PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (InvestigateTV) — Before dawn almost every morning, Charlie Cofield grabs his rakes and heads to the beach. But these rakes aren’t for maintenance work, they’re for his unique brand of art.
Cofield, a maintenance worker at the Landmark, creates intricate designs in the sand along the Emerald Coast. The 100-mile stretch of popular beaches along the Florida panhandle is known for its sugar-soft white sand and crystal-clear seas.
“I make designs in the sand. I get here in the morning and start raking,” Cofield said. “It’s usually dark when I get here.”
Cofield creates his art in the dark and can’t see his finished design from beach level. The full picture is only visible from high above.
His inspiration came from a desktop rock garden.
“I seen one of those desktop little rock gardens with the rakes, and I said, ‘Well, I can just make a bigger version of that,’” Cofield said.
He makes his own rakes and doesn’t have formal training.
“I don’t have any kind of artistic background or nothing like that,” Cofield said.
Cofield doesn’t start the day with a plan or draw his designs beforehand. He measures with his feet and steps.
He doesn’t get paid for his designs, it’s just a hobby he has picked up.
“I’ve always been on the beach. To be able to come to the beach — after 20, 25 years of living here — it’s pretty awesome that I’m able to contribute back to my community. I love it,” Cofield said.
With each new day, Cofield turns the beach into a canvas for others to enjoy.
Copyright 2026 Gray Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.