Family creates festive beach art on north Devon coast

A woman from North Devon says she is "happy to lift people's spirits" by creating beach art using pebbles, shells and sea glass.

Ieva Slare and her family have created scores of images on Westward Ho! and Instow beaches since March 2020.

Depictions of the Snowman and Snowdog, an angel, Mary and Joseph, Christmas trees and Father Christmas are among the most recent designs.

Mrs Slare said: "It's important to keep the children away from screens."

The family began creating beach art when Mrs Slare's 13-year-old son Emanuel was tasked with a school art project of making a mandala - a symbolic picture of the universe.

When some of their early designs were shared on social media, Mrs Slare said they were "encouraged by the positive feedback".

She said they were not worried about losing the art when the tide comes in and added: "We say let it go, it is a part of life.

"We find the creativity involved in the art project very therapeutic."

They now try to create a new design each week.

Mrs Slare, who is originally from Latvia, said: "It's a way of communicating with others and being part of the community. We would like to encourage other families to try it too."

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