Even on holiday, I could not resist creating. And so Mr. Bean took shape in sand.

For me, a holiday means rest.

But creativity rarely takes a holiday.

I told myself I would not create anything this time. I would simply relax, enjoy the sea, good food and time with my husband.

But when you are an artist, inspiration has a way of finding you.

All it takes is one idea.

And that idea came during a walk along the beach in Torremolinos.

I noticed the pale pavement beside the sand, and suddenly a thought struck me…

What if I used ordinary sand instead of a pencil or a brush?

I sat down on the ground, scooped some sand into my palm and began sprinkling it onto the pavement a little at a time.

Slowly.

Grain by grain.

And before the eyes of passers-by, Mr. Bean began to take shape.

Why Mr. Bean?

As soon as I began creating his distinctive face, memories of my childhood came flooding back.

I thought of my dad.

Mr. Bean was one of our favourite characters to watch together. I think I have seen every episode at least ten times.

And yet, every time, we laughed as though we were watching it for the first time.

As I created his portrait on the beach, I was taken back to those days for a moment.

It was a lovely feeling.

Some memories never fade.

Sand as an artistic medium

In my artwork, I work with pencil, acrylic paint or canvas.

This time, all I had was ordinary sand.

I did not draw in it.

Quite the opposite.

I sprinkled the sand a little at a time onto the pale pavement, where the contrast allowed a portrait to emerge.

It was fascinating to watch a familiar face gradually emerge from ordinary grains of sand.

Every grain had its place.

But a stronger gust of wind or a careless footstep could make it all disappear in an instant.

Perhaps that is exactly why I enjoy creating this way.

It is fleeting.

It exists only in that moment.

The greatest reward? People’s reactions.

I must admit, I had not expected what happened next at all.

First, one person stopped.

Then another.

Before long, several people were standing around me, watching curiously to see what was taking shape.

As the portrait neared completion, they began guessing among themselves who it was.

And suddenly, someone called out:

‘Mr. Bean!’

I felt such joy in that moment.

People smiled, photographed the portrait, stopped their friends and pointed it out to them. Some struck up a conversation with me; others simply complimented my work and carried on.

It was wonderful to see how a simple picture made of sand could make complete strangers pause for a moment and bring a smile to their faces.

It is for moments like these that I create.

Not for perfection.

Not for numbers.

But for the emotions.

Because when my work brightens someone’s day or brings back a happy memory, it means an enormous amount to me.

I cannot switch off my creativity, even on holiday

People often ask me whether I can switch off completely on holiday.

The truth is, I do not see creating as work.

It is part of who I am.

Inspiration comes when I least expect it.

Sometimes in the studio.

On another occasion, I was on a beach in Spain.

This time, Mr. Bean took shape.

And who knows who will emerge from the sand beneath my hands next.

Would you like to see how I made him?

I filmed the whole process.

If you are curious to see how I created a portrait of Mr. Bean using ordinary sand, watch the video on my Instagram account @smetanova.art.

I would love you to tell me in the comments which film or fairy-tale character you would like to see next.

Perhaps your idea will inspire my next spontaneous creation. 🤎