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This study guide will help you explore the world of a beach artist who creates geometric patterns on the beach in North Cornwall.
Before or after you watch the short film "We Are All Artists" directed by Simon Ratigan you might like to also read the Cornwall Live article "Meet the man who draws the answers of the universe on the sand at Polzeath beach" by Olivier Vergnault and also How travels through Cornwall helped on my road to recovery by best selling Australian author, Briony Benjamin
Use the spoken dialogue script below to help you remember how the film is structured.
The spoken dialogue you'll hear in the film
One time I was doing supply teaching in a school in Cardiff, and I said to the kids that they couldn’t leave until the bell went. And one of the girls came up to me and said, "Who the fuck do you think you are?" And all the kids sort of lined up behind her, and were going to run me over. Luckily, there was some senior teacher outside who I then let kinda diffuse the situation, and I went home and really thought, "actually, who the fuck am I?" You know, who am I?
When I first came back to Cornwall, about ten years ago, I wanted to reinvent myself from being a teacher. And I had a very long pole, longer than a walking pole, I still use it as it was exactly the right length and height, and actually, I thought I’d just draw a few circles on the beach. And then I just had a comment from a lady: “oh it’s lovely to see someone drawing the Tree of Life” and I thought well let’s find out about what this Tree of Life thing is. And that was the entrance to the rabbit hole of sacred geometry.
For my first year, all I ever drew was this one piece of Sacred Geometry which is called Metatron's Cube. Basically, you draw a circle, and then you draw six circles around that one circle, and then you put six circles around those seven circles and then if you join up the centres of all the circles with straight lines, you get what are called the Platonic solids. And the Platonic solids are all the things that exist with equal sides on them.
They are so fundamental to life that everything comes from these shapes. The cells in your body have sacred geometry in them and your DNA is like in a sacred geometric shape. And then you go all the way into a wave with all its Fibonacci spirals and then up to the galaxies and then you realise that the whole thing is made out of very simple circle shapes too which, if you know how to put them together, you can just kind of go anywhere.
Everything is so connected, not that people didn’t know that everything is totally connected, but when you’re actually doing Beach Art, I suppose that you are kind of more aware of how things just all connect.
It is an amplification of the obvious, I suppose, which is kind of like a feeling that you are tuned-in to the universe in some way.
We have a collective consciousness.
My consciousness of these patterns is obviously not mine. It is like the collective one, and actually the fact that I am just drawing something that collectively we know is fundamental, is because we are just part of something far bigger than our meagre selves.
We make ourselves seem so important, don’t we?
I think people sort of want to talk to you, so I encourage that interaction. I used to be a bit silly about it, and I used to say that I had been commissioned by the Tate Gallery down at St Ives to do a piece of art, but I was just making up stories to try and make people think that they were seeing something more important than they were really seeing.
I know anyone could do basically what I do, so I don’t really see myself as kind of an artist as such. We are all artists.
For me it’s an escape. Kind of not escaping reality, but it kind of draws people to you, and we all benefit from not being isolated, being connected. And it’s a way, I guess, of me maybe giving some pleasure to people who are walking by.
People are usually amazing. They are kind of respectful of the canvas, which is flattering, I guess. And the really nice ones are where you see people are totally in tune with the design.
I once finished this enormous 61-circled flower of life, which had taken quite some time to draw, and I put big white marker-stones into key points. And all the people I met who were coming down the cliff to go to the beach were saying “oh we really loved your designs.” And then when I got to the top, I could see one of them, he was standing right in the centre. And you could tell that he was just totally in tune with the pattern.
The design has a focal point, and if you put yourself on that focal point, you get a not an out-of-world experience, but some energy. You know I don’t know how energy fields work, but you can tell that those people are tuned in to something else.
The closer you look at the pattern, the more errors you can see. But the further you get away you just get the essence of it, I suppose. I’m sure there is an important message in life about this.
