Artist spotlight: the fleeting art of Jim Denevan

{and dinner series Outstanding in the Field}

After one of my last posts where I praised the beautiful industrial photography of Mitch Epstein’s series “American Power”, I’ve decided to shed light on yet another artist (and chef) whose body of work is awe-inspiring. Read more after the jump!

Jim Denevan is known for creating installation art directly from the world around him.  Altering materials such as sand, ice and earth, Denevan has formed numerous shapes and patterns that, in time, fade away at the hands of eroding winds and tides. 

I find Denevan’s extreme scale and method of creating art to be very unique.  Most of all, however, I view his repetition of forms and abstract, geometric, linear shapes to be beautiful in their similarity with and contrast to the natural forms surrounding them.  

Another amazing aspect of Denevan's life and career is his contribution to the ever-increasing interest in the farm-to-table culinary experience.  Having founded the dinner series Outstanding in the Field, he has paved a way for diners to truly appreciate local and delicious foods, often at their very source – the farm.

These events, in keeping with Denevan’s artwork, celebrate food culture in a large scale and beautiful form.  As a tour that allows participants to feast their senses on an array of tantalizing tastes created by talented and notable chefs, this is definitely a must see!