Category: land art
Land art or Earth art is an art form in which landscape and the art are inextricably linked, using natural materials to transform the landscape into expression.0
Maze at the St. Paul Science Museum
An unusual maze, it has several options including a short-cut. There's a bit of a Labyrinth to it in that there is a center goal and you can see it pretty clearly from the entrance. I'll have to come back when they are open and try it out.6
Who's the Minneapolis Cairn Builder?
Imagine my surprise walking around Lake of the Isles to find not one, but seven cairns on the shore. These are nice ones too, much nicer than my stumbling, awkward attempts. This took some time to build. These are not far from the big one I found a few weeks ago in Cedar Lake. More information about Cairns, or Stacked Stones.7
Cedar Lake Cairn - Stacked Stones
Someone has been making Cairns in my neighborhood, there were several on the Northwest point of Lake of the Isles a few weeks ago and I found this one on Cedar's Hidden Beach last weekend. I wonder if it's the same person that was making labrynths around here. If you are the cairn-maker or know who it is, I'd like to meet. Whoever it is sure seems to be having fun. I did some research on cairns last year when I found a bunch of them at Afton State Park, you can read that article here. I think what makes a carin so interesting is that it is so simple in design, yet completely unseen in nature. Animals (lacking thumbs) don't stack rocks, so it's a purely human behavior and the skill required is pretty impressive, seriously, take a look at how complex this one is!7
Check out the fire pit and the seating! The forestry crews have been cutting to deadwood in the park, so that's probably where the seats came from. Looks like the roof is ready for some branches.
Very cool guys. If you made this or know who did — please leave a comment, I'm impressed!
Fort in the Woods by Cedar Lake
I found a fort in the woods by Cedar Lake. Pretty interesting, it's bigger than my living room! Who ever built it surpasses me for creative use of spare time. Probably the local kids, if so, much better than video games and punking in front of McDonalds.
Check out the fire pit and the seating! The forestry crews have been cutting to deadwood in the park, so that's probably where the seats came from. Looks like the roof is ready for some branches.
Very cool guys. If you made this or know who did — please leave a comment, I'm impressed!3
A labyrinth is different from a maze in that you can't get lost; there is only one path. They are found in many ancient places including cathedrals. To walk a labyrinth, you enter the path and think about a problem or question. As you walk it, meditate on the problem. When you reach the center, leave the problem there and come back out. It reminds me of the crooked bridges you find in Japanese gardens — the evil spirits are supposed to get lost and let on the bridge.
Anyhow, I enjoyed making a few of them myself, I wish I had discovered this earlier in the winter, so I could have made more. It's a fun thing to do in the snow that's easier and less messy than making a snow man. I'd really enjoy it if others did them too — hey kids, it's better karma than misspelling-out obscenities in the snow!
Though it looks simple, it takes a lot of concentration and practice to make one. My drawing is off, now that I look at it, but you get the idea.
The photos. The first one is at an angle so that you can see the whole thing. If I backed up, I was too low and the ridges all blended together. All the photos have been clarified and contrasted to make it easier to see the white-on-white.
Snow Labyrinth Revisited
Back on Easter, I posted a photo of a Labyrinth someone had made in the snow. When it snowed again this last week, the labyrinth maker was back. I had my good camera and took some better photos for you. Then, in a fit of over-explanation, I drew a plan for making one.
A labyrinth is different from a maze in that you can't get lost; there is only one path. They are found in many ancient places including cathedrals. To walk a labyrinth, you enter the path and think about a problem or question. As you walk it, meditate on the problem. When you reach the center, leave the problem there and come back out. It reminds me of the crooked bridges you find in Japanese gardens — the evil spirits are supposed to get lost and let on the bridge.
Anyhow, I enjoyed making a few of them myself, I wish I had discovered this earlier in the winter, so I could have made more. It's a fun thing to do in the snow that's easier and less messy than making a snow man. I'd really enjoy it if others did them too — hey kids, it's better karma than misspelling-out obscenities in the snow!
Though it looks simple, it takes a lot of concentration and practice to make one. My drawing is off, now that I look at it, but you get the idea.
The photos. The first one is at an angle so that you can see the whole thing. If I backed up, I was too low and the ridges all blended together. All the photos have been clarified and contrasted to make it easier to see the white-on-white.1
An Easter Labyrinth of Snow
While I was out walking I found someone had make a labyrinth in the snow on the North end of the lake. I was impressed and walked it. I looked up labyrinths after finding one in Como Park this summer. After walking the one I found and seeing another one on the West bay, I tried my feet at making my own on the Western side of the lake by the new house construction site — here it is. I don't know who made the first two, but thanks for doing it! I really enjoyed it and plan on making more of them as I go for walks. It gives me a reason to look forward to more snow.16