Here on the Front Range, we’re getting one of our two-day snowstorms. This is one of our few storms with measureable accumulation and blizzard-like winds of Winter 2015. Nothing like the Plains and Northeast states are suffering, but enough to use ‘hunkering in’ as an excuse to tangle.
I decided to try a snowflake template. My results are ‘ok’ (shushing my inner critic to post not-ready-for-prime-time results) because:
1). I’m being lazy with my brain and eyes today
2). I’m using twelve new (to me) tangle patterns with no practice
3). The shading technique still baffles me. I overdo, underdo or in-the-wrong-place-do
Meh … whatever.
I selected patterns beginning with S for Snow on the first tangle and ones with F for Flake on the second.
The six patterns here are Sandswirl, Showgirl, Spaanders, Slalom, Snowzags, and Seedings (they are spelled correctly).
By Sammy D.
The six patterns here are Facets, Fiore, Fandango, Fang, Fishnet, Footlites.
By Sammy D.
I like all twelve patterns well enough to practice and use them again, but I would use a design that provides larger tangle areas than my snowflake templates did.
If you’ve stuck with me this far, here’s your bonus …..
Mind-boggling, stop-in-your-tracks Snow Tangles by Simon Beck, an artist whose work was produced next to Mt. Blanc in Savoie, France. HOURS of meticulous design planning followed by stomping kilometers worth of footsteps in the snow to produce these fleeting works of art:
Art by Simon Beck
Art by Simon Beck
Art by Simon Beck
Simon Beck creating his snow art
Even as I marvel at his creativity, beauty and stamina – and strap on my snowshoes to mush around the neighborhood – I’m agreeing with myself this is one kind of tangle I won’t be attempting. But I sure enjoy his!
You can google Simon Beck or see more of his work here.
Thanks to my wing-woman, Coco, for introducing me to Simon!
bemuzin 
Comments on: "Snow Tangles" (50)
Good morning! All I can say is WOW. I’d never heard of tangles–or Simon Beck before. His snow art is incredible.
The world is a better place because artists are in it.
Isn’t that something!?! I kept thinking, what if stepped in the wrong direction; does he have fresh powder to use as his eraser? And to think it’s all covered by a new snowfall or heat of melting sun.
Had a smile at your “meh”. I’m glad you shared. Both your work and Simon’s require stamina, just of a different variety.
😋 i should look up a word before I use it.
Oh I dunno, looks like you used in in appropriate context!
You rock, and Mr. Beck is cool too (but not as cool as you!)
Love,
E
He might be cooler after hours tramping in the snow (bad joke even for a Monday!)
I’ve never heard of him before but I love his work. We have someone in this country (who’s name I’ve forgotten!) who does work on a similar scale but in the sand when the tide is out.
I really like your tangles, especially the S ones.
Thanks, Eileen. The S’s were definitely easier; not sure why. Sand would be another great medium for these tangles. I also love the art of people who work with wood (branches/twigs) or rocks to fashion sculptures.
Such beauty in our world.
Wow, that foot art in the snow is pretty amazing. I suppose it would give a person a great workout, too. But I’m with you–I think I’d stay inside. 😉
It would be fun to take part in making one of those. As kids, we used to tramp circles, etc on our snow hills with Dad, but they never looked like Simon’s!!
Haha, no, my snow angels and foot flowers never looked quite that spectacular.
And now I think “he must have to jump from one track to the next” and my hip shouts “NO!!” at that thought 😋
I love your snowflake designs, both the concept and the end result – they’re so pretty! And thank you for introducing me to Simon Beck – that sort of thing absolutely amazes me. Such talent!
Thank you, Laurel ! I knew you would enjoy seeing his artistry. What amazing venues tangling has opened up for me. All because I found you during last year’s A to Z Challenge !!
I love that! Yay for serendipity! 🙂
Looks great — amazing idea and the patience this must take. You’re on your way. Keep practicing, keep going. From in-the-wrong-way do to in-the-right-way do is just a matter of a little more practice. That’s art.
Thanks, Silvia. I’ve evolved to thinking “you’re so talented’ is almost an insult to artists and writers because it implies they haven’t studied, failed and practiced incredibly hard to acquire their skills.
