Winston Plowes: Land Artist

This film was the recipient of our Best Overall award at the 2025 PLANTPOP Film Festival.

While most artists pick up a pencil or a brush when they start creating, Winston Plowes has different tools under his belt. 

Winston is a land artist, which means that everything he uses to make a piece is natural materials that he finds. From fallen leaves to sticks that line the paths of the woodlands he walks, Winston finds the artistic potential in it all. 

“When I'm making a piece of art, I only use things that are found on the floor or that are dying. And when I pick them up, sometimes look at them and then - only then - if you stop to take the time, can you truly see how beautiful they are and what colors they possess.”

As Winston walks through the woodlands to collect the resources he needs, he gets a sense for the energy of the place. Every habitat is unique, and this part of the process helps Winston connect with the local area on a deeper level.

“Each different woodland, and area within it, has its own personality.”

Much like how part of the unique beauty of plants is how ephemeral it is, Winston loves how this type of art makes it impossible to keep. Building his pieces directly in and from the environment doesn’t remove the plants from their natural cycles, but rather emphasizes the cycle of life and death.

“When you finish a piece, you lose all influence and control over what you've done. And it forces us to realize how beautiful every moment potentially can be and to accept that loss is part of life.”

A film by Greta Santagata.
Original score by Stephen Summers and Greta Santagata.