There is something very natural about stone balancing. Contemplative, relaxing, and uniquely satisfying. For me it is a meditative and very calming experience and I quickly loose myself in this activity….listening to nature, to the sounds of flowing water or crashing 
waves.
And at that moment of balance, like a phase change, exhilarating. How it works, how do I select the rocks, in short it’s not like that I do not go out of my way searching consciously for a particular stone, it’s more like noticing something indefinable out of the corner of your eye. Almost as if when you pick a rock up that it somehow has something about it something suggestive either in the weight of the rock or the shape of the rock that feels right. And as I say finding the point of balance is just great stuff.
Also there is the understanding that two objects like stones will rest against each other like a tripod……that is there are only three points of contact, and so you sort of feel for this knowing that even the most polished surface will behave in this way through bumps and dips on the surface.
What appeals to me with these natural and temporary sculpture’s is that they are built out of naturally occurring materials, They are part of the landscape. There is no intent here other than a creative response to nature, of being part of the rhythms of nature. To take them and place them in as artificial environment as a gallery would be the very antithesis of what they are. To create art with no expectation of exhibition of monetary reward, of being a part of that circle … well it is refreshing to say the least.
This I find fascinating, as I continue to cycle around the world I find places where I can sit and contemplate nature, respond to nature through these sculptures. That they are temporary, that they cannot be appropriated by galleries or museum’s is a defining characteristic of these artworks. Most important is this they cost nothing to produce, they are made from naturally occurring materials. They cause ZERO pollution they are not for sale, in this way they become a pure creative response to the landscapes that I cycle through…..
To view gallery 1 – stone balancing Porth Nanven click here
To view gallery 2 – stone balancing Ynysek Syllan click here
To view gallery 3 – stone balancing Iceland click here
A short fun film I made about stone balancing
Although I sometimes end up dismantling these sculptures it is nice to have some record of doing them, and when I have time it is quite a fun thing to edit the images into a short film. This film to the right was made at home and shows one of our local beaches we go to. Porth Nanven. One of my favorite places. And I am often drawing painting swimming or stone balancing here.