Unlike the painter, whose entire body of work can be created within the studio, the land artist works on beaches, within forests, on deserts; and even on bodies of water.  Many artists use only materials provided by nature.  Others introduce man-made or manufactured items into the natural environment, resulting in harmonious relationships, whimsical juxtapositions, and even shocking contrasts.   While many works are created as permanent installations, others are susceptible to nature and are worn down, washed away, or otherwise transformed, over time.  It is, therefore, all the more important to photograph or film them, before they are forever lost.   My interest in land art had its early beginnings in a childhood spent on the shores of Lake Huron, Ontario.  Many years later, when I moved to New York City, I thought about the jagged rocks; the mixed forests that were as beautiful in winter as in summer; and the serendipitous marvels of the changing seasons.  Watching children play in Central Park only brought back memories of the things I used to do, as a child -- picking wild blueberries; stomping barefoot on carpets of cold, green moss; and imitating the whistles of birds and the sirens of insects that filled the air.   Without such memories, I might never have developed an interest in art.  It became the only satisfactory substitute for what was missing in my urbane life.   Nonetheless, the enjoyment of art in the city has many restrictions, based on the nature of the art gallery itself.   Space limitations; artificial lighting; the pressure to sell the art, in order to maintain the gallery's reputation and, often, the artist's survival; and the rule, that even the artist expects will be followed, ie: the hanging of art, in straight rows, along white walls.  This is not a diatribe against the traditional gallery environment.  We would likely all agree that the art gallery serves an essential function --- but land art bypasses the formula of the white cube, and commands its space under open skies, as free as nature itself.                  Enjoy the photographs in Land Art One and Land Art Two.   Included are links to each of the artist's websites, so you can discover what they are currently creating, while showing us things we would never have imagined in our wildest dreams.  Audrey Regan July 2006 New York / Toronto