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Saturday, March 24, 2012

Quilt Patterns in the Snow ----

I received an email yesterday that is just TOO good not to pass on! ((Thank you Bill Tomlinson!))

I was so intrigued that I had to google this man and find out more about what he does.

This was the content of the email, interspersed with imagines too beautiful to be believable. I can’t imagine the intricacy of making these patterns in the snow wearing snow shoes!

An Interview with Simon:

Q: How long does it take you?
A: "Typically a large design is the size of 3 soccer fields and takes 2 days. In this context a day means until I get too tired to continue, how long this takes is mainly a function of the snow condition and how tired I was before I started. Usually between 5 and 9 hours."
Q: What inspires you?
A: "Most of the designs are simple geometric figures, or figures generated by repeating simple rules at different scales. In due course of time I hope to harvest pictures others have taken on these things during the process of making them, to demonstrated how it is done."

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Artist Simon Beck must really love the cold weather! Along the frozen lakes of Savoie , France , he spends days plodding through the snow in raquettes (snowshoes), creating these sensational patterns of snow art. ((Yes that design is in the SNOW – it’s not blue fabric!))

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How does he get this SO symmetrical?! I’d love to see this from above, flying in a plane!

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Working for 5-9 hours a day, each final piece is typically the size of three soccer fields! The geometric forms range in mathematical patterns and shapes that create stunning, sometimes 3D, designs when viewed from higher levels.

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Orange Peel!! Look at that snow texture!

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How long these magnificent geometric forms survive is completely dependent on the weather. Beck designs and redesigns the patterns as new snow falls, sometimes unable to finish a piece due to significant overnight accumulations.

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How do you get it so PERFECT?! Look at that sun just coming up over the mountain – so peaceful!

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Interestingly enough, he said, 'The main reason for making them was because I can no longer run properly due to problems with my feet, so plodding about on level snow is the least painful way of getting exercise.

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Gradually, the reason has become photographing them, and I am considering buying a better camera.” Spectacular art for the sake of exercise!

I love the perspective of this one with the buildings in the background, you can see just how large they are…but how do you graph something out like this before stamping it into the snow?

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I love this one, it reminds me of the 7 sisters quilt pattern.

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Don’t you think this guy needs to do a calendar as well? I’d buy one!

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Man, I am so inspired….I am literally speechless at this, and that doesn’t happen often. My hat's off to you Simon!


46 comments:

  1. I am speechless too. Thanks for sharing this.

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  2. That is the most amazing thing I have seen in a while! If I tried something like that, it would be a mess!! Such perfection...I'd buy a calendar too!! Amazing is an understatement!!

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  3. Cindy Cepress7:59 AM EDT

    Such an artist....so much work. I'd buy the calendar also. Thank you for sharing!

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  4. that is beautiful,that guy is good on snowshoes, i can't even stand up on them.

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  5. That is crazy!!! Wow! Stunnimg really. Thanks for sharing.

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  6. This is amazing! Look at those awesome designs he creates... I would love to know how he does this. I sure hope he does put out a calendar or a book or something showing us the process!

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  7. Wow - this is amazing! I would love to see how he does it! Wonderful! Thanks for sharing!

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  8. Anonymous8:44 AM EDT

    And we think our quilts are works of art! Amazing for sure.
    Maryella

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  9. This is the most interesting set of quilts I've seen in awhile! Wow!

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  10. Such intricate work... and he is not even on a flat surface but maintains a perfect design! Gorgeous artwork!! He should turn his wanderings into a book. It would be a very interesting read with some awesome pictures! :)

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    1. Love it! Amazing talent. I agree with you and Brenda, if not a calendar, a book. They are beautiful!

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  11. I'd buy a calendar of Simon's work as well. Truly amazing. Thanks for sharing. M

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  12. Absolutely amazing! Thanks for sharing this Bonnie!

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  13. WONDERFULL AND AMAZING AT THE SAME TIME! THANKS FOR SHARING.
    GREETINGS,
    MAYTE.

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  14. Anonymous9:26 AM EDT

    I would purchase at least one calendar. He is incredible! Thanks you for sharing... and I wish my quilts looked that good!