Yeah, so true. Only practice makes perfect. Talent without practice only goes so far.
Absolutely. I always think of a tennis prodigy from Australia – Evonne Goolagong – who had so much natural ability that she often self-destructed because she didn’t do the work to finetune her mental concentration. She was aborigine and would wail ‘I’ve gone walkabout’ when she’d let a match slip away from her.
It was my first glimmer about the differences between raw talent and working to acquire skills.
The tangles are beautiful. The snow art, wow I’m not sure I know the right words. Thanks for sharing these. Also, I’m taking this to mean that winter is back in its regular pattern.
I can’t even imagine how he translates from design to snow. Or how he feels when the next snowfall obliterates his work. Nature artists definitely face variables beyond the norm.
Thanks, Dan 😊
I had seen zentangles before, but until you, I didn’t know they were a thing with a name. It’s been rather an education since!
I can’t imagine having the idea to do such things, what creativity!
Enjoy your hibernation 🙂
Joey, you might want to google zentangles to see jaw-dropping designs. I am happy to try, and love the mental calm that comes while doing them, but you owe it to yourself to see what accomplished zentanglers put forth!
I got way ahead of you around Christmas, and have since followed a few pages 🙂
You rock 🙂
YOU TOO!
I love the tangles – both yours on on paper and in the snow! I can’t imagine what calculations must go into creating a design a zillion times larger than the original drawing.
No kidding! I wonder how he covers the inevitable misstep! I’ve seen awesome snow sculptures and these strike a similar chord!
Snow tangles!!! I love this tangling idea, Sammy. Maybe I’ll give it a try since I too am snowed in 🙂 I am astounded by Simon Beck’s snow art.
I wanna know what happens when he’s in the inner pattern and has to pee… easy for guys, but we’d have to tangle our way out of the pattern then back in without disrupting the design. I wonder if there’s a mathematical forumula for that !!
hahaha! I was wondering the same thing, but I thought maybe it was a bit odd to think of it! Glad to know I wasn’t the only one!
Men are the only ones who won’t think of it. LOL
Snow art. Stamping with your feet! Amazing!
I wouldn’t have patience to do that. Wouldn’t even come to think of it. But I did make angels in the snow when little. (As everybody else…)
I still get the urge to do a snow angel in newly fallen snow. But I could not stamp out the kilometers for his snow art knowing the next snowfall would wipe out all that hard work. They sure are pretty though.
Ooh-la-la… !!
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Love your tangles! This morning there was a discussion on an artist blog about this and they gave this page. Offering it here to you in the slight chance you have not seen it — kinda cool! LOVE Beck’s work! http://tanglepatterns.com/tag/zentangle
Thank you, Katie. That is the site I use most often to learn new tangles !!! I’ve found I’m not as enamoured with using the tangle tiles and ‘strings’ as I am trying my own shapes – like snowflakes – and tangling in my art journal . I love coloring with sharpies and decided to try colored pencils in the snowflakes. I liked the subtle colors in those. More experimentation to follow 😊 thanks for your enthusiasm💗
I think everyone said it before me! For those of us lacking in any measurable artistic talent, your tangles and the immense undertakings by people like Simon Beck are simply a WOW. 🙂
Thank you, Joanne. I do enjoy learning about new (to me) artists and art forms. Nature artists are especially tantalizing!
Sammy, you are so talented! I love your designs! And what a creative way of dealing with your weather . . . . Seriously, you go from one lousy weather state to another?
The Simon Beck art is beautiful, too. I am always amazed at art that is not permanent. Like Navajo sand art. Thank you for sharing all these beauties!
Thanks for your encouragement, Luanne!
Trust me, Colorado winter weather is WAY better than Michigan. 😊
I’m relieved to hear that!
Sammy D., I’m so impressed with your beautiful snow tangles! Never heard of this before. Well, the professionals are just okay, but you have a talent for design! Wonder what those tangles would look like in a sketch with color! Yikes! A lot of work, huh? Christine
Thanks, Christine. I appreciate your enthusiasm ☀️💐
Wonderful! I love your tangles and I’m off to read more about Mr Beck 😉
Thanks, Lainey. I hope you are having a good week. 🎀
Really??? What a great chap! 🙂 🙂
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