By Juanita Copeland
A Christchurch artist famous for his sand artworks has celebrated a milestone 13 years in the making.
Peter Donnelly has been creating public artworks in the sands of New Brighton beach for all that time and today he created his 1,000th work.
The tools of Peter Donnelly's trade are a rake and a stick – and with those he creates spectacular works of sand art.
“The lovers are always in there, they've been in there for four years developing their dance and symbolic of humanity,” says Mr Donnelly.
In the 13 years Mr Donnelly has been creating the works he has become somewhat of a Christchurch identity – or rather his works have.
“The most words I've ever done is 73 words of a poem, and I raked in between each letter, block letters, it was mad but you only do things like that once,” he says.
Beach-goers are always impressed by how he can have such a grand vision and overview of his work when he only ever sees progress from ground level.
“I'm stunned at how well he has laid it out and planned it. I can't even imagine doing that, it's beautiful,” says Tara Bailey.
Mr Donnelly says he does this just for the love of it, not for huge sums of money or with any political reason.
“It's a calling and I love sharing, share and save the world you know,” he says.
Surprisingly, he says he is never sad to see the tide take his creation.
“Let it go, that's one of my things, as a teacher I say ‘let it go’.”
So although his thousandth work was disappearing before it was even finished, Mr Donnelly says he now has the perfect blank canvas for work number 1001.
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