Transitory Masterpieces – Art in Nature

James Brunt is a British land artist based in Yorkshire who creates intricate works using what nature has provided—fallen leaves, stones, pinecones, acorns, driftwood, twigs, shells, and seed pods. There’s no carving, painting, or glueing of anything. He arranges his materials into amazing spirals, cairns, circles, and geometric patterns that seem too perfect to have been made by hand.  His art works with the environment.  He never tries to change the surroundings or have a permanent impact.  Over time, nature will reclaim his creations.

James Brunt

He is a formally trained artist, having attended a fine art school in London.  He discovered his passion for land art quite a few years into his art career, but his formal training gave him these principles he applies to his land art:

Balance and symmetry

Repetition and rhythm

Color theory

Geometry

Negative space

James Brunt

We’ve been writing about environmental artists for the last decade because their work is inspiring.  Andy Goldsworthy is perhaps among the best known land artists.  Sand artist Jim Denevan has always fascinated me because his beautiful works of sand begin to disappear from the changing tide almost before he can finish them, yet he keeps creating.

Adam Goldsworthy ‘Split Oak Wood’

These artists change the way we look at nature.  Brunt inspires us to focus on the small rocks around us, the same with pine cones.   He encourages communities and school groups to participate in his creations by collecting and arranging items and thus becoming artists.  I have tried to build a cairn.  It’s not easy, and the searching for flat rocks is never-ending.

James Brunt

Brunt photographs his works before nature takes over.  Those photographs and his wall calendars are available for sale on Etsy.

James Brunt

See many of his creations on his Facebook page.

James Brunt’s book Land Art – $26.45

Earlier ASE articles about environmental artists:

Sand Art

Art from Sand and Land

Snow Art

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