Circles in the Sand raising funds for 2023

“It can give someone an intention to think about as they are walking,” said Bethe Patrick, a sand artist and labyrinth facilitator with Circles in the Sand.

The intention of Circles in the Sand is to share love, joy and kindness by creating walkable art in the form of "dreamfield" labyrinths on the beach. When completed, the labyrinths are one continuous path with no dead ends or wrong turns.

Denny Dyke has been drawing circles in the sand in the Bandon area since about 2010. It started mainly as a meditation, he said, and “to see if I could draw some of the patterns.”

In the early days, Dyke would go to Bandon beaches by himself or with a friend to create his labyrinths. His patterns would attract nearby beachgoers, some of whom, he said, regarded his work as “alien crop circles.”

Throughout the years, Dyke’s beach artistry has attracted larger and larger audiences.

He turned Circles in The Sand into a business in 2015 and now collaborates with a team of artists and volunteers who work deftly to create a flowing maze of circles and meandering patterns throughout the beach at Face Rock Viewpoint.

People come from all over Oregon, the United States and the world to walk the labyrinths.

“We now have hundreds of people coming down to have a fantastic day because of what we do,” Dyke said.

Each Draw has a specific theme which ranges from ocean to celestial to Zen. Sea turtles, jelly fish and other creatures can often be spotted alongside the labyrinth, along with stars, circles and wave shapes etched into the ground with rakes and other tools.

The labyrinth design is drawn freehand working with the beach as a fresh canvas. The path for each “draw” unfolds organically on the sand.

Circles in the Sand founder Dyke said all of the artists roles change constantly. But the artists never go into a draw with specific instructions.

“I can honestly say there has never been a set plan. And if we did try it once it didn’t work,” Dyke said. “It’s nice to go down with that freedom and whatever comes out is right.”

The Circle on The Sand artists also say the walkable art teaches humans about impermanence. As magically as the sandy paths appear on the beaches – in just hours the tide comes in and washes it away.

The official season for Circles in The Sand begins in April and runs through August. There are 29 draws scheduled for 2023. Artists are out on the beach for up to four days in a row. The artists said they also occasionally do winter draws but said they don’t officially schedule them because of unpredictable weather.

From its’ inception, the Circles in the Sand public beach labyrinth walks have been free to people (and dogs) of all ages. The Circles in the Sand team also offers a dream stone to each person who walks through the labyrinth to remember their experience.

Circles in the Sand artists cannot ask for donations because their events take part on the Oregon State Park beaches. Founder Dyke said he actually prefers it that way.

“I want to keep it directly for the public. I don’t want to jade that,” he said. “We don’t want to alter what Circles has become for the sake of money.”

However, it does take money to keep the operation going, he said. So the Circles in the Sand team has local sponsors. They sell merchandise on their Web Site. They also hold an annual fundraiser.

The fundraiser helps Circles in the Sand support their team of artists and cover expenses like permit fees, equipment, advertising and purchasing dream stones. The Circles in the Sand team said the fundraiser is part of what will hopefully keep the public art events going for a long time to come.

Circles in the Sand is becoming a part of Bandon’s identity.

“It’s family-friendly, it’s free and it’s on the beach. You have a gorgeous setting with these fabulous sea stacks and there are tide pools,” said sand artist Bethe Patrick. “You already have so many reasons to be drawn down to the beach besides what we do – but it all adds up together to be one great package.”

The fundraiser for 2023 is happening now through Dec. 23. Donations can be made on the Circles in the Sand website www.sandypathbandon.com.