SAND ANIMATION ARTIST

Hello! I’m Charlene Lanzel… It's been more than 14 years since I launched my sand animation business, back in February 2011, and so much has happened since then.

I've created over 100 custom sand animations for corporate and private clients. I use a light box, sand and my hands to create fluid emotional stories, synced to a unique musical soundscape. These sand animations are simultaneously projected large screen for live audiences to experience, or filmed in HD for your live or virtual event.

I've done animations for Cirque du Soleil, MTV News, Travel & Leisure, Doodle 4 Google, GE Healthcare, TBS Network and many more. I've performed at amazing venues, like Caesar's Colosseum in Las Vegas, The Fillmore in Philly, The Smithsonian in D.C. and Jazz at Lincoln Center in NYC. I've traveled to international locations, like Hong Kong, Amsterdam, Mexico City, Playa Del Carmen, Berlin, Montréal and all over the USA. I've performed at events featuring: Jordin Sparks, Brené Brown, Beau Lotto, Nili Brosch, John Mayer, Wynton Marsalis and The Roots. I’ve also synced my sand animations to the inspirational poetry of Theo Wilson, Denver Poet Laureate Bobby LeFebre and others.

It's been a very exciting journey and I'm really looking forward to sharing new things here. So... Stay Tuned! Thanks for visiting. I look forward to creating a custom sand animation just for you.

BASED IN LOS ANGELES, CA

Watch my sand art VIDEOS!

Services

*In April 2022, I launched my very own ethical sand art clothing and product line, bringing my art to the fashion world. My original sand art designs are now being produced on high-end sustainable clothing and accessories. For more information, read this blog: WEAR SAND ART… then visit my Le Galeriste shop. You can find even more products designed with my sand art at Redbubble!

LIVE Sand Animation Performance

Charlene Lanzel's sand animation, sometimes known as sand art, sand drawing or sand painting, is beautiful to look at but lasts only in the moment. It is sand storytelling that makes life and time flow by, right before your eyes. A popular new trend in performance art, sand art is a form of live sand painting which evolved from earlier sand animation films. Live sand art performances are very dynamic and require the artist's presence to happen.

Sand Artist | Charlene Lanzel performing LIVE at a Morning Session.

Charlene Lanzel’s projected, live, storytelling performances explore the relationship between real and virtual spaces, and create emotionally immersive environments which provide both entertainment and instruction. Her live sand animations are projected large scale onto a mega screen, using the latest in digital technologies, and synced to a live or recorded soundscape. 

Sand Artist | Charlene Lanzel's art is created live onstage, where people can watch the artist doing her performance in a darkened room. A video camera is positioned over the illuminated glass tabletop, upon which the artist creates sand magic. Sand scattered on a light box is formed and reformed into ever changing shapes and images that tell visually powerful stories. Charlene creates these fluid illustrations from memory, for large audiences, with an overhead camera instantaneously projecting onto a large screen for the audience to see.

Sand Artist | Charlene Lanzel performing LIVE at a Summit Meeting.

Charlene Lanzel's sand performances are choreographed, rehearsed and synched to a dramatic soundscape, which Charlene creates to enhance the mood. Music accompanies the entire process as the sand artist’s hands follow the rhythm.

Her hands move slowly or quickly, as the elegant artwork is created, which challenges and motivates in a captivating way. The audience amazes at the decisiveness in her hands, since the sand artist's hands can always be seen creating in the projection. The results of the sand animator's process are unique.

Sand Animation is a practice which uses the visual and aesthetic properties of sand to create a live animated image. Sand is a fluid material and its grains settle by chance, creating living images made of a single texture. Sand art storytelling makes life and time flow by, magically, in front of your eyes. Guests will be interested and absorbed, and will certainly be talking about this wow factor at your next event! 

Custom Sand Animation VIDEOS

"In every grain of sand there is a story."

Charlene Lanzel’s sand animation videos are a refreshing way to tell your story at a live event or virtual meeting. An .mp4 video of your custom sand animation can be created in HD for large screen viewing at your corporate event, gala, dinner, party, wedding, trade show or virtual event. Your video story will be filmed in real time, but can be sped up in post production, for quicker viewing. Include branding, logos, memorable experiences, portraits, or beautiful scenes and themes of your choice… all synched to a custom musical soundscape. Please provide all information for the project at least 3 weeks prior to the date needed.

See SERVICES for more information on custom animations.

PICK (1) COLOR: B/W, Gold, Cocoa, Red, Pink, Cran, Purple, Blue, Aqua or Green…

ADD a SPLASH of a 2nd color!

Experiential Entertainment

Something experiential comes from the real world… from an experience.

Sand Animation is a form of experiential storytelling, performed live at: conferences, conventions, company parties, gala events and trade shows. A sand animation performance cultivates a successful and constructive learning environment. Leaders can view sand art experiences as learning opportunities that can be valuable for their organizations, and help their employees to see these experiences as great chances for growth and development.

Sand Artist | Charlene Lanzel performing LIVE at a holiday event.

It is vital for leaders to adjust their approach for solving new challenges. By practicing a new approach, like a sand animation experience, leaders can have more enjoyable and effective interactions with their employees while maximizing learning potential. Approaches are reinvented through experiential sand storytelling to improve strategy and effectiveness. Sand animation simulations can mimic real situations, to help in the learning process without real-world consequences. It creates a deeper understanding of a complex topic in a risk-free setting.

Sand Artist | Charlene Lanzel performing LIVE at a company party.

For team members to continue to refine their skills and grow as professionals, in the most efficient and effective manner, experiential learning helps them to comprehend by actively engaging in an experience. The aim is to deepen understanding and develop better skills. For people to become more effective and capable in their work, a sand animator’s scenarios represent potential situations, aiming to prepare employees for situations encountered in their professional lives. They are actively participating in the learning experience.

Sand Artist | Charlene Lanzel performing LIVE at a trade show.

Experiential entertainment makes employees think about a topic differently. It encourages community and social bonding through a shared, immersive activity, while promoting creativity and learning, strengthening relationships and building a sense of belonging. It persuades people to share experiences created in a unique way. This makes them start talking about an event… and even creating a ripple effect. Experiential sand animation performances can boost morale, engagement, and collaboration among employees.

A standing ovation for Charlene’s LIVE conference performance!

Sand animation experiences are immersive, emotional, and unforgettable performances that go beyond traditional marketing formats. They are a great way to educate, entertain, and inform. Unique and engaging events grab attention, creating lasting memories and emotional bonds. They make information stand out, and lead to higher engagement and interest.

Experiential sand animation storytelling provides a unique, memorable and enriching experience. 

Little Snowhite - Lofi Sand Art Fairytale

Here's a new sand art story I've just released on YouTube... I've been working on this for a long, long time (over 5 years), and I hope you enjoy it. Not only did I create the illustrations in sand, but this is also my first attempt at creating the music that syncs with the sand art, as well!

These illustrations are just a preview... I'm still learning the animation.

I'm currently looking for venues to perform this sand animation live. If you know of a good venue for me to perform this animation, let me know in the comment section below.

"Little Snowhite" is based on the original Grimm's fairytale "Sneewittchen", which was first recorded by the brothers Jacob & Wilhelm Grimm in 1812. The timeless story is thought to have been based on the life of Margarete von Waldeck, a German countess born to Philip IV in 1533. She was forced to run away to Brussels, where she fell in love with a prince, who would later become Phillip II of Spain... Once upon a time. Fairytales are written for adults, with the intention that they should be shown to children, to teach them about the unfortunate evils of the world.

Read more about Sand Art STORYTELLING!