Don’t look at stuff too closely, because actually in the big scheme of things, it’s just not even really relevant. Like the pattern's not relevant because that’s going to disappear.
This is a very Zen type experience. It is so weather-dependent, tide-dependent, and it’s really about just going with the flow.
I don’t think there’s anyone doing Beach Art quite like the way I do it.
I think,yeah, am a strange person? Yeah, I must be strange because if I stand on the crossroads of those two lines, and draw another circle, it’s all going to fit together. And I know that this circle, as I stand there, is going to go through that one, and then it’s going to go through that bit. And if it doesn’t, something’s gone wrong.
And I find that, I find that really interesting.
This study guide is designed to help you delve deeper into the world of Bill Bartlett, the beach artist who creates large geometric patterns on the sands of North Cornwall. By engaging with the Cornwall Live article "Meet the man who draws the answers of the universe on the sand at Polzeath beach" by Olivier Vergnault, Briony Benjamin's personal reflection "How travels through Cornwall helped on my road to recovery", and the short film "We Are All Artists" directed by Simon Ratigan, you will gain an understanding of this unique art form and the artist behind it.
Before You Begin:
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Familiarise yourself with the three suggested materials: the Cornwall Live article, Briony Benjamin's piece, and the film "We Are All Artists".
Exploring Bill Bartlett and His Journey:
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What was Bill Bartlett's professional background before becoming a beach artist? How might his previous experience as a teacher have influenced his approach to beach art?
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According to the Cornwall Live article, what was the initial inspiration or "accident" that led Bill Bartlett to start creating sand art?
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What is "sacred geometry," as mentioned by Bartlett, and how did it become a central theme in his work? What specific examples of sacred geometry does he mention (e.g., Tree of Life, Metatron's Cube, Seed of Life)?
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The Fibonacci Sequence is a recurring theme in Bartlett's art. How is the Fibonacci Sequence defined, and where does Bartlett see its presence in nature?
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How long has Bill Bartlett been creating beach art in North Cornwall? What connection does he have to the Polzeath area?
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In the film, Bartlett states, "I thought I’d just draw a few circles on the beach". How does this simple starting point evolve into complex designs?
Analysing the Art Form and Its Themes:
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Describe the process of creating Bill Bartlett's beach art. What tools does he use?
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How does the ephemeral nature of his work (the fact that it will be washed away by the tide) influence its meaning or impact?
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Consider Bartlett's statement, "With the sand, the sea and the wind it changes all the time. I’m not bothered about technicality. It’s about aesthetics". What does this reveal about his artistic philosophy?
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In the Cornwall Live article, Olivier Vergnault reflects on the "humility in sand drawing" and its connection to "mandalas and zen gardens". How does Bartlett's art evoke these ideas of mindfulness and being present in the moment?
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How does Bartlett view the role of "mistakes" in his art?
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Briony Benjamin describes her beach art session as "meditative and calming" and considers it "sand art therapy". How might the process of creating this art contribute to well-being?
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Both the film and Bartlett himself emphasise the idea that "We are all artists" What is the message behind this statement in the context of Bartlett's work?
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How does Bartlett encourage interaction with his art while he is creating it? What kinds of reactions do people have to his creations, as described in the articles and potentially shown in the film?
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In the film, Bartlett connects his patterns to broader natural phenomena, stating, "Everything is so connected". How does this cosmic perspective enhance our understanding of his art?
Exploring the Jung Connection:
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The Cornwall Live article mentions that Carl Jung, the eminent psychologist, held one of his famous lectures almost exactly a hundred years ago overlooking Polzeath beach. Bartlett himself points out the blue house above the beach where Jung might have stayed
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Why do you think Bartlett finds this historical connection significant?
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Consider Jung's work on archetypes, the collective unconscious, and symbolism. How might Bartlett's use of universal geometric patterns resonate with Jungian ideas?
