Andy Goldsworthy
Andy Goldsworthy
Andy Goldsworthy, OBEis a British sculptor, photographer and environmentalist producing site-specific sculpture and land art situated in natural and urban settings. He lives and works in Scotland...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionSculptor
Date of Birth26 July 1956
giving understanding grows
Understanding the materials I work with... gives me a deeper understanding of my place. And it's helped me make sense of the changes that are happening to me as I grow older.
heart successful unbroken
At its most successful, my 'touch' looks into the heart of nature; most days I don't even get close. These things are all part of a transient process that I cannot understand unless my touch is also transient - only in this way can the cycle remain unbroken and the process be complete.
winter artist years
Winter makes a bridge between one year and another and, in this case, one century and the next.
differences theatre energy
The difference between a theatre with and without an audience is enormous. There is a palpable, critical energy created by the presence of the audience.
would-be ifs one-word
If I had to describe my work in one word, that word would be time.
trying balance four
Three or four stones in one firing will all react differently. I try to achieve a balance between those that haven't progressed enough and those about to go too far.
projects bigs finished
When I do the permanent projects or the big projects, when a work is finished, that's the beginning of its life.
journey snow quality
It takes between three and six hours to make each snowball, depending on snow quality. Wet snow is quick to work with but also quick to thaw, which can lead to a tense journey to the cold store.
important nowhere-to-go importance
I'm dealing with the most important things there are: life and nature. If this doesn't work, if this doesn't sustain me, I can't go back to nature. I'm right there. There's nowhere to go, and that frightens me.
running water leaving
I've laid down in dried up streambeds, leaving a shadow. And then, five minutes later, it's flash flooded, and where I once laid is now running water, which would've washed me away, you know? There's that power and danger often in places that look so calm and pastoral to begin with.
artist elements splits
Stones are checked every so often to see if any have split or at worst exploded. An explosion can leave debris in the elements so the firing has to be abandoned.
winter climate british
The British climate, although it is very wet, it is quite mild in winter. We don't get these severe - generally don't get severe winters.
purpose accepting projects
Confrontation is something that I accept as part of the project though not its purpose.
years boulders has-beens
There are occasions when I have moved boulders, but I'm reluctant to, especially ones that have been rooted in a place for many years.