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."

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!))

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

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.

Orange Peel!! Look at that snow texture!

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.

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

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.

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?

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

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

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