Santa Barbara Magazine revisits John Edward Heaton’s captivating sandscripts, ephemeral sand drawings created along beaches from Rincon to Gaviota and beyond. Heaton, inspired by beach walks with his late wife Catherine, uses driftwood and bamboo knitting needles to transform ocean debris into whimsical designs.
Heaton views the ocean as a co-creator, teaching him to embrace impermanence and focus on the joy of creation rather than permanence. This playful dance with nature is reflected in his art, where mythical beasts and human forms emerge from the sand, only to be reclaimed by the tides.
