I am fascinated with nature’s curiosities in form. For me they can be magical confluences of time, material and energy. This image represents all three of these synergies.

A windy winter’s day walk on the beach with nothing to do or think about gave me an opportunity to witness these tufts of grass protruding from the sand. As I moved closer I saw a repeating pattern of perfect circles drawn in the sand. At first I could not fathom how they had occurred or what could make them such perfect circles. The longer I watched, the more fascinated I became.

Wind blowing off the ocean was influencing the grass frond to act like a mechanical compass, and when the conditions were right, dipping the tip of the grass to touch the sand and whipping the frond around in a radial arc cutting circles into the surface of the sand. It was mesmerizing in a zen kind of way.

I really liked the simplicity of form on an otherwise undisturbed canvas of sand, untouched by man, wholly influenced by nature.

Watch a brief video of the action here.