Final 2015 Mandala by George Fargo
Photo by George Fargo

Lost Ocean: A New Community Sand Painting

Tuesday, January 3, 2017 - 12:00pm to 7:00pm
  • Library Hall
Sand painting is back for the holidays! Three days of fun with a beautiful new design!

Tuesday-Thursday, January 3, 4 & 5
Noon - 7 p.m. daily in Library Hall

Inspired by the Drepung Loseling monks' 2015 Mandala on the Yampa art installation at the Library, the Steamboat Springs community has participated in creating many hands-on public sand paintings. In celebration of the New Year, the Library invites everyone back to Library Hall to revisit their individuality and creative spirit while sand painting on a spectacular new under-the-sea design that has been installed on our Community Sand Painting table.

Chakpurs, the monks' authentic sand painting tools, along with plentiful colored sand, will be available for everyone to try this ancient Tibetan art form. A chakpur is a metal funnel with a grated surface, along which the artist runs a metal rod. The vibration causes sand to flow like liquid onto the platform. The result is a colorful design that is enjoyed by all, then wiped away in the spirit of impermanence upon completion.

This is a FREE all-ages event, but children must be accompanied by an adult.

About the Community Sand Painting image:
In the Library's ongoing tradition of honoring beautiful books, the image that the community will be sand painting is a gorgeous page extracted from the bestselling "inky adventure" adult coloring book LOST OCEAN by Johanna Basford, courtesy of the artist and publisher Penguin Books.