When visiting my parents in Fayetteville, Arkansas, I enjoy walking the trails around and near Lake Fayetteville -- usually with a couple of dogs in tow. Making the walk sporadically during the last six months, I have come to appreciate the Rock Artist of Lake Fayetteville.
This artist's studio is the lake's west embankment. His medium is rock. His art consists of stacking or balancing rocks of different sizes, shapes, textures, and colors to create different visual impressions.
His rock creations are transitory, like Buddhist sand paintings and sculptures made of yak butter. (Yes they exist; I saw colorful and elaborate yak butter art in a Buddhist monastery in Qinghai Province, western China; when the weather warms, the yak butter melts. The yak sculptures were at this monetary [click to see a dynamic 360 degree Google view]:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Qinghai/@36.4903783,101.5673469,13a,31.3y,112.39h,92.81t,359.9r/data=!3m5!1e4!3m3!1s13598290072567691963!2e3!3e9!4m2!3m1!1s0x370087977b620bed:0x28edcba67db79dbf!6m1!1e1
For examples of yak butter sculptures, click here:
http://socalgalopenwallet.blogspot.com/2012/07/butter-sculptures.html )
The Lake Fayetteville rock art does not melt, but it may -- as with sand paintings -- be blown away. Or, perhaps vandals or rampaging kids delight in dismantling them with a kick. Whatever happens to the rock sculptures, they do not remain in place very long after they are created.
Though I have not spoken with the Rock Artist of Lake Fayetteville, I have walked pasted him when he was at work. He was intensely focused on his work, and I did not want to disturb him with questions or conversations.
Though the rock art is transitory, I have noticed that the artist takes pictures of his creations. In that way, he is able to appreciate his sculptures long after they have disappeared from view.
The next time you are walking the trail around Lake Fayetteville, keep a watch for the rock art as you enjoy the lake and its creatures.
The following are some pictures that document the Lake Fayetteville rock art and the artist who creates it.
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| The Rock Artist of Lake Fayetteville at work on a winter's day |
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| Rock art creation with tree and ducks |
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| Different rock sculpture on same platform as above |
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| April rock art creations: Balanced Rock and Bird-on-Perch Rock |
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| Closeup of Bird-on-Perch Rock |
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| Additional rock art creations, including one using wood |
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| Panorama of the four rock art creations that were show above |
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| Rock Artist of Lake Fayetteville at work on Easter Day |
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| Rock Artist at work with admirers watching |
