Artist Spotlight – Andy Goldsworthy
Artist Spotlight: Andy Goldsworthy
Born in Cheshire, England, British artist Andy Goldsworthy grew up in Yorkshire. For most of his career, he has worked outdoors in remote places around the world. There, he uses whatever materials he finds, such as twigs, leaves, stones, ice and thorns. As a result, most of his works are ephemeral. Even so, they show a remarkable sense of play and of place.
How Goldsworthy Shapes Nature
His forms are simple: the spiral, circle, cone, arch, column, sphere and undulating line. For example, a form might encircle a tree or a boulder. Similarly, other forms hang from objects or lead toward them. Some also play with light and shadow. Consequently, the landscape becomes part of the finished sculpture.
Surface Tension at the Hess Art Museum
The Hess Art Museum features several of Goldsworthy’s works, including Surface Tension. The piece first appeared in 1993. Later, it came together again on our property in 2009. First, the artist wetted long chestnut leafstalks. Then, he pinned them together with hawthorn spines. In fact, the thorns alone hold the piece to the walls and ceiling. He used no glue or hardware at all. You can also watch a short timelapse of the process on our YouTube channel.
Rock Pools
Another gallery favorite is Rock Pools, which Goldsworthy created in January 2000. Specifically, the piece consists of 34 kiln-fired greywacke sea boulders. Greywacke is a dark, coarse-grained sandstone with shale, silt and over 15 percent clay. To create the piece, Goldsworthy fired the boulders at just above 3,000°F (about 1,650°C). At that heat, the stone begins to turn molten.
Next to Rock Pools, a viewing room holds a related video of the firing. Inside, you can watch the stone glow from black to white hot. Afterward, it cools back to black in a seamless, mesmerizing transition.
Why Goldsworthy Belongs on Mount Veeder
Goldsworthy lets time and change finish his work. For instance, ice melts and leaves fall from their thorny supports. Likewise, twigs settle as they might on their own. This respect for nature makes him one of the most admired figures in land art. In fact, he received an OBE in 2000. His permanent works also include Storm King Wall in New York and Stone River at Stanford. For this reason, his art feels right at home on Mount Veeder. After all, Donald Hess gathered great artists here over decades.
Plan Your Visit
Give yourself an hour with the art and an hour with the wine. First, plan your museum visit. Then, reserve a tasting.
Andy Goldsworthy FAQ
Who is Andy Goldsworthy?
Andy Goldsworthy is a British sculptor, photographer and land artist, born in 1956. Today, people know him for ephemeral outdoor works made from natural materials. He has also created permanent stone installations around the world.
What Andy Goldsworthy works are at Hess Persson Estates?
The collection includes Surface Tension, a 1993 work of chestnut leafstalks and hawthorn thorns. It also features Rock Pools, a 2000 piece of 34 kiln-fired greywacke boulders. In addition, a related video installation shows the firing process.
Where can you see Andy Goldsworthy’s art in Napa?
You can see it in the Hess Art Collection at Hess Persson Estates on Mount Veeder. However, visits require a reservation.