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One notable place for photographer Jonathan

was Whangamata where he spent numerous

holidays at the family bach. At Hauturu (aka

Clark Island) they created the immense star

mandala shown at left and above.

“We were blessed with a very low spring tide

which gave us a good beach canvas to work

from”, Jonathan said. “The island is famous

for the sand bar access of walking through

knee deep water, and I found it important to

somehow capture that too, by filming local

beach goers and paddle boarders crossing the

‘underwater bridge’.”

A major design site was Waikawau Bay where

five works were completed in all. Over 100

volunteers created a massive spiral with waves

and leafy vines (see next two pages). Other

peninsula areas shown below left were Lonely

Bay and Cooks Beach, with its ‘crop circle’ feel.

“The Coromandel presented us with so many

beach options that we could have spent

months there working on pieces,” Jonathan

adds. “The quality of the sand, the landform

with surrounding native bush, the nature of the

tides and the light are all critical ingredients to

designing and documenting the art. We got this

there...in abundance!”

FURTHER AFIELD INCLUDING

TA MOKO

DESIGN IN MOUNT MAUNGANUI

Further afield, Amador worked on Piha Beach

over several visits, the incredible 90 Mile

We wondered if this ‘Earthscape Artist’

designed and drafted the patterns before

upscaling them to the beach? He uses Google

to search for beaches to scout. Amador will

then normally sketch or draft each pattern

before recreating the grand design on the sand

– measuring, staking out, and sketching in key

lines and points.

“I rarely use rope,” he clarifies, “only when

circles are really large and need consistency

For other elements of the design, everything is

done using just my rake.” An adjustable-width

garden rake is used to draw lines with a set

thickness. The artist usually pulls the rake back

and at his side – an accomplished dancer, he

sweeps skillfully as he creates the patterns.

Although dozens of community members

may help create a massive piece as part of

a workshop, Andres himself can rake one of

these patterns in just a few hours time.

In NZ, Amador embraced Maori patterns (such

as the spiral koru) which he practiced on the

sands. “Having recently been in an organic

imperfection phase,” adds Andres, “this trip has

found me in a geometry revival. I am fascinated

by the Maori artwork that blends geometry so

beautifully with organic forms.”

HOW THEY ARE MADE:

TAPE MEASURES, RAKE BRUSHES AND MAORI MOTIFS

Left: A Maori-inspired sun

design works intentionally with

rocky obstacles on this tiny

sandy space on an outcropping

on 90 Mile Beach.

Below: “This artwork is a group

creation that I led for a memorial

for the friends of a boy who died

in an accident. I chose Maori

design elements in honour of the

boy’s Maori roots.”

Mt. Maunganui

Whangamata

Piha

continued from page 8

Beach (below), Maitai Bay, Karekare, Te Paki

sand dunes. and a beach-long design working

with Tauranga artists at Sandy Bay in Mount

Maunganui. The design was in collaboration

with

ta moko

artist and wood carver Pohe

Luttenberger, his brother Rikirau and son Tuks.

The chosen beach was at the base of this

sacred mountain as a tribute to it and the sea

life that sustained his people.

This project caught the attenton of Seven Sharp

that aired the feature on 4 April.

During the TV segment, Andres commented,

“Maori art has called me for a long time...

and I am showing them my world as they are

showing me theirs, so there is a melding....

Culture, on the beach”.

After the sand project is completed and seeing

the tide come in, Andres says to son Kavi, “We

know what is going to happen, eh? We get a

fresh canvas tomorrow. Yay!”

90 MileBeach

WWW.COROMANDELLIFE.CO.NZ

11

Learn how to draw these shapes!

Check out the online tutorials at

www.Andresamadorarts.com/tutorials