Earthworks

An introduction to a contemporary form of art using land as the art source and medium for production.  Andy Goldsworthy targets articles in nature, solely with his touch, and transforms them to create artwork. There are many youtube videos which demonstrate Andy's work, and many art exhibitions throughout the United States as well as world wide.

Materials:

A slide show which demonstrates Andy Goldsworthy's work and gives students some background information on his life and his philosophies (website example; Andy Goldsworthy: http://www.rwc.uc.edu/artcomm/web/w2005_2006/maria_Goldsworthy/TEST/index.html), as well as you tube videos to show the production of his artwork (youtube video example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBcdL8uO71E), and ask students to bring in a camera (or supply cameras) so that they may document their art
*good idea to have examples of his reproduction of continuous lines in nature*

Process:

1) Review Andy's work, and how he comes to make it (using still components of nature)

2) Instruct students to "take a line for a walk"
*emphasize to students that they are not to disturb anything, to break any living thing off, or to trespass onto property where they are not supposed to be*

3) Ask students to document their interpretation of taking a line for a walk

4) Observe as a class how each group took their line for a walk

Technical terms and definitions:

Contemporary Art: Art that is produced at this point in time (or to some, since World War II)