Self-taught Northern California artist Jim Denevan lives a life based upon the whims of the earth. His large-scale sand, earth, and ice drawings, which are created with tools ranging from his bare hands to a common garden hoe to 4-wheeled vehicles and are eventually erased by waves and weather, call to mind the fleeting beauty of nature and our earth's resources. His use of geometrical patterns in the drawings is a reflection of the patterns that repeat themselves in nature and science, those that explain the existence of something as superficial as a blooming flower and as profound as human life. The work may may only last a few weeks or even days, but the impact of the art is anything but temporary. Denevan, who is also an avid surfer and accomplished chef, is the founder of Santa Cruz, California's experimental food and dining project, Outstanding In the Field. IF you happen to be enjoying a meal at San Francisco's historic Cliff House during the warmer months, you could be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the artist in action on the sandy beaches below.
