My name is Simon Beck, and I was born on 19 August 1958. I am a former cartographer from Britain, and I’m also known as the world’s first snow artist. My passion lies in creating mesmerizing landscape drawings and sculptures using snow and sand. Over the years, my work has gained recognition, especially after I completed some remarkable installations at Banff National Park in Alberta and Powder Mountain, Utah. Those experiences opened up new opportunities for me in the world of new media. Additionally, I had the privilege to showcase my art at Minnesota’s annual snow festival, “The Great Northern,” which was an incredibly rewarding experience for me.
I was born in 1958 in London, and later, I moved to the beautiful French Alps. My career began in 2004 when I pursued civil engineering and earned my degree from Oxford University. Initially, I worked as a cartographer until around 2009, when I decided to explore new artistic avenues, particularly in large-scale snow drawings.
During winters, I dedicate my time to create approximately thirty drawings, mainly in the Alps. It’s quite a physical process, as I walk over a mile on snowshoes and spend around ten hours completing a single artwork. Sometimes, I even cover about 30 miles to finish a single work, carefully measuring each step using a compass to achieve precise geometrical snow designs.
Over the years, I have made around 330 snow drawings and 120 sand drawings as of 2020. Some of my artwork has been commissioned by various organizations and art societies worldwide. In 2016, a captivating short documentary named “Simon Beck – Snowartist” was produced, showcasing my artistic journey. The film was presented during a special short film showcase by National Geographic.
