DOZENS of people turned out to experience mud painting on a Somerset beach.
Organisers of the event, at Brean Beach, said it was a great success, attracting locals and holiday-makers, families and social groups to the Cove Cafe terrace on Saturday (August 28).
People learned as much about the techniques for making their own paint from local materials as they did about the materials themselves, the rocks and muds of the Somerset coast.
As well as having plenty of opportunity for making individual paintings, participants created four collaborative artworks on the beach using mud paints from the Somerset and Cornish coasts.
They explored the textures of mud and sand with tools also sourced from the coast: driftwood sticks and sea bird feathers.
The paint was made entirely from natural materials, mud and water, and will be washed away by the evening tide, leaving no trace of our activities.
This resonated with the theme of the event, which was to think about the traces we leave behind as humans on this planet.
With Brean Down as a backdrop, a limestone cliff rich in fossils, participants were invited to consider what fossils are likely to be left behind on the beaches we frequent today.
Geologist Mathilde Braddock and artist Sara Dudman joined forces to organise the event.
Mathilde said: "It was a pleasure working with Sara to bring to life a material and part of the coast that is often disparaged: the mud.
"Weaving art and science together is a powerful way of getting people to engage in new ways with their local places. The joy and curiosity that was so obvious at today's event was a testament to that."
Sara added: "Our time on the beach today has helped participants to see mud, rocks and the colours of the coast with new eyes.
"Using the actual stuff of the coast to create artworks about the coast helps bring a closer proximity to the natural environment we inhabit.
"It has been a real joy to work together with people across all generations to have fun with mud – playing, creating, learning and talking about the coast.
"Bringing together the knowledge of a geologist and an artist has provided a wonderfully rich and joined-up approach to understanding this part of the coast."
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