<strong>Sand sensation:</strong> Sand mural artist Marc Treanor creates beautifully intricate circles on Welsh beaches. They're inspired by crop circles, the mysterious formations found in corn and wheat fields.
Sand sensation: Sand mural artist Marc Treanor creates beautifully intricate circles on Welsh beaches. They're inspired by crop circles, the mysterious formations found in corn and wheat fields.
Courtesy Marc Treanor
<strong>Family affair</strong>: Treanor tells CNN Travel he started the project when he was on vacation in Cornwall, southwestern England, with his kids. They created a six petaled flower. "We ran to the the top of the cliffs to look down and thought 'Ooh that's nice,'" recalls Treanor. "And that was the beginning really. <em>Pictured here: Sand art at Caerfai Bay, St Davids, Pembrokeshire, Wales </em>
Family affair: Treanor tells CNN Travel he started the project when he was on vacation in Cornwall, southwestern England, with his kids. They created a six petaled flower. "We ran to the the top of the cliffs to look down and thought 'Ooh that's nice,'" recalls Treanor. "And that was the beginning really. Pictured here: Sand art at Caerfai Bay, St Davids, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Courtesy Marc Treanor
<strong>Three step process: </strong>So what's the process for creating these incredible pieces of art? Treanor says there are three key steps. Phase 1: sketching out the pattern at home, on paper. <em>Pictured here: Drawing at Pwllgwaelod beach, Pembrokeshire</em>
Three step process: So what's the process for creating these incredible pieces of art? Treanor says there are three key steps. Phase 1: sketching out the pattern at home, on paper. Pictured here: Drawing at Pwllgwaelod beach, Pembrokeshire
Courtesy Marc Treanor
<strong>Raking in: </strong>Step two is getting down to the beach and creating the art with a rake. It can be quite intimidating, says Treanor. "Many times I'm just looking at the beach thinking 'I don't know where I am, I don't know I'm doing,'" he says<em>. Pictured here: Chartres Labyrinth mural, Mwnt beach, Ceredigion, Wales </em>
Raking in: Step two is getting down to the beach and creating the art with a rake. It can be quite intimidating, says Treanor. "Many times I'm just looking at the beach thinking 'I don't know where I am, I don't know I'm doing,'" he says. Pictured here: Chartres Labyrinth mural, Mwnt beach, Ceredigion, Wales
Courtesy Marc Treanor
<strong>Reflection</strong>: When the raking's complete, it's time for the most magical part: "This is the sort of contemplative side, so ideally there's a nice viewpoint and whoever's been involved, we can all go up to the clifftop and gaze down upon the beach and watch the creation being reabsorbed by the sea," says Treanor. <em>Pictured here: Goddess mural, Traeth Llyfn, Pembrokeshire, Wales </em>
Reflection: When the raking's complete, it's time for the most magical part: "This is the sort of contemplative side, so ideally there's a nice viewpoint and whoever's been involved, we can all go up to the clifftop and gaze down upon the beach and watch the creation being reabsorbed by the sea," says Treanor. Pictured here: Goddess mural, Traeth Llyfn, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Courtesy Marc Treanor
<strong>Temporary creation:</strong> Treanor says he's not sad when he sees the water wash away his work, it's part of the cycle. "It's completely part of it, it's totally integral to the work and the fact it is impermanent and it is temporary," he says. <em>Pictured here: Sand art close-up, Caerfai, Pembrokeshire, Wales</em>
Temporary creation: Treanor says he's not sad when he sees the water wash away his work, it's part of the cycle. "It's completely part of it, it's totally integral to the work and the fact it is impermanent and it is temporary," he says. Pictured here: Sand art close-up, Caerfai, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Courtesy Marc Treanor
<strong>Nature wins</strong>: That said, Treanor does try and photograph his art before it disappears -- however one time, he forgot his camera and his phone. "Actually it was quite nice just to let go of that need to preserve it and just let it exist for whatever time it exists for in real time," he says. <em>Pictured here: Sand art design by Steve C Richards, Tenby North beach, Pembrokeshire, Wales</em>
Nature wins: That said, Treanor does try and photograph his art before it disappears -- however one time, he forgot his camera and his phone. "Actually it was quite nice just to let go of that need to preserve it and just let it exist for whatever time it exists for in real time," he says. Pictured here: Sand art design by Steve C Richards, Tenby North beach, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Courtesy Marc Treanor
