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Friday 26 June 2009

Am I a Land Artist, or what?

Having been out watering the garden one evening recently, I discovered that I had slightly over-watered the path. But then it occurred to me that it might be a bit of involuntary land art. Am I a potential land artist and had not realised it? Maybe I am marked out to be an urban land artist... Or am I a second Jackson Pollock? I know he always maintained that his results were not accidental, that he controlled the flow of the paint, but then maybe I controlled the flow of the water - subliminally. No, thinking about it, I don't want to be a second anybody.

No, a land artist is what I will pin my hopes upon. (I really am getting to be quite excited at the prospect opening up before me!) I do know that one swallow does not a summer make, but I am not relying on the say-so of this one photograph. I do have another 847 such pieces of incontrovertible evidence, if you would like to see them - we have more than one path and there has been a lot of dry weather lately.

35 comments:

A Cuban In London said...

Dave, I am sorry to disappoint you but you will be a land artist for as long as the rain forecast for the southeast today holds. Once it comes down, nature will have snatched your brush and palette from you and created her own design. :-)

Many thanks for such a good post.

Greetings from London.

Titus said...

I can see a dragon! Or maybe a horse ....

Shadow said...

reminds me of when my bean was little and made drip drawings on the paving next to the pool...

Bagman and Butler said...

And a great land artist at that. But you will need all of your blogger friends to come and help you move your sidewalk to its new home in the MOMA.

Helen Ginger said...

Your land art may be fleeting, but it is significant. Already people are talking about it, trying to decipher its message. That's the mark of a true land artist. Congratulations.

Helen
Straight From Hel

Unknown said...

Hi Dave,

It's definitely a dragon! The other 847 should keep your blog posts going for a while!

ArtistUnplugged said...

Wow, Dave, awesome! You will never lack a clean canvas for which to do your art. Please, more, more!

readingsully2 said...

LOL, Dave. I see a seahorse. I happen to adore abstract art. I think you have something here. Go for it!!!LOL

Thanks for accepting my award. Looking forward to reading more about you soon. :)

The Weaver of Grass said...

Has a slightly Chinese look about it to me, Dave. You may well be a Land Artist and to think you got to your age without knowing it. So make hay while the sun shines, I say, get out there with the watering can - and photograph your works of art quickly because like castles in the sand they will disappear before your very eyes.

Sandra said...

I'd say yes, you are. I see an egret! I have placed an award for you on my blog. I don't comment much, but I do enjoy reading your efforts!

Dick said...

Breathtaking beauty! A Turner front-runner. Where do I vote?

Tabor said...

I guess it all depends on how much serendipity is in art? No?

Stephen Dell'Aria said...

Interesting because the spiraling water trail appears to force the grid like seams between the concert forward in space.

Unknown said...

I was thinking Chinese as well. Could you give calligraphy a try? Interesting. =D

Madame DeFarge said...

Brilliant. It could inspire my husband, who leaves little piles of grass on the lawn after he's mown it.

Kat Mortensen said...

Did you ever see the documentary in the 70s entitled "Chariots of the Gods" (I was a small girl, so I hope I'm remembering that correctly). This is what your "land art" called to mind for me.
I'm curious, while you were watering the garden, were you conscious of the art you were creating, or did you notice it afterwards? It may well have been some intervention from an alien brush. I'd like to see the others in your collection.

Kat

Cloudia said...

You are a new Cristo!!!
LOL
Aloha, Dear Dave...

Comfort Spiral

koe whitton-williams said...

Dave - this is excellent - of course not every creative endeavor leads to art. . . but this one does. The path looks superb - it has a very 19th century japan look to it. And if it rains you can always take a (very well grounded) blow-dryer out to the path and work in reverse - drying the water to make art!

Roxana said...

such a brilliant last paragraph :-) i am still laughing. but the question is a very serious one: can one talk about art in the absence of intent? like those monkey drawings, for example (it's not a comparison, nonono :-), just trying to find extreme examples, it is always easier to ponder a topic when one discusses extreme cases, isn't it?)

Conda Douglas said...

Dave, very cool--found art, IMO!

Rosaria Williams said...

