Chris Parsons is a master of dew painting, an art form inspired by crop circles and lawn maintenance. Vanishing by lunchtime, the geometrical shapes need close-cut lawns, sunlight, and a set of brushes. Parsons, a 32-year-old Brit from Shrewsbury, Shropshire, developed dew painting after leaving Bradford University and working briefly maintaining bowling greens. The job involved brushing off the dew to prevent fungal diseases developing on lawns, and he was struck by the contrast between dark, brushed areas and grass still shining with dew. “The patterns are beautiful and mesmerizing, and in a very short space of time you can watch the whole cycle of their creation and disappearance,” he says. “Once I’ve finished, I climb a tree and take a photo.”
Adapted from Fortean Times (March 2000). Subscriptions: $70/yr. (12 issues) from 3330 Pacific Ave., Suite 404, Virginia Beach, VA 23451.
