For those like me who doodle 3D visual cubes from a simple square with a pencil on paper while chatting on the phone, what local artists Jamie Harkins and Constanza Tagini Nightingale are doing takes this to a whole new level. Their amazing anamorphic illusions have been quietly etched out on the sandy beach around the side of the Mount opposite Matakana Island delighting passersby.  Crevices, staircases into the ground, skateparks, whimsical drawings –  their imagination is transforming a sandy cove into stunning works of art. Known as 3DSD (3D Sand drawings), they say their goal is to have fun, to entertain people and to captivate their attention by playing with optical illusion to create 3 dimensional drawings.

Staircase

Constanza and Jamie met about 3 ½ years ago through a mutual friend who knew they were both artists. They formed a group that experimented with light, taking photos at night with long exposure. It was a fun way to enjoy time with people and one night during conversation the idea formed about doing 3D drawings with the sun.  Using only a garden rake and a couple of sticks, they usually create one sand drawing per week, sometimes two.  Mostly they are out drawing on weekends with friend David Rendu, and have found the spot on the side of the Mount very good to use because of the elevated view and the tide.  They start about 2 hours before low tide and continue on into the two hours after low tide, with drawings taking 2-3 hours.

Constanza uses a garden rake to add texture

James directing Constanza, telling her where to place the lines

The human eye can deceive the mind, forcing you to believe in the scope where it does not exist.  Jamie and Constanza use the principle of anamorphic, playing with light, shadow and perspective.  The eye can trick the mind making you believe there are dimensions that are not really there.

Constanza says “The connection with nature is essential for the creation of our art. The sun, the wind, the moon and the tides make our creations temporary and give us a challenging time for realisation. The use of simple tools is allowing us to create different textures, shades, contrasts and perspectives.”

These ephemeral drawings are respecting the environment, leaving no trace after the following high tide. Photography is the medium to record this moment.  The beach and a stick certainly provide infinite possibilities with our imagination making them a reality.

To find out when they will be creating their next 3D sand drawing check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/3DSDart