Spontaneous Sculptures

American artist Brad Downey's fun and subtle interventions are celebrated in a new publication out this month by the excellent Gestalten press - titled Spontaneous Sculptures...

Brad is one of a growing number of artists whose work consists of witty, temporary interventions that can give us a fresh take on our urban settings:

Bug eyes

Someone had the brilliant notion of painting eyes on this tree trunk to make a bug-eyed monster!

Secret hideout

Sometimes the most successful play spaces are created by children themselves, developed over time by a succession of participants. This example of an informal hideout has obviously been lovingly used, judging from the worn ground...

Ahh, beaches - what is it that brings out our creative side? Have any of you seen this line of white shells in Shingle Street, Suffolk? It must be one of those things that are created by many people over time...and wonderful to come across.

Some people see pebbles and just can't help piling them up. Apparently, this line of them on Holy Island regularly fall over but are replaced by other visitors...I suppose there's a bit of Andy Goldsworthy in us all!

Two sunbathers left behind on a beach in Dunstonburgh...