Sand Art

Sean Corcoran creates massive sand art drawings with a garden rake on beaches around Ireland and the UK!

Aerial photographs of the artworks are captured using a drone and are available as high quality prints.

A range of these images can be ordered on our ‘Sand Art Prints’ page in a variety of sizes with shipping to Ireland, UK and Europe.

How is Sand Art made?

Many of Sean’s artworks are solo and he is the only person to witness and photograph them. He works all year round in often remote and hard to reach locations. The majority of his work is freehand without the use of string or measuring tapes. Many of his drawings are impromptu as he responds to each individual location.

Beach Art Ireland

This is environmental art. Sean chooses the best low tides each month and often only has two or three hours to complete a drawing before the tide returns.

The video above shows the creation of a 300 foot wide sacred symbol called a Sri Yantra. This was part of an international challenge. In order to represent the symbol as accurately as possible Sean’s team in this case included two engineers using GPS guided rovers and 16 satellites with a tolerance of 5mm!

Beach Artist Ireland

A message from Sean Corcoran

There’s a strange sense of time standing still; self-conscious worldly woes are left behind, as if there is no past or future, just the present. Apart of course for the inevitable tides approach.

I love seeing the reaction from passers-by who might not be exposed to art too often. I have to admit I like to be an anonymous spectator when the artwork is complete and have conversations with anyone who comes along. The conversation is never as honest if they know I’ve made it and some of the comments are priceless!

Collaborative art has become a very important part of my art and life. I love the challenge of trying to connect with a large group of people through art. I find creating beach art with groups to be very rewarding. 

Participants often say that the experience is uplifting and therapeutic on many different levels. The fact that the tide will wash it all away creates a poignant atmosphere yet the unity of purpose makes it a joyous occasion. People can connect with themselves and others in a very simple way.

It’s good exercise too, running around in the fresh sea air whatever the weather! Perhaps you’d like to join me on one of our group workshops or community events.

Most of my beach art is created on the Copper Coast but if you’d like to commission me I’d be happy to take on a challenge at your local beach.

Thank you for viewing our sand art page.

Sean Corcoran / The Art Hand

BEACH ART ARCHIVE…

We have created a photo record of all the beach art that we’ve created down through the years. You’ll see everything from massive solo drawings in the sand by Sean Corcoran to group events with families, schools, youth groups and work colleagues.

We’ve catalogued over 500 different artworks and we’ve included a single photo of each one in the archive that can be viewed in a photo album on our Facebook page HERE.

Sand Art Photos Sean Corcoran The Copper Coast
Electronic Music Sand

Supersonic Sand is an exciting project that combines Electronic Music with Sand Art! Click the image if you’d like to see all of the currently released films and interviews. Supersonic Sand is being co-produced by Rebecca Cappuccini of Viking Promotions and Sean Corcoran of The Art Hand.

Sand Art Tribute to Sinead O'Connor by Sean Corcoran in Tullan Beach Bundoran Donegal

Get a print made of this tribute to Sinead O’Connor with proceeds to Amnesty International…https://thearthand.com/nothing-compares-to-you/

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1 day ago

The Art Hand

Sean facilitated a sand art experience for 126 Transition Year students and staff from Loreto Secondary School at Duncannon Beach in Wexford today. 5 classes, 3 full buses!

We started with an activity based on Limpets…the conical, curious, clever creatures that attach themselves to rocks! Sean brought along a basin full of limpet shells he gathered recently in Donegal. We stretched our legs with a ‘follow the leader’ walk mimicking the daily routine of limpets; Following a feeding jaunt, each limpet will return to the very same home position on the rock using invisible trails to navigate. This ability to find their way back 'home' continues to puzzle limpet biologists despite decades of study.

We then set up two teams, the ‘Limpets’ and the ‘Barnacles’ and attempted a game of Tug of War with our massive salvaged nylon ropes but all 126 competitors ended up in the sand when the rope snapped!

We stood in a circle, closed our eyes and listened to our surroundings in a mindful communal experience. We tried some digging in the sand with our hands but some of the girls didn’t want to ruin their nails or get sand on their knees!

Next we tried out some basic mark-making in the sand with our wild bamboo canes. We chose circles as the theme for this. Hundreds of circles were drawn and spirals too. This gave everyone a chance to explore the beach in a nice, creative and relaxed way and a few even went for a paddle!

Next, we did mark-making using rakes. Our main theme again was loosely based on circles, but many of the girls decided to include their names and a heartfelt message; Cease Fire Gaza Now.

We like to keep these kinds of gatherings as informal and flexible as possible to give everyone a chance to explore different ideas at their own pace. We love sharing simple techniques for working in sand and there are great team-building benefits. Our intention with these gatherings is to give participants a genuine insight into the simple process of environmental art.

After lunch we broke into smaller teams and created sculptures using our hands, shovels, hoes, rakes and Seans’ sand shapers. Several mermaids, turtles, castles, octopuses and starfish appeared as well as some more organic and abstract designs. Seaweed and shells were used for decoration and there was much curiosity about what could be found below the surface of the sand.

It was a glorious day in magical Duncannon. Well done everyone. 🙏
Truth, Freedom, Justice, Sincerity and Joy. 🌍
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Where I want TO BE! <3 🙂 <3

5 days ago

The Art Hand

Let's Make a Light Catcher workshop today☀️🌸☀️:
What a lovely day ☀️ Morning walk, a little sit in the sun, a little workshop prep ( only needed to do a little as was very well prepped yesterday. Pat on my back 😃) My afternoon was spent with this fab bunch of creatives 💚 What a lovely way to break up a sunny day by doing a Let's Make a Light Catcher workshop. A very hands on workshop for me, really enjoyable. Not a minute to spare YAY 🙃 I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did 💚 Great to try something new 😀 You should all be feeling proud 💪 In my excitement I forgot to get photos of the fabulous beadwork 🫣

My next workshop is Wednesday 14th at 7.30pm, can be booked on link below⬇️
Miranda ☀️🌸☀️

www.eventbrite.ie/e/lets-make-a-light-catcher-tickets-1345272238479?aff=oddtd#failteirelandlt#irelandsancienteastnc#coppercoastop#waterfordgreenwayrd#thearthandth#glasspaintingss#inspirationns#CreativeExperienceex#Ireland
#ireland
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Oh Miranda, this sounds fab.

Thanks Miranda had a great day!

Great day thanks Miranda thoroughly enjoyed making my sun catcher...proof was in the hands lol 😆😆

6 days ago

The Art Hand

Made it into the @MilfordMercury 🤪 www.milfordmercury.co.uk/news/25145077.tenby-swimmer-reunited-watch-buoy-drifted-ireland/ ... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago

The Art Hand

Crockery Mountain! 🤩 ... See MoreSee Less

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