If you’ve ever spent a quiet day at the beach, you’ve probably done everything from digging holes to building sandcastles to skipping rocks. Artist Jon Foreman, on the other hand, prefers to take things to the next level. The Pembrokeshire, Wales-based artist has been making elaborate stone formations that will enchant you since he discovered land art in college.
“I work with a variety of natural materials, but stone has proven to be the most versatile. In an interview with Bored Panda, the artist discussed color, angle, form, size, positioning, and spacing. “I usually start with a hazy sense of what I want to do, or I have no idea at all!” Then I gather what I can carry and begin laying stones one by one, gradually losing myself in the task and withdrawing from the stresses of daily life.”
More info: sculpttheworld.smugmug.com | Facebook | Instagram
#1
Image source: sculpttheworld
#2
Image source: sculpttheworld
Jon says that land art provides him with endless possibilities. “Not only that but there are endless environments to work in, each and every one different to the next. Getting out and creating work has a profound effect on my mental health. It keeps my mind healthy and content,” says the artist.
#3
Image source: sculpttheworld
#4
Image source: sculpttheworld
Jon attended the Llano Earth Art Fest in 2018, where he met 30 other artists he had been following for years online. He claims that this festival was responsible for a lot of advancement in the field, for which the artist is grateful. “Land art has established a really tight and positive community in the last few years, thanks in part to this festival,” Jon explains.
Unfortunately, some writers have condemned Jon and other artists for their work, claiming that what they’re doing is harmful to the ecosystem and may hurt the wildlife who dwell there. Jon, on the other hand, is vehemently opposed to these allegations, claiming that he and his other artists are making work with nature in order to demonstrate the importance of its preservation.
#5
Image source: sculpttheworld
#6
Image source: sculpttheworld
“These stone creations, for example, are produced only a few feet from where I obtained them. The tide then comes in and washes them back to their origins. “How is that harmful?” Jon enquired. “Any organisms that live in this environment (which I rarely never see) will be accustomed to such turbulence, and me moving rocks will make no difference. The species that do build their homes in these conditions will not be settling down. They’re always shifting, just like the tide.”
#7
Image source: sculpttheworld
#8
Image source: sculpttheworld
“Take a step back from the natural world. Take a look at the materials you’re surrounded by. “Where did they come from?” Jon inquired. “The batteries in our cellphones and computers are created from materials mined from the ground. The automobiles we drive, the paper we use, and the art supplies I would use if I wasn’t working with natural materials. This is wreaking havoc on the ecosystem more than anything I do.”
In the gallery below, you can see more of Jon’s incredible stone arrangements.
#9
Image source: sculpttheworld
#10
Image source: sculpttheworld
#11
Image source: sculpttheworld
#12
Image source: sculpttheworld
#13
Image source: sculpttheworld
#14
Image source: sculpttheworld
#15
Image source: sculpttheworld
#16
Image source: sculpttheworld
#17
Image source: sculpttheworld
#18
Image source: sculpttheworld
#19
Image source: sculpttheworld
#20
Image source: sculpttheworld
#21
Image source: sculpttheworld
#22
Image source: sculpttheworld
#23
Image source: sculpttheworld
#24
Image source: sculpttheworld
#25
Image source: sculpttheworld
#26
Image source: sculpttheworld
#27
Image source: sculpttheworld
#28
Image source: sculpttheworld
#29
Image source: sculpttheworld
#30
Image source: sculpttheworld
