For the past year, several works of stunning sand art have appeared on Bridlington beaches with themes varying from a tribute to national treasure and broadcaster David Attenborough to support for the England football team.
The fabulous artworks are the creation of sand artist Fred Brown who spoke to the Bridlington Echo about his much-loved creations.
Despite his work having only a few hours ‘viewing time’ Fred loves the challenge of creating huge works of art against the incoming tides.
How did you start off creating beach art and who or what inspired you?
I’ve been an animal rights activist for a number of years, helping raise awareness of the plight of animals. I’m not very good at talking to people so doing visual things is easier fo me. One of my favourite methods of activism used to be writing messages in chalk on the ground in the middle of town, the bigger and bolder the better!
Chalk is harmless and just washes away with rain, but my local council took issue with it and threatened me with legal action so I stopped doing that. I came across beach art, and I quickly realised that the beach would make an excellent and legal canvas to use.
What tools do you use to create the images?
From the outset I’ve used an app on my phone to guide me when I draw, it makes the process fairly idiot proof and it keeps everything accurate and in proportion. When I initially started 3 years ago I drew on the beach simply by dragging my boot, but eventually that led to sore toes and I moved onto using a broom handle to draw outlines and a selection of grass rakes for colouring-in. I haven’t spent any time with other beach artists – no doubt I should be using other tools too!
What has been your favourite artwork?
Too many to choose from, often it’s whatever I’m currently drawing. In Bridlington, it’s not the prettiest, but probably my Greta Thunberg piece.
What has been the most difficult artwork?
In Bridlington, my David Attenborough piece, I didn’t actually finish it, I drew him a bit too large. Many pieces that I draw I end up regretting starting, especially if I’ve gone too large, as it can feel like such an uphill struggle, though usually I’ll eventually get to a point where the end is in sight and I finally become more confident of success.
Have you any formal art training and do you create any other art?
No art training, and I don’t create any other art, I don’t even class myself as an artist as I can’t draw on paper. On my computer I put designs together using images I find on the internet. For photographs I use software to convert them into simple stencils.
What messages are you trying to get across?
Since starting drawing on the beach I’ve widened the number of causes that I’ll draw for. My usual goal is to raise awareness, trigger discussion, sow seeds. My main focus remains animal oppression, but I’ll take on other oppressions too. I do the odd piece for local community groups and charities. Sometimes I just draw for fun. You might say I’m obsessed with drawing on the beach.
Do you create art anywhere else other than on beaches?
Only beaches so far, though I could produce large art anywhere subject to having the right type of pencils and paintbrushes!
How do you feel about your work having a very short viewing time?
I’m actually fairly indifferent. Sometimes I haven’t even finished drawing when the tide comes back.
It can be tricky because I have to wait for a big enough piece of beach to dry as the tide goes out before I can start drawing, and that can sometimes really limit the available drawing time before the tide comes back.
Bridlington South Beach is currently the best and most reliable large beach that I use.
