850 GOOD NEWS: The sand man canvassing Panama City Beach

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - In Panama City Beach-- one hotel maintenance technician is turning an ordinary workday into extraordinary art.


Before most of us even have the chance to hit snooze, Charlie Cofield is out on the shore with a rake in hand, creating massive designs in the sand.

Now, his early-morning masterpieces are capturing the attention of guests and the hearts of locals.

And that’s what makes this story 850 good news.

Before dawn almost every morning...

“It’s usually dark when I get here,” said Cofield.

You’ll find Charlie Cofield gearing up for another day of work.

“I’m a maintenance guy here at the Landmark.”

As usual, he grabs his rakes and heads to the beach, but these rakes aren’t for fixin’. They’re for art.

“I make designs in the sand. I get here in the morning and start raking,” said Cofield.

Creating art in the dark is impressive, but Charlie can’t even see his finished design from where he’s standing at beach-level.

In order to get the full picture, you need to view his art from high above.

His inspiration?

“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,” said Cofield.

And in typical Charlie fashion, he also makes his own rakes.

“I don’t have any kind of artistic background or nothing like that,” said Cofield.

No need to pick your jaw up off the floor because Charlie doesn’t even start the day with a plan.

“I don’t draw ‘em out beforehand or anything like that,” said Cofield.

Nor does he use a ruler.

“I measure it out with my feet, my steps,” said Cofield.

And Charlie doesn’t get paid for any of his designs; for him, it’s just a hobby.

“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,” said Cofield.

With each new day, you’ll find Charlie in the sand-- turning the beach he’s always loved into a canvas for others to enjoy.

Charlie says this story is dedicated to his father who just celebrated his 63rd birthday on Nov. 10. His next big venture will come on the Fourth of July, when he plans to make a sand flag with all 50 stars.

From there, he wants to start making designs for events, like weddings and graduations. You can see all of his artwork on his social media accounts.

Just search “Charlie Cofield” on Instagram and Facebook.

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