How To

Land Art | Take Your Creativity Outdoors

Summer in New England offers endless places to explore. Beaches, rivers, lakes, mountains, and forests are abundant and accessible, and the weather is finally enjoyable.  I am less of a “crafter” in the summer because winters are long here– once spring arrives I’m ready to get outside!  That being said, I don’t let my desire […]

A heart-shaped arrangement of rocks sits on a sandy beach with grass and bushes in the background under a clear blue sky.

Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine

Photo Credit : Katherine Keenan
Summer in New England offers endless places to explore. Beaches, rivers, lakes, mountains, and forests are abundant and accessible, and the weather is finally enjoyable.  I am less of a “crafter” in the summer because winters are long here– once spring arrives I’m ready to get outside!  That being said, I don’t let my desire to be outdoors get in the way of being crafty.  There are plenty of ways to express and unleash your creativity while exploring the great outdoors this summer! Land Art is art that you create in a natural environment using materials on hand.  For example, if you go to the beach you can make art on the rocks or in the sand using shells, sea glass, driftwood, or rocks.  You could make a mandala in the sand like the one seen here:
Land art-- beach mandala
Land art– beach mandala
Photo Credit : Bonnie Thomas
Or assemble “beach rainbows” — find objects from each color of the rainbow and then arrange them for someone else to find:
Land art-- "beach rainbows"
Land art– “beach rainbows”
Photo Credit : Bonnie Thomas
Or you can gather rocks and create shapes with them:
Land art-- rocks arranged in the shape of a heart
Land art– rocks arranged in the shape of a heart
Photo Credit : Bonnie Thomas
Almost every time I walk on a trail in the woods or mountains I leave a word of inspiration behind using materials found on location.  And sometimes I just write words in the sand at the beach:
Land art--inspirational words
Land art–inspirational words
Photo Credit : Bonnie Thomas
Land art--inspirational words
Land art–inspirational words
Photo Credit : Bonnie Thomas
Land art--inspirational words
Land art–inspirational words
Photo Credit : Bonnie Thomas
Regardless of what land art you create, it is temporary.  It’s possible that no one will ever see it.  And this is the intrigue of natural art– you create it for the moment.  But if you’re like me and you love to photograph your adventures and creations, then you can photograph your art and use the photographs for future crafting projects.  Land art photography is ideal for greeting cards, scrapbooking, and calendars. There are many forms of land art and the possibilities are endless.  If it’s an art form that appeals to you, research more about it online–you will find yourself immersed in a whole new art form that will inspire you to head outdoors to create!

Bonnie Thomas

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  1. Very nice article. I believe it was Yankee that took a photograph of either shells or rocks in the shape of a heart. It was under the picture gallery with Summer as it’s category. ( I could be wrong about the heading, if I am please excuse me.) Does anyone remember this photo? All the “art” is lovely, however, the last one titled “PEACE” is great. It actually makes you feel peaceful the longer you gaze at it. With all the things happening in the world that are hard to watch and hear, this article not only teaches you some fun, but it’s message is PEACE. Nicely done. Thank you,
    Catherine