Ned Carlson ‘19 is a senior at IHS, and has been exploring the field of “land art” (think Andy Goldsworthy) for many years. His art takes the form of natural, impermanent sculptures, and each “installation” has corresponding photography, that is “an exploration of shape, color, and light.” Carlson’s works include both two- and three-dimensional pieces. All are “manipulations of patterns within natural forms.” Due to the nature of his work, all of the pieces eventually fall apart and return to their natural state; he describes his pieces as “site-specific, dynamic, and often fleetingly ephemeral.”
Recently, however, Carlson has been exploring slightly more permanent installations, using piles of shale that he finds to create towers, arches, and hollow domes. He has created smaller domes around Buttermilk Falls, as well as a larger one measuring close to twelve feet with a one-foot hole at the top near Lick Brook Gorge.
Carlson’s other sculptural work includes arches, which he completes using a “scaffolding” technique. He builds a semicircle from the ground up, using other rocks for balance and steadying it with smaller rock wedges. Carlson says that he never uses outside resources in learning how to build architectural sculptures such as these arches, preferring instead to figure it out himself. This is indicative of his general approach: “try not to take what you learn in school too seriously. Explore what you like without outside influence. Find your voice and, by doing so, gain your technical skills.”
Apart from shale, rock towers have been a common theme in Carlson’s work. He looks for the right location and rocks, and says that the location is what determines the effectiveness of a piece; the rocks need to have both contrast and continuity with their surroundings so as not to look forced. Occasionally he plans his pieces, but these plans are never particularly concrete, as he prefers to follow an idea where it leads, and his recent process has been much more spontaneous. These pieces can take the form of tapering rock towers on the beach and carefully poised balancing acts in rivers.
When Carlson isn’t working with larger rock pieces, he focuses on smaller, ornate patterns made of whatever he finds, including leaves, seed pods, and even the delicate wings of Tiger Swallowtail butterflies. Sometimes Carlson collects leaves and carefully arranges them in circular gradients of green, yellow, orange, and red, spanning nearly a foot. Sometimes he weaves slender seed pods through large maple leaves, creating the illusion of a smaller leaf resting on top.
Carlson currently finds time to work on weekends and on vacations, although he also makes time during the week—“it’s about priorities,” he says, “and [his art] is often more fun and important.” Carlson’s work was on display at Collegetown Bagels throughout the summer. His website is www.earth-is-art.com. He plans to study art or architecture along with environmental science in college.