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  15. This is just amazing! Thanks for sharing this with all of us Bonnie! And thank you Simon!

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  16. Anonymous9:29 AM EDT

    And I have trouble making snow angels!! Unbelievable, wonderful mastery. I wonder if he uses a GPS instrument to guide him as he designs? Thanks for sharing, Bonnie, I think I will Google his name and see what else comes up.
    Faye

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  17. Anonymous9:40 AM EDT

    These pictures are absolutely amazing. A calendar for sure would sell out I bet. I couldn't imagine where to even start something like that! Hats off to him!!!

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  18. I too would buy a calandar. Those are gorgeous! I hope you don't mind...I linked to my FB page.

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  19. Incredible amazing !!! I'm in awe!

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  20. Wow! His" exercise" is benefiting others too.I have never heard of that happening.Amazing work.

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  21. That is simply incredible!!!!

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  22. This man is astonishing! I can't believe the intricate designs on such an unlikely surface. We use yardage and it makes me wonder how many miles he walks to make one design. Someone with connections to the publishing world should let them know about this guy. I would buy a calander or book in a heartbeat. Thanks for letting us know about Simon

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  23. That is AMAZING! It makes me think of corn mazes, but even better!

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  24. Wow! I know you are familiar with central Oregon. Wouldn't one of those be cool on Dutchman Flat below Mt Bachelor?!

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  25. I can imagine one on Beluga Lake where I used to live in Homer, Alaska. What a joyful creation! Thanks for sharing this, Bonnie--never would have seen it otherwise!

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  26. an artist gotta be an artist whatever the medium.

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  27. Thanks for sharing and "paying forward" such amazing works of art...inspiring to say the least....feel like a slacker for not doing something equally creative with our 26 feet of snow!!

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  28. AMAZING!!! AWESOME!!! BEAUTIFUL!!

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  29. I don't think I have a word to describe my amazement that hasn't already been used. I thought this was a quilt from the pictures on Facebook, this is truly incredible, his points are all perfect, I think we should introduce him to fabric :)

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  30. So amazing! Even my 16 year-old unquilty son was fascinated. Thank you for sharing!

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  31. I'am from Holland, I love the snow, but I never have seen so a fantastic snowquilt. Marian

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  32. Absolutely amazing! Like you, I wonder how he gets everything so symmetrical. If I tried that, it would be a bunch of crooked lines and egg-shaped circles.

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  33. Anonymous2:27 PM EDT

    The first two pictures I would have sworn were thread painting on silk! I thought that was pretty amazing, but finding it was SNOW.. blew me away! AWESOME! An extraordinary talent.
    Lynne in Hawaii

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  34. WOW!! I was calling my 20-something son over to look and he replied, "Oh, yeah, the crop circles in the snow? I've seen them--cool!"
    Crop circles in the snow! *LOL*

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  35. Truly amazing!! I wish a TV production co would do a documentary on him & film him in the process of making these gorgeous creations. A calendar for sure!!!

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  36. Absolutely amazing! How he gets from mental concept to actual design in the snow in beyond me. Yes to the calendar idea! I'd buy one too!

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  37. WOWWWWW this is beyond belief and absolutely AMAZING!!! I would love to see a docco on Simon creating these spectacular snow quilts & a calendar would be fabulous!!
    Thanks so much for sharing!! cheers...Marian

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  38. Holy cow! This guy is amazing! These are so beautiful, and thank goodness someone is getting a pic of them before they are gone!

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  39. I am also speechless, but I REALLY want to know how in the world he can make them so symmetrical. How does he lay them out?

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  40. Oops... sorry I hadn't read your blog all weekend and sent you an e-mail today with pictures about this guy also! My SIL sent them to me, and I thought that you would enjoy them. Guess I was right! Sorry to duplicate.

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  41. Wow! amazing! I love the winter and snow. What he is doing is truly mind-blowing! thanks so much for sharing this.

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  42. Anonymous1:33 PM EDT

    Wow! I'd buy a calendar too if there was one. Amazing!

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