When Ieva Slare and her family started making art from pebbles on the beach, they did it just to get out and be creative during the first lockdown in the UK. But they soon realized its therapeutic impact on their mental well-being and turned it into a shared hobby.
Their handiwork was so incredibly good that soon other people began spotting it and sharing photos online. One creation that first grabbed beachgoers’ attention was an intricate butterfly, and another, a small, funny snail.
Encouraged, the family of four started publishing their posts showing their efforts. A couple of years on, they successfully sell prints on Etsy and have even made calendars for local charities.
Parents of four, the couple are originally from Latvia but have lived in England for 10 years. Their home lies along the North Devon coast and is perfect for their treasure-hunting adventures. Colorful pieces of sea glass, pretty shells, or natural pebbles, they’re all collected and arranged into an array of artistic creations. From owls, dogs, and dolphins to apples, ladybugs, and lizards, the Slares have done them all.
Of course, it helps that mom Ieva holds a degree in art and knows its value.
Talking to The Epoch Times, Ieva said that it all started when the children were stuck at home during the 2020 pandemic. Her youngest son, Emanuel, now 14, needed to make a mandala for his school assignment. As they were allowed to go outside for 30 minutes during the lockdown, the family cycled to the beach and made a simple mandala from seashells.
“That’s when we realized this process is very therapeutic, very good for our mental health,” she said.
These days, the family usually make it to the beach once or maybe twice a week, and finishing one piece of beach art takes around four or five hours. Sometimes, after completing a guide drawing and collecting materials, they have to rush because the tide is coming.
When the artwork is ready, Dzintars will put his wife up on his shoulders so she can photograph their masterpiece. But the hardest part is collecting the pebbles—so many pebbles. And to not give up halfway.
“We need to be very, very patient,” Ieva said. “Patience is a skill and hopefully our children will learn from this process ... and it’s a good way to be together outside away from laptops.”
Coming from a generation that as children were forever outside running, playing, and dancing, Ieva—who is herself an ex-ballet dancer—says she and her husband encourage activity in their children. The eldest two of their four children are grown up, while the other two join them to visit the beach.
Emanuel loves to hang out with friends, play football, and help collect the pebbles; while their 12-year-old daughter Elizabeth is super creative, and enjoys working with the pebbles.
“She’s happy to make her own artwork,” her mom said. “When we made the wolf, she made the wolf pup. Same for the puffin bird; when we made the puffin, she made a small puffin.”
The ocean definitely resonates with all of the Slares. Coming from Latvia, they’ve lived by the Baltic Sea. "It’s in our blood,” Ieva said.
The family has received uplifting feedback from people from all over the world who either have bought their art pieces or have seen the photos online. Ieva says that it is humbling to know her family’s shared pastime has inspired others to do beach art with their own kids.
“We started just with some small, funny snails,” she said. “And now other families are telling us they’ve found lots of joy, lots of peace in this process.”
