Two artists met by chance on the beach at Seal Rock, one a painter and the other crafting a labyrinth from raking shapes in the sand.

Dawning McGinnis, who paints and hosts art classes from a studio in Gearhart, happened upon Karen Chalmers, an artist also known as Spinning Sands, whose canvas is the beach itself.

“She was sand raking with her dog in this colorful skirt,” McGinnis recalled. “She was so open, sharing her stories with those around her.”

McGinnis was inspired, and soon began raking sand patterns on Clatsop County beaches.

Sand raking is an ephemeral art form, similar to stone stacking or building sandcastles. It’s meant to be enjoyed in the moment, transcending permanent capture in any lasting form.

On the Oregon Coast, it’s admired by many, from recent impromptu patterns at Short Sand Beach and Nehalem Bay State Park to seasonal art during morning low tides at Circles in the Sand in Bandon.

Like other temporary art, its process highlights the transient nature of time and the sometimes unsettling truth that life is ever changing. In that way, it’s not unlike the unexpected life events that brought McGinnis to the region.

McGinnis’ mother was diagnosed with cancer as the coronavirus pandemic began. Together with her family, she bought a home in Seaside, where she said the community welcomed her family with open arms. “My mom had a wonderful place to spend her last days,” she said.

McGinnis now finds lasting inspiration through the memory of her mother, who was an opera singer and set designer.

McGinnis studied to be a studio artist and art therapist and began teaching painting and drawing classes, but describes herself as a multidisciplinary artist who will “make art out of anything I can find.”

She was drawn to the beach, and it proved to be the perfect canvas.

Now, she’s planning two free workshops at 11 a.m. on July 23 and Aug. 6. Both will take place on the beach, just south of the Gearhart car entrance. Rakes will be provided on the beach, but the curious should preregister via McGinnis’s website to ensure that enough rakes are available.

Those attending the workshops are encouraged to bring donations to Nourish Those In Need, a nonprofit McGinnis volunteers with. The organization, which provides warm, nourishing meals to homeless people in Seaside, will host a pop-up tent during the workshops.

Time and nature provide constraints on the formation of the sand art, and one goal of the workshop is to teach participants how to create a giant design in the span of a few hours using a rake and the beach sand. “You have to mind the tides,” McGinnis said.

But McGinnis thinks this is exactly what makes sand raking special. “I think people love seeing an artist create in front of them. Everyone feels special that they got to glimpse something that was only there for a few hours,” she said, “when the tide comes up, the art goes away.”

Onlookers are encouraged to watch the process and, McGinnis said, are just as important as the creators of the artworks. “Temporary art has really captured the imagination and attention of a lot of people right now,” she said. “It’s a giant free landscape to create something beautiful on, and so many people get to witness it and enjoy it.”