Sand Art With Jim Denevan

Pyramids, an installation on the main beach, has been under construction for three days, and it looks like it won’t be finished til at least the middle of the week. The plan is to expand the circle with several more rings. Part of the Museum of Art and History’s Common Ground Festival, this activity engages volunteers of all ages from the community to create a piece that emphasizes the beauty of the natural world. Artist Jim Denevan has created these ephemeral land drawings all over the world, from Abu Dhabi to Australia, from Miami to Russia. Although I didn’t help with moving all that sand around, I liked studying the process and talking to some of the participants. I particularly enjoyed watching the kids get into the rhythm of the work. The first Extra is the artist, carefully putting the finishing touches on one section of the pyramids; his attitude suggests meditation in the middle of the chaos of creating these patterns. I plan to go back tomorrow and maybe even see if I can add my two cents to the process.