By: Mario Gutiérrez

Breathe deeply. We are going to talk about art, but not the kind you find in a gallery. No, today I want to tell you about something more amazing, more wild. Something that reminds us that art is not just human, but a natural manifestation of the universe.

Do you know the Torquigener? This pufferfish, a resident of Japanese waters, creates intricate circular patterns in the sand of the seabed to attract a mate. Yes, you read that right, a fish that draws underwater mandalas! With its small fins, this aquatic artist shapes the sand into perfect symmetry, with such detail that it looks like a design made by a marine architect. And all this to win over a female! It’s not just functional, it’s pure art.

But Torquigener is not alone in this club of artistic animals. Birds also have their creative touch. Let’s take the bowerbird, which builds elaborate shelters decorated with shiny and colorful objects to attract a mate. What is impressive here is that the colors, shapes, and arrangement of the elements are carefully selected. It’s as if each bird were a conceptual artist with an open-air exhibition. There are also spider webs, which are more than just simple traps; they are true works of engineering and design.

All of this leads us to a simple truth: art is everywhere. It is not an exclusive luxury of humans; it is a necessity of expression that is imprinted in nature itself. Animals create, just like us, for survival, for beauty, for instinct. And that instinct is deeply connected to us.

Now, why am I telling you this? Because as artists (and lovers of art), we sometimes find ourselves trapped in the idea that art must be complicated, academic, or technical. But these animals teach us that art is essentially natural, it is part of life, and it doesn’t have to be sophisticated to have an impact. A spider web, a drawing in the sand, or a sculpture of leaves created by the wind are also forms of art, alive and beautiful.

Art does not have to be perfect; it has to be authentic. And that is what we should seek as creators: authenticity. Creating from the heart, from that natural impulse we have, like the Torquigener that lets itself be carried away by the desire to attract its mate.

When we create art, we not only add beauty to the world, we also connect with something greater, something ancestral. In a world that often seems disconnected from nature, art can be a bridge to remind us of that connection. It is the way to return to the essential, to what we are.

So, the next time you doubt your work or feel disconnected, think of those animals. How they, unknowingly, are doing the same as you: leaving a mark on the world. And that is what matters.

So keep creating. Let nature, your nature, guide your hand. Art is not only important for life, it is life itself. And you, as an artist, are part of that eternal cycle of creation. And when someone acquires one of your works, they are not just buying art, they are taking with them a piece of that deep connection to what makes us human, and at the same time, part of the whole.

Breathe, create, and let your art speak for itself.