I agree with Clodia, a new Christo in the making. Call us when you cross the pond.

Anonymous said...

Thanx for the following me Sir! I am be grateful to you.

soulbrush said...

dave, you are definitely a land artist in my eyes.#1 and #8 are yours (#3 atc is gone),thanks for choosing some.
e mail me at:jossross@yahoo.com with your address in lovely surrey.hugs.

Dominic Rivron said...

Why not fill your watering can with paint and flog the flags individually? :)

Crafty Green Poet said...

beautiful patterns, and ephemeral too, which is a key element of all the best land art, so yes, probably

Dave King said...

A Cuban in London
Ah well, I suppose living with disappointment is good for the soul.

Titus
Nope, it's two men in the pool, one swimming and one doing a pike dive.

Shadow
See, I told Titus it was a pool scene!

Butler and Bagman
Mmmm hadn't actually thought that far ahead... silly of me!

Helen
Yes, thanks for that, you've bucked me up no end! A real pal.

Derrick
They could do that, certainly.

Artist Unplugged
I'll let you into a secret. I don't like clean canvases - that particular opus was executed behind my back from a swinging watercan!

readingsully2
Can't see the sea horse. Nope!

Thank you for offering the award. I was beginning to feel a bit churlish over the whole business.

The Weaver of Grass
Trouble is, while the sun shines the masterpiece keeps disappearing. It's the transience of things, of course, that I am after!

Sandra
An egret! I'm very fond of egrets. if ever I have a coat of arms I shall surely have na egret on it. Thanks for your support.

Dick
Duinno mate! Don't move in those circles, but thanks!

Tabor
Yes!

Stephen
I am ultra-pleased you noticed that!

Linda
Got you! yes, I can see it! Thanks for that.

Madame DeFarge
What, I wonder, is the significance of those?

Poetikat
I did see it, yes - and no, as per above, it all happened behind my back. I still think it was subliminal, though.

Cloudia
Do you really think so - I'm in danger of getting carried away!

Koe
Splendid idea! I shall be forever in your debt for that! Thanks.

Roxana
Or: can one have a subliminal intent? Or should I say subliminally have an intent?? But you're right. It is a good question, one we might air at some time.

Conda
Good one.

lakeviewer
I will surely do that!

Jaky
Glad to.

Soulbrush
Thanks so much. Greatly appreciated.

Dominic
Think Doreen might have something to say about that!

Crafty Green Poet
You have gone straight to the nub, as usual. Brilliant and thanks.

hope said...

Hmmm, I'm with Titus... I definitely see the dragon, as if done with a brush by a Japanese calligrapher.

Hey, isn't art SUPPOSE to be open to interpretation? ;)

Zuzana said...

Love the land-art. With imagination anything can become anything.;))
Thank you for stopping by my place.;))

Jenny said...

Hi David,

Your blog is such a treasure of sparkling imaginative texts! It is truly wonderful.

The pattern on the stones looks like a dragon to me, or, the movement of dancing people. :)

Cathy said...

It's catching, your excitement about finding another medium for expression. I think only a true artist can see, share, feel things like that.

Dave King said...

hope
I couldn't see it at first, but I think I do now. You're quite right, of course - but hey, does that mean I can see figures in a Jackson Pollock? I've always been afraid to.

Protege
Welcome to my blog. Absolutely - and I enjoyed my visit.

Jenny
Thanks for the compliments - and it looks like the dragon has it!

Cathy
I do get carried away, though...

Rachel Green said...

I'd rather see your land art than some of the modern works, Dave.

Aniket Thakkar said...

Oh a mighty dragon it is for sure. You should totally pursue this art. You can paint it weekly or something. You know at our college there is a dedicated Graffiti wall. That is painted each year by the passing out batch. Things like these make history! :D

Jeanne Estridge said...

Totally Jackson Pollock! At least, until it evaporates.

The lady in Red said...

Dear Dave, is it dragon? Well, you are very clever. Art is in everything and only sensitive people can see, guess and develop an idea. Even when we feel sad we can develop and art. Outstanding Post! CONGRATULATIONS!
Have a very nice week,
Rosana