Meet the Makers: Stone Balance Artist
In this Meet the Makers blog series, we will feature an artist that, quite simply, makes something. Drawing inspiration from custom works handcrafted in various media, we travel beyond the pieces by diving into the minds of the creative makers themselves.
Today, we feature our interview with Michael Grab of Boulder, Colorado, the creative stone balance artist of “Gravity Glue” that features his experiences with balancing structures in nature. Michael utilizes different stones and arranges them to find the equilibrium within the structure.
GPI Design: What (3) words best describe your work?
Michael Grab: Meditation – Balance – Art
GPI: What compels you to create with this particular medium?
Grab: I can find rocks almost anywhere on earth, it is free to practice, and there is a therapeutic aspect about playing in/with nature.
GPI: What is your biggest constraint in the creative process?
Grab: Sunset, sunrise and wind. Sunset and sunrise constrain ability to work normally for obvious reasons like light and temperature in some cases, sometimes I enjoy doing photography at night though, with the milky way, etc. Wind is probably the most variable constraint, since it varies so much sometimes from one place and time to another. For example, the biggest recent challenge was a project I did in Turkey along the coast. the wind was fairly regular and too strong for my preferred style and precision of balancing. But, I found a way around it by balancing in smaller inlets that blocked the direction of wind coming in from the sea. Every location has a unique character like this, just requires a bit of adaptation, and learning to ‘dance’ with it all.
GPI: What would your 5 year old former self say about your work now? And what do you hope your future 90 year old self will say about your current work?
Grab: “Legos!” — and — 90 year old self won’t say much, just a feeling of satisfaction.
GPI: What other maker would you most like to collaborate with?
Grab: Maybe a dancer? Not sure, most likely a ballet dancer or contemporary, willing to experiment. I prefer not to get into details for now until the ideas reach fruition.
GPI: What do you think the future of creation/creativity holds (for you, and the artistic world as a whole)?
Grab: Infinite possibility. No expectations.
GPI: What does your work space look like right now? Send us a selfie of you in your creative arena!
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Many thanks to Michael Grab for the insight into his craft. Stay tuned to our next Meet the Makers interview coming up in two weeks! The interviews will publish every other Tuesday throughout the remainder of the year, focusing on a wide variety of makers, which has us truly redefining what it means to create.
View this maker’s work: Gravity Glue