Temporary sand art makes lasting impression

SAN FRANCISCO (Mark Tamayo/KTVU) - Ian Ross is an artist who blends his craft with nature, leaving his mark for others to enjoy. His love for art and surfing collide at the coast, where all he uses a glove and a rake to make his creations. 

"[There's] something unique about this sand here…it is black underneath the surface and the lighter color is washed up on top," Ross says. 

His unplanned routes in the sand take about two hours to make. As the tide recedes, the work area expands. To cover more ground, a stroll turns into a bike ride. 

The mobile rake creates even bigger loops and longer lines. The short lifespan of this creation seems to create a deeper connection. 

"Making a living a doing anything you love, you have to sacrifice some of the purities sometimes for the client or the job you've got to do what you have to do to make the buck. This is way to do something that is completely...no one can own it. Its gone," says Ross. 

"It is a way to raise awareness for environmental related problems as well, by showing people something they have seen a million times, but showing it to them in a different way." 

Visitors gradually stroll into the art zone, all are welcome and they seem to have a deep appreciation for his work. 

"I think it is a really nice surprise I'm very lucky to be fortunate to just walk from my house and to be able to see this awesome art," said Jacob Carrasco of San Francisco. 

Another artist watches from a bluff, he happens to be Ian's father. 

"He's not carrying a sketch around you know. He does this pretty much a capela. And his style shows through every time," says David Ross. 

Once the fog clears and the sun brightens the sand, the rake is swapped with a surfboard. Ian jogs alongside the gift he is leaving behind, headed to the ocean that will eventually wash his design away.