Entertainment

Land artist creates 500th design on Somerset beach

Simon Beck uses sand and snow to create intricate geometrical artworks.
Simon Beck uses sand and snow to create intricate geometrical artworks. Simon Beck uses sand and snow to create intricate geometrical artworks.

An artist who creates large-scale designs in sand and snow has produced his 500th work on a Somerset beach.

Simon Beck, 62, used a rake and a magnetic compass to make his latest geometrical design on Brean Beach near Burnham on Sea, where he creates many of his artworks.

Simon Beck's 500th artwork
Simon Beck's 500th artwork Simon Beck uses a rake and a magnetic compass to create his designs (Raed Shakman)

“It’s a major landmark,” he said.

“I have a lifetime ambition of making 1,000 drawings by the time I reach the age of 80 so I feel a certain amount of achievement to be at 500.”

Mr Beck, a former cartographer from Taunton, began creating large-scale land art in 2004 when he used snow shoes to realise a design in the Alps.

Simon Beck's 500th artwork
Simon Beck's 500th artwork Simon Beck has created more than 140 artworks on Brean Beach (Raed Shakman)

His latest effort was in the style of a Sierpinski triangle – a triangle made up of smaller triangles.

But the conditions on the beach – high winds and dry sand – on Saturday meant the image was not quite of the standard he had hoped for.

“I’m disappointed not to have a better result,” he said.

Simon Beck's 500th artwork
Simon Beck's 500th artwork High winds and dry sand made conditions tough on Saturday (Raed Shakman)

“The beach was a bit too dry therefore we lost some definition of the drawing so it’s mixed feelings.

“I’d feel a lot happier if we had a really good result, but you win some you lose some, don’t you?”

Mr Beck’s previous efforts have included other similarly intricate geometric designs, as well as a recent commission based on TV show Sandition.