"Rivers and Tides" -Andy Goldsworthy

Although I have seen "Rivers and Tides" before, in an art class, it was still very interesting seeing the Goldsworthy working in his element. I think his work is fascinating and it helps create more of an understanding between humans and the environment, something that could use more of our attention. As Goldsworthy creates a piece, he works to get a feel for the place, the natural parts of those environments, and to learn how they interact together. I think his methods of thinking and working in the environment are wonderful because they are literally teaching him as he works with the materials. Goldsworthy's actual pieces trigger a dialogue that is intriguing, beautiful, and encourages a new type of thinking. I thought it was particularly interesting that Goldsworthy spent so many years in art schools, both learning and teaching, and in the end discovered he was only fulfilled when doing his art in actual outdoor environments. That's significant to me because it supports the idea that human and non-humans are intertwined and therefore greatly impact one another. It's also refreshing to see an artist of such success to have good values and practices, and show an example of someone living for the simple things.