<strong>Forging connections:</strong> One of Treanor's most memorable creations was this intricate symbol created on the day of the UK General Election in 2015. A passerby helped him out and they shared a bond despite ideological differences. <em>Pictured here: Sand art at Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales </em>
Forging connections: One of Treanor's most memorable creations was this intricate symbol created on the day of the UK General Election in 2015. A passerby helped him out and they shared a bond despite ideological differences. Pictured here: Sand art at Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Courtesy Marc Treanor
<strong>Ceding control: O</strong>ther beach-goers often help out the sand muralist. "I'm a bit of a perfectionist and it can be very easy to try and push people away, because they're not going to do it how you want it to be done," admits Treanor. <em>Pictured here: Skull art at Mwnt in south Ceredigion, Wales</em>
Ceding control: Other beach-goers often help out the sand muralist. "I'm a bit of a perfectionist and it can be very easy to try and push people away, because they're not going to do it how you want it to be done," admits Treanor. Pictured here: Skull art at Mwnt in south Ceredigion, Wales
Courtesy Marc Treanor
<strong>Fulfilling experience:</strong> But Treanor knows it's more fulfilling when other people are involved. He was recently approached by a group of kids. "I had to try to find a way of them being involved and we did it [...] and it was really great," he says. <em>Pictured here: Traeth Llyfn beach, Pembrokeshire, Wales </em>
Fulfilling experience: But Treanor knows it's more fulfilling when other people are involved. He was recently approached by a group of kids. "I had to try to find a way of them being involved and we did it [...] and it was really great," he says. Pictured here: Traeth Llyfn beach, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Courtesy Marc Treanor
<strong>New direction: </strong>Treanor no longer limits his art to replicating crop circles. Now he takes commissions and even replicates profiles, as seen here. <em>Pictured here: "Jessie" at Newport Sands, Pembrokeshire </em>
New direction: Treanor no longer limits his art to replicating crop circles. Now he takes commissions and even replicates profiles, as seen here. Pictured here: "Jessie" at Newport Sands, Pembrokeshire
Courtesy Marc Treanor
Growing prestige: "It's just leading me in such interesting directions, I mean this year's been crazy busy, I've had twelve commissions," he says. <em>Pictured here: Hexagon art, Whitesands beach, Pembrokeshire, Wales </em>
Growing prestige: "It's just leading me in such interesting directions, I mean this year's been crazy busy, I've had twelve commissions," he says. Pictured here: Hexagon art, Whitesands beach, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Courtesy Marc Treanor
<strong>Environmental angle</strong>: "This year I've worked with local councils here improving their tourism push, and I've worked for the European Environment Bureau, along with three other sand artists in Europe actually, and we all did this piece to do with bringing awareness to plastic pollution in the oceans," says Treanor. <em>Pictured here: Sand art, European Environment Bureau, Saunton Sands, North Devon</em>
Environmental angle: "This year I've worked with local councils here improving their tourism push, and I've worked for the European Environment Bureau, along with three other sand artists in Europe actually, and we all did this piece to do with bringing awareness to plastic pollution in the oceans," says Treanor. Pictured here: Sand art, European Environment Bureau, Saunton Sands, North Devon
Courtesy Marc Treanor
<strong>Showcasing beauty</strong>: Treanor is also proud that his work showcases the beauty of the Welsh coast. "The beaches are exquisite, when the weather's right, or even when the weather's not, it has a different energy when there's a storm raging and the waves are pounding, it's so exciting," he says. <em>Pictured here: "Lily" at Whitesands Bay, Pembrokeshire, Wales </em>
Showcasing beauty: Treanor is also proud that his work showcases the beauty of the Welsh coast. "The beaches are exquisite, when the weather's right, or even when the weather's not, it has a different energy when there's a storm raging and the waves are pounding, it's so exciting," he says. Pictured here: "Lily" at Whitesands Bay, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Courtesy Marc Treanor
<strong>Heading abroad</strong>: As the winter approaches, Treanor says he would love to explore some beaches abroad. "It would be really interesting to take this a bit further afield," he says. <em>Pictured here: Proposal art, Mwnt Beach, Cardigan Bay, West Wales </em>
Heading abroad: As the winter approaches, Treanor says he would love to explore some beaches abroad. "It would be really interesting to take this a bit further afield," he says. Pictured here: Proposal art, Mwnt Beach, Cardigan Bay, West Wales
Courtesy Marc Treanor