The Stone Garden of Nukain Mabuza

Nukain Mabuza was buried with only a reference number to mark his grave in 1981. He left behind a stone garden at Revolver Creek in South Africa---and although the paint may have begun to fade from those stones, the energy of his creative spirit still resonates.

via npr.org.

Mabuza was considered an Outsider Artist, also known as "phantastic, raw, or visionary art". Here's what Wikipedia has to say about it:

In 1945 the French artist Jean Dubuffet recognized that extraordinary art work was being created by individuals, often socially maladjusted and with no art training, who worked outside the mainstream of Western art, and who were as much obsessive as creative. He named their art form ‘Art Brut’. The term ‘Outsider Art’ was first used by the British scholar Roger Cardinal in 1972.

Outsider Art might be one of the most beautiful things I've learned about. It speaks to the human capacity, and the human need, for art. This desire to leave our mark, this obsessive drive to create. Simply put: humans were created to create.

via NukainMabuza.co.

Unique from almost any other spot in the world, you'll be hard pressed to find anything resembling the visually striking landscape Mabuza had created around his home. His stone garden has stood silent now for over 30 years, aside from one attempt to re-paint the stones. The elements have taken their toll, and little remains of the original work of art. Thankfully, we have photographs to remember that sometimes, with a little talent, we can take this ordinary world and spin it into something extraordinary. Something that just might change someone's heart.

via NukainMabuza.co.

This is Nukain Mabuza's accomplishment. He painted his own headstone many times over. Though he doesn't physically lay with it, his spirit is and always will be what makes his Stone Garden sing.

via NukainMabuza.co.

Today's Prompt:

Take inspiration from Nukain Mabuza's Stone Garden. "Paint" your own headstone. Morbid? Yes. Creative? Yes. Therefore: justified. 

Think about what you want to leave behind. Then think about how: you can go out, find a rock, paint it, and create your own stone garden---or you can write a poem that would serve as your "headstone". This is probably all heavier than you were looking for on a Tuesday night, but what would you say to the world, to people who've never known you but find your headstone one day when you're gone? Go deep. Free write and let go, just write whatever comes to your mind.

Too heavy? Need some cat GIFs? We've got another prompt for you: put Mabuza's Stone Garden into works. "Paint" a picture of his stones. Easy peasy.

And here's your cat GIF. Go forth and be happy once again.