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Bartlett mentions the idea of a "collective consciousness" in relation to these patterns. How might this concept connect to Jung's theories?
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Could the meditative and potentially therapeutic aspects of creating and viewing Bartlett's sand art be seen through a Jungian lens, perhaps as a way of connecting with deeper, universal patterns?
Considering the Film "We Are All Artists":
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Why do you think filmmaker Simon Ratigan was drawn to document Bill Bartlett's work? What aspects of Bartlett's art or philosophy might have resonated with him?
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The film is described as "a celebration of the beauty of Beach Art in its Polzeath setting and an intimate portrait of local Beach Artist Bill Bartlett". How does the film use visuals and sound to achieve this?
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The film highlights the "brief transformation of the beach into fleeting masterpieces". How does the film capture this sense of transience?
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Consider the title "We Are All Artists." How does the film explore this theme through Bartlett's story and his art?
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The film includes aerial photography of the artwork. How does this perspective enhance the viewer's understanding and appreciation of the scale and complexity of Bartlett's creations?
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Many viewers noted that "the bookends" of the film are "simply perfect". Compare the beginning of the film with the end and explain why if a film-maker gets these right the rest of the film is likely to be good too.
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Simon Ratigan was reluctant to edit out the swear words at the start of the film. Even for a younger audience. Why do you think he felt strongly about this?
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The film is made in black and white. Why do you think that Simon Ratigan did this when the Cornish coastline has so much colour?
Questions for Different Age Groups and Educational Levels:
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Primary School:
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What shapes do you see in Bill's beach art? Can you draw some of them?
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How do you think it feels to draw on the big sandy beach?
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Why do you think the sea washes the art away? Is that sad or exciting?
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Have you ever made art with natural things like sand or sticks? What did you make?
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Secondary School:
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Art & Design: How does Bill Bartlett use the natural environment as both his canvas and inspiration? Discuss the concept of ephemeral art.
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Mathematics: Explore the Fibonacci Sequence. Can you find examples of it in nature around you? How is it used in Bartlett's art?
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Geography: Where is Polzeath located? How might the coastal environment influence the type of art that can be created there?
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English & Media Studies: Analyse the way the Cornwall Live article and the film tell Bartlett's story. What different techniques do they use? How does the title "We Are All Artists" function as a message in the film?
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PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education): Discuss the ideas of mindfulness and well-being that Briony Benjamin experienced through beach art. How can creative activities contribute to our mental health?
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Adult/University Level:
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Discuss the philosophical implications of creating large-scale, intricate art that is intentionally impermanent. How does this challenge traditional notions of art and legacy?
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Analyse the connection between Bartlett's beach art and concepts of sacred geometry and the Fibonacci Sequence. To what extent are these patterns inherent in nature and to what extent are they human interpretations?
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Explore the potential psychological benefits of engaging with ephemeral art in natural environments, drawing on Jungian or other psychological theories.
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Consider the role of community and connection in Bartlett's art practice. How does he interact with viewers, and what does this say about the nature of art and audience?
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Analyse Simon Ratigan's directorial choices in "We Are All Artists". How does the filmic language (e.g., cinematography, editing, sound) contribute to the understanding and appreciation of Bartlett's work?
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Community Groups/General Interest:
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After watching the film, discuss your own experiences of creativity. Do you agree with the idea that "We Are All Artists"?
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How does Bartlett's work inspire you to connect with nature in new ways?
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Have you ever created something ephemeral? What was the experience like?
Possible Activities and Further Exploration:
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Try creating your own simple geometric patterns in the sand (if you have access to a beach) or on paper.
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Research more about sacred geometry and the Fibonacci Sequence. How are these concepts found in other art forms, architecture, or nature?
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Consider how other artists use natural materials and explore themes of ephemerality in their work.
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Explore the "North Cornwall Walks & Beach Art" website to see more of Bill Bartlett's work and potentially find information about workshops or events
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