Unfortunately for kids, the rise of virtual learning this year could mean the end of snow days. Still, this doesn’t mean you should exclude yourself from winter activities. Come winter, we’re reminded of Sonja Hinrichsen’s ongoing project, Snow Drawings. Using snowshoes, Hinrichsen (with a little help of her friends), creates huge drawings on snow-covered landscapes by walking pattern systems.
“It’s very intuitive, meaning that it happens in the moment, in the process,” Hinrichsen shared with My Modern Met, describing her creative process. “It’s not something that’s preconceived, there’s no pre-designed scene that I’m laying out on the snow. I don’t make a drawing on a sheet of paper or on the computer and transfer it onto the snow.”
According to Hinrichsen, she isn’t interested in creating lasting artworks, as she believes our planet is over-saturated with man-made products. Her drawings are ephemeral by design and comprised of forms that are reminiscent of glyphs created by aboriginal peoples. “From the ground it’s not possible to see it all, because the area is flat, especially if we are working on a lake,” she reflects. “There is no way to get a perspective of the piece.”
As her snow drawings are large-scaled, they require much more than a pair of shoes. In fact, her drawings are most often made with the help of local volunteers which Hinrichsen guides through the snow. As such, her art is very community-oriented, providing a teaching tool in a world that tends to neglect or deny its adverse impacts on the natural world.
“Part of this project really focuses on experience, on giving people this opportunity not only to participate in a big, collaborative art piece, but also to be out in nature and to experience the deep nature, the winter experience,” says the artist.
“I feel like this is important for us—humanity—as we’ve become so disconnected from the natural environment we live in. I feel like we need to reconnect with nature,” she stresses.
Her work might just inspire you to try your hands (and feet) at snow drawing!
