I love cairns – those wonderful constructions of stone that serve as way markers helping travelers to find a path through desolate areas. In my travels, I’ll often photograph cairns some unknown person or persons have created. Areas abundant with rocks seems to naturally call forth this urge of human and rock to work together in community. Sometimes these constructions shift from utilitarian to art.
A few days ago my sister-in-law, Eve Perry, sent me a link to an unusual site featuring the work of an amazing young man, Marty Grab, who has turned cairn building into an art form he calls Gravity Glue – the art of Rock Balancing. He has honed his work to an extra-ordinary level of refinement and his balancing, while it looks like it has to use glue, uses only gravity.
Marty is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. He views his work as contemplative meditations and speaks of moving into the vibration of the stones, sensing their balancing points, and bringing them together in harmony.
Part of his explanation, at his website Gravity Glue, includes the following:
Achieving a challenging balance requires contemplation of both mental and physical elements in real time; the NOW. You must “get to know” the rocks you are working with.
I am constantly in awe at the stillness, let alone possibility, of such precarious formations, amidst sometimes very turbulent conditions. For me this reflects our own potential to maintain a still-point amidst the variety of challenges we each face throughout our lives….Consciousness affects reality.
Balance requires a minimum of THREE contact points. Luckily, every rock is covered in a variety of tiny to large indentations that can act as a NATURAL TRIPOD for the rock to stand upright, or in most orientations you can think of with other rocks. By paying close attention to the vibrations of the rocks, you will start to feel even the smallest “clicks” as the notches of the rocks are moving over one another.
For a real visual and meditative treat, visit his website and see his numerous creations. You can also watch meditative videos featuring his art, such as this one:
Marty now travels the world building his constructions, and is available in the Colorado area for local workshops – there is a sign up area on his website.
Marty also has a Facebook page, Gravity Glue, where you can keep up with his current work, such as this piece:
The top two photos shown here of his work are from his website and also are in an article on Bored Panda. Please click to go to this article and more gorgeous photos of his work.