Pearl Fryar's Topiary Sculptures: The Evolving Art of Garden Sculpting

Amongst our travels, we've yet to find more than a handful of noteworthy "living garden" sculptures as vibrant and as rich as the ones made by Pearl Fryar. A native to the South Carolina, Fryar combines the fine art of sculpture with his love and passion for horticulture and life. What's more astounding about Fryar's serene garden is that much of the actual "art" came from little seedlings that were rescued from piles that were disposed of by others around the land. This act of giving a future to these plants and creating in them an artistic splendor makes Fryar a a true "green" artist in our books. With all the environmental movements going around lately, let's take a lesson from this pioneering artist turned horticulturist and work green when creating our wonderful art concepts.

Today, the Pearl Fryar Topiary garden has over 300 individual plants that mostly showcase this man's fervor for garden sculpting. The 2006 documentary called "A Man Named Pearl" exhibits his extraordinary journey into the field of re-styling nature to give it a fighting chance against the sometimes rough hand of society. Bothe the LA Times and the Wallstreet Journal have past encounters with Pearl, and neither can look back on him without simply remembering the majesty of his creations.


Fryar's web-home, can show you just how powerful one man's dynamic character can be. here's a screenshot showcasing Pearl himself, trimming away at one of his "living" sculptures. (Photo Credits go to www.pearlfryar.com) Keep being green everyone!

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Sculptors of Asia Pay Tribute To Japan's Recent History

It has been quite a while, but many still remember the event that swept Japan by storm only a few memories ago. The tsunamis and earthquakes that rocked the Asian community were those of magnitude that affected the lives of millions. Today we show art that remembers this past and allows us to look back and reminisce the significance it had on the world.

Among the younger generation of artists, a Philippine sculptor, Kylo Chua created a contemporary piece entitled “Will We Just Watch?” The sculpted artwork reveals a tsunami figure (symbolizing mother nature perhaps) flowing wildly into an active society. The artwork shows a bold depth in symbolic power by composing itself of a collage-like medley of subjects. The “3D” glasses magnify the world’s helpless position during the reality of the event, and possibly the media’s widespread coverage of the tragic day.

Sand artist; Sudarsan Pattnaik modeled a gigantic palm flat against the sandy beaches at Puri. The intensity of the work drove curious bystanders to watch and gain awareness of the threat a tsunami can pose to any nation. This bold, awe-inspiring work shows a striking subject that grasps attention by the eyes and pulls it inward into a deeper and more tragic meaning. The temporal nature of its medium has got to be a part of the piece's own purpose. The sand that flows through the waves, no matter how massive and great, can still simply vanish with the tide... 

Possibly the most awe-striking wire sculpture we've ever gazed upon- the masterpiece; “Jit Jakawan” translates to the "Heart of the Universe". Phuket Kamala’s memorial centerpiece sculpture is one of Thai Sculptor, Udon Jiraksa’s most breathtaking pieces. A symbol of a bygone past, as well as a remembrance to the world, this largely scaled emblem is indeed a gravitating sight to behold. Organized by Laemkon Art from Bangkok, several artists (including American artist Louise Bourgeois, and  Swedish artist Lars Englund) joined Jiraksa in creating their very own works of art that pay tribute to that faithful day in 2011.

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