sculptures

Artist Andoni Bastarrika creates some pretty spectacular animal sculptures completely made of sand! 

He began his artistic journey in the summer of 2010, while being on the beach with his two daughters. He made a little mermaid out of sand and has since devoted himself to the art of sand sculpturing. He's spent 10 years developing this gift and the work shared from him just goes to show how talented he is and how far he's come. 

Some of his pieces are very thought-provoking and making a statement about plastic use and sea life dying due to it. Follow his Instagram account to see all the latest updates and new sculptures! 

Matt Wilson, the artist behind these extraordinary sculptures, is influenced by natural elements of the environment in which he lives. 

He dives into his sculpture exploration on his website, "Using recycled and organic materials- scrap metal, reclaimed wood, bone, etc., my sculptures depict continuous life cycles that consciously and unconsciously permeate our awareness. The upcycled work I create is a testimony to the belief of conserving and appreciating our resources, so that the environment in which we live will continue to be an environment in which we desire to live. 

My goal as an artist is to make artwork unlike art people have seen, while at the same time recognizable in the identity of everyday materials. I only hope the sculptures will inspire others to appreciate the simple, neglected items from which my creations are born."

We think Wilson achieved that goal with these mesmerizing pieces of art. 

Prepare to be stunned.

Japanese sculptor Sakura Hanafusa loves cats and expertly crafts them into funny sculptures all cat lovers would love in their home. As her graduation project from art university in 2016, she made one special piece- a lineup of seven cats extending their paws to high five you after you come home. Hanafusa wrote about it on her twitter page: "I wanted to make a piece that people not only looked at and enjoyed, but could have fun interacting with." She certainly did that with the project, titled "High-Seven" (seven cats, seven high fives, of course). Each cat is carved individually from camphor wood and oil painted, and in an interview with Yahoo News, Hanafusa says she modeled the individual expressions of 6 of the cats after a her family cats, and 1 after a friend's. We have decided to scroll through her page and see what other future cat projects she has... 

Everyone probably recognizes Tom as a determined but impatient cat whose only life goal is to catch Jerry the mouse. However, the little rodent always proves to be a force worth reckoning with. Their clashes, which would often result in some undesirable scenario for Tom, were a source of inspiration for an artist from Japan, Taku Inoue, who decided to capture Tom's most unfortunate mouse-hunting moments in a series of mini sculptures. For more, visit his twitter page.

Autumn is the rice harvest season in Japan. Every year, farmers make sure that the leftover rice straw, known as "wara", does not go to waste. Japanese artist, Niigata, has found a very creative way of using these leftover rice husks by hosting an annual event called "Wara Art Festival". Ever since 2008, the straw has been used as a material to make giant sculptures exhibited at Uwasekigata Park. All of the monuments are handcrafted out of wooden rods that serve as the spine of the sculptures and dried straw molded on the frame. Each handicraft takes about a week to be completed. Via: Design you trust

Crafted by Masanori Kono, these cute creations are made of grated daikon radishes. Each character looks like an adorable cartoon plopped into a bowl of warming vegetables. By adding these little animals, Kono puts a sculptural twist on the Japanese version of a hot pot dish. Seriously, what's more comforting in winter than eating a bowl of warm food topped by a cute animal? Via: So Bad so good

Her name is Sayaka Ganz and her style is called "3D Impressionism". Super cool, right?