.  Goldsworthy, like Beever, is British.

“Carefully broken pebbles scratched white with another stone”

This piece was created by Andy Goldsworthy in June 1, 1985 in St. Abbs Scottland.  I enjoy the whimsical feel of the spiral of pebbles. The meticulous task of cracking each stone in just the right place must have been time consuming, but it gives great aesthetic appeal to the creation.  As all of the photographs in this gallery will elude, when walking through the park, one would be most delighted to happen upon such a scene, even if only in ones imagination.

“Floating hole”

This piece by Andy Goldsworthy was constructed in September of 1986 in Loughborough, Leicestershire.  I have often been walking in the fall here in Alaska when I have seen a pond filled with leaves such as this.  Of course those I have seen have lacked a hole, but it is a familiar sight for sure.  For this reason, I chose to include this piece of art.

“About to meet Mr. Newt”

Julian Beever’s creation above (I was unable to find date and location information for his artwork) depicts a scene that many who have strolled along ponds of parks have come across.  Lily pads dance atop the water as exciting creatures await below.  As a child one of my favorite things to do was to search for frogs and salamanders in the ponds, lakes, and streams around Spokane, Washington.  I enjoy the playful feel of this drawing. Not only is it playful because of the drawing itself, but for the medium it is constructed with.  Chalk, perhaps the most exciting art medium for children during long summer days.

Iris leaves with Rowan berries

Once again I had trouble finding a date and location for the above work of art.  It is a creation again of Andy Goldsworthy.  This is perhaps my favorite of all the works I have seen in his portfolio.  The contrast between the green of the Iris leaves and the red of the Rowan berries is captivating. It reminds me of the contrasting colors that can be seen in the early fall on the nature walk in Creamers Field in Fairbanks, AK.

“Feeding the fish”

I have a vague memory of a similar scene to the above from a trip my family took to the Japanese Gardens where we used to live.  There was a waterfall from a stream in the park, and at the bottom, the pool was filled with goldfish of similar coloration to the one in the street drawing above by Julian Beever.  The theme of this gallery is almost perfectly embodied in this one drawing.  A trip back in time to distant childhood memories and imagined happenings built from walks through various parks or up the banks of a stream.

“Meeting Madame Butterfly”

What is better than a life sized butterfly? Well, a dream sized butterfly.  Meeting Madame Butterfly was drawn in Mexico City by Julian Beever to be captured by the television show Concrete Canvas.  Every one of Beever’s drawings amazes me.  It seems that the butterfly is actually floating above the pavement, but a closer glance at the crowd standing around the drawing gives a better sense of the size and anatomy of the drawing.

The information for Beever’s work was found at http://users.skynet.be/J.Beever/pave.htm and the information for Goldsworthy’s work was found at two websites: http://www.goldsworthy.cc.gla.ac.uk/ and http://www.morning-earth.org/ARTISTNATURALISTS/AN_Goldsworthy.html.