Books like Stone

Andy Goldsworth has a knack of taking simple, natural, elements, such as leaves, stones, grasses and soil and transforming them into ethereal and sublime pieces of art.This book has some of his most widely recognised images from the towers of stones that have a limited life beaches of the incoming tide, to the way a rock covered with leaves, takes on new dimensions and brings a start contrast to the surrounding forest. I love the way too that he uses the most transient elements of ice and water. From the rain shadows that he creates to the use of icicles in dramatic ways. There are rocks taken in each season covered with different leaves, the black of ash to the autumnal red of hazel and interestingly shaped stones covered with leaves or surrounded with sticks at different parts of the year.But this is a book primarily about him artistic exploration with stone. He makes the most amazing cairns and arches that sit in the landscape as if they have been there for years and are made from the materials that he has to hand such as slate or river stones. Probably the most amazing is a cairn that was stuck to a vertical cliff wall held in place by the frozen water between the stones.Not all of them work, but the art that he creates is dependant on the materials and the conditions as much as the intent. But all the pieces have energy and a dynamic spirit that transcends the original material and make such beautiful, temporary masterpieces.Exquisite.