“I find inspiration everywhere,” says Marc Treanor, the artist who wants to leave his mark on the world…literally. Known for his impressive sand murals across the UK, Treanor can usually be found taking a stroll along the seashore, working on his art on the sand. But calling his art “sand circles” would not even begin to describe all the planning, dedication, and intricate work that goes into these beautiful sand patterns that decor the beaches of the United Kingdom, and his native Wales.Perhaps, it’s that ephemeral quality that makes sand work so fascinating, as they’ll only get to exist in pictures. And Treanor, of Sand Circles, knows his beautiful designs will only exist momentarily, but as he writes on his website, that “the only thing we can rely on in the three-dimensional world is impermanence.”
Treanor told Lonely Planet that he had studied the crop circles of South West England for a few years, while also following the work of New Zealand sand artist, Peter Donnely. Treanor just so happened to be in a family vacation when he decided to test the waters…or better yet, test the sand.
But how do you walk the fine line between inspiration and blatantly copying someone else’s work? For many artists like Treanor, it’s all about finding inspiration in the world around you. “I find inspiration everywhere,” he explains.
For Treanor, everything around him is a source of inspiration, “from patterns in nature to drawings on the Internet, and more recently from pushing myself into new areas by accepting commissions that challenge me,” he adds. Treanor knows there’s a lot of power in forcing yourself to take new risks, especially as an artist.
The pressure is on, as the beautiful sand work should last enough for Treanor’s client to propose. “I did one for a lovely Australian guy who wanted to propose to his girlfriend,” he said.
The two of them came up with a pair of horses nuzzling into one another. As you can imagine, the stunning sand illustration was so delicate and unique, she had no other choice but to say yes.
They wanted to promote their production of the Tide Whisperer, so they partnered with Ceredigion Council and commissioned Treanor to draw eight images that illustrated and celebrated Wales’ “Year of the Sea.”
The European Environment Bureau commissioned them to create a work of art that’d raise awareness about ocean pollution and the harmful effects of plastic and ocean contamination.
And they include everything from a piece of sand art for a retired musician’s 70th birthday, a North Wales young woman’s birthday piece, and of course, some free time to work on his own projects, or at least, we hope so!
And we can definitely see why so many people are interested in Treanor’s stunning works of art. Not only would it make the perfect backdrop for a romantic proposal, but it’d also be one heck of a way to celebrate someone’s birthday, a baby’s birth, or even a very special Valentine’s Day.
“For these circles, these mandalas point to the eternal truth of impermanence. Everything appears and disappears in a continual dance of life,” he explains on his website.
