Andy Goldsworthy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Andy Goldsworthy OBE
Goldsworthy in 2005
Born	(1956-07-25) 25 July 1956 (age 69) Cheshire, England
Known for	Sculpture, photography
Movement	Environmental art, land art
Spouse(s)	Judith Gregson (divorced)
Partner(s)	Tina Fiske

Andy Goldsworthy is a famous English artist, photographer, and environmentalist. He creates unique sculptures and art pieces using natural materials found in outdoor places. His art is often called "land art" because it's made directly in nature or in city settings.

Early Life and Farm Work

Andy Goldsworthy was born in Cheshire, England, on July 25, 1956. He grew up near Leeds. From the age of 13, he started working on farms. He felt that the repeated tasks on a farm, like picking potatoes, were similar to the rhythm he found in making his art.

He studied art at Bradford College of Art and later at Preston Polytechnic (now the University of Central Lancashire).

Andy Goldsworthy's Art Journey

Moving Around and Making Art

After finishing college, Andy Goldsworthy lived in different parts of England, including Yorkshire and Cumbria. In 1985, he moved to Scotland and settled in a village called Penpont, where he still lives today. He moved north to find new places to work and for practical reasons.

In 2003, Andy Goldsworthy created a special artwork for the de Young Museum in San Francisco. It was called "Drawn Stone." This piece showed a giant crack in the ground that split into smaller cracks, like the effects of an earthquake. He used a hammer to make the smaller cracks, which meant each one was a surprise.

How Andy Goldsworthy Creates Art

Andy Goldsworthy uses many different natural materials for his art. These include colorful flowers, shiny icicles, fallen leaves, mud, pinecones, snow, stones, twigs, and thorns. He believes it's important to work with all parts of nature, even delicate things like flower petals.

His art doesn't try to change nature too much. Instead, he gently arranges materials to show off natural processes. He prefers to work with loose stones and pebbles rather than breaking off pieces of solid rock. This way, his art feels like it's part of nature's journey.

Many of Goldsworthy's artworks are small and don't last forever. For these temporary pieces, he often uses only his hands, teeth, or simple tools he finds nearby. This shows how much he focuses on time and how things naturally change and decay. This is different from some other land artists who make huge, permanent structures.

For his bigger, lasting sculptures, like "Roof" or "Stone River," he sometimes uses machines. For example, to build "Roof," he worked with skilled stone wall builders to make sure the structure was strong and would last.

Andy Goldsworthy is also known for being a pioneer in modern rock balancing, which is the art of stacking stones without any glue or support.

The Role of Photography in His Art

Because many of Andy Goldsworthy's artworks are temporary and will eventually disappear, photography is very important. He takes pictures of his art, usually himself, to capture them at their best moment. These photos allow people to see his work even after it has naturally changed or decayed.

He says that photography helps him understand his own art better. It's like a way for him to "talk, write, and think" about his creations. The photos show how his art connects and develops over time.

Personal Life

Andy Goldsworthy married Judith Gregson in 1982, and they had four children. They later separated. He now lives in Penpont, Scotland, with his partner, Tina Fiske, who studies art history.

Awards and Recognition

Andy Goldsworthy has received many awards for his art, including:

• 1979 – North West Arts Award
• 1980 – Yorkshire Arts Award
• 1981 – Northern Arts Award
• 1982 – Northern Arts Award
• 1986 – Northern Arts Bursary
• 1987 – Scottish Arts Council Award
• 1989 – Northern Electricity Arts Award
• 2000 – Appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Exhibitions and Installations

Andy Goldsworthy's art has been shown in many places around the world. Here are some of his notable exhibitions and permanent installations:

Image	Dates	Title	Location
	1995–2008	Sapsucker Cairn	Ithaca, New York, USA
Sheepfolds	1996–2003	Sheepfolds	Cumbria, England, UK
Stone House	1997	Stone House	Herring Island, Victoria, Australia
Cairn	1997	Cairn	Herring Island, Victoria, Australia
	1998	Hutton Roof	National Museum of Scotland Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
	22 May – 15 November 2000	Andy Goldsworthy at Storm King Art Center (featuring the installation Storm King Wall)	Storm King Art Center Mountainville, Cornwall, New York, USA
	August 2001	Stone River	Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University Stanford, California, USA
	2002	Andy Goldsworthy Arch at Goodwood	Cass Sculpture Foundation Goodwood, West Sussex, England, UK
Chalk Stones Trail	2002	Chalk Stones Trail	South Downs near West Dean, West Sussex
	2002	Three Cairns	Des Moines Art Center Des Moines, IA USA
	4 May – 31 October 2004	Andy Goldsworthy on the Roof (featuring the installation Stone Houses)	Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Metropolitan Museum of Art Roof Garden New York City, USA
	2005	Andy Goldsworthy: Early Works A national touring exhibition from the Haywood Gallery	England, United Kingdom
	2005	Drawn Stone	M. H. de Young Memorial Museum San Francisco
	2005	Arches	Gibbs Farm New Zealand
	22 January – 15 May 2005	The Andy Goldsworthy Project (including the installation Roof)	National Gallery of Art National Mall, Washington, D.C., USA
	2006	Red sandstone wall at the Doerr-Hosier Center	Aspen Institute Aspen, Colorado, USA
Hanging Trees	31 March 2007 – 6 January 2008	Hanging Trees	Yorkshire Sculpture Park West Bretton, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, UK
	2007 – 2008	Clay Houses (Boulder-Room-Holes)	Glenstone Potomac, Maryland, USA
	October 2008	Spire	Park Presidio San Francisco
	June 2009	Refuge d'Art Hiking Trail, Provence, France	Provence France
Wood Line	2010-11	Wood Line	Park Presidio San Francisco
Domo de Argila / Clay Dome	7 September 2012 – 2 November 2012	Domo de Argila / Clay Dome	Cais do Porto Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
	2013	Tree Fall	Park Presidio San Francisco
	2014	Earth Wall	Park Presidio San Francisco
	2019	Walking Wall	Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Missouri

Films About Andy Goldsworthy

Two documentary films have been made about Andy Goldsworthy and his art by German director Thomas Riedelsheimer:

• Rivers and Tides (released in 2001)
• Leaning into the Wind (released in 2017)

See also

In Spanish: Andy Goldsworthy para niños

• Environmental art
• Land art
• Rock balancing

Further Information

Articles:

• SPARK Educator Guide . Andy Goldsworthy at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. (Visual Arts: earthworks). (2005).

Films:

• Rivers and Tides (2001) documentary by Thomas Riedelsheimer
• Leaning into the Wind (2017) documentary by Thomas Riedelsheimer ()