Rocks that are like cute animals
Although you may be familiar with the Pet Rock, these hand-painted rocks far surpass the novelty item from the 1970s. Akie Nakata, a Japanese sculptor, converts common stones into miniature creatures that appear to be on the verge of life.
Akie enjoyed gathering pebbles as a kid, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she began drawing on them. The moment she saw a stone that reminded her of a bunny, she was motivated to bring her ideas to life. The sculptor claimed to My Contemporary Met that “rocks have their own intents” and that “I take my meetings with them as signs to go ahead and create what I see on them.”
Akie has already produced a complete zoo of rock creatures, and she produces new ones each day. Every animal, from pets like cats and dogs to wild creatures like big cats and gorillas, is colored to complement the shapes of the stone. Akie considers whether she is correctly situating the backbone before pulling out her colors and brushes. Is it comfortable? Am I attempting to impose something that goes against the rock’s inherent form?
Akie uses acrylic paint to transform the pebble into the chosen animal after making her choice. One paint stroke at a time, realistic eyes, fur, wings, tiny noses, whiskers, and more are painstakingly portrayed. When Akie can see the character looking back at her, she is completed. For me, finishing a work of art depends more on whether I can sense the vitality in the rock than on how much information I can depict.
The finished pieces closely resemble actual creatures, and through shows and internet sales, Akie even finds “irregardless homes” for her pebble pets. View Akie’s animal-themed rock drawings below and join her on Insta to learn when she will be selling them again.
Not your typical rock art, these. They resemble actual (small) creatures.
Every animal has been colored to match the stone’s original contour.
The perfect pet rock, they are.
