Some love the snow; some love quilting. Simon Beck has found a way to combine designs sometimes found in quilting with his love of snowshoeing.
I came across this unusual, temporary art in the new issue of American Quilter (March 2013). The magazine has a feature article on Simon Beck. An Englishman with a degree in engineering science, he worked as an orienteering mapmaker. After physical problems left him unable to run, he took up snowshoeing. He began creating his snow designs in 2004. Reminiscent of crop circles, the designs first are drawn on the computer. Once he begins in the snow, each design takes an average of 10 hours to complete.
The magazine notes what he considers to be "perfect" conditions:
"a heavy snowfall once a week, with six days of fine cold weather between. This would allow for two designs per week and good photos."
Beck works in France during the winter. Walking through new snow with snowshoes, he uses a handheld compass for direction, and the span of the 'shoes and a tape measure for distance. When snow falls, covering a design, he has the opportunity to lay down a new one in the same location.
How big are the designs? According to the Daily Mail,
The intricate patterns are huge - some span the equivalent size of six football pitches.
In American English, that would be about 650 yards. See more great photos of his work at the link.
Also see a slide show of 8 images at Inhabit.com
And a close-up...
To see more of Simon Beck and his work, join him at his Facebook page.