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" If you associate sand art with the kiddie craft done at birthday parties, then you&amp;#039;re about to be blown away. Iowa artist Andrew Clemens, who lived from 1857 to 1894, created the one-of-a-kind handmade pieces pictured below using multicolored sand from Iowa&amp;#039;s Pictured Rocks region. He would place the presorted grains of sand in small glass pharmacy bottles using tools crafted from pieces of hickory, florist&amp;#039;s wire, and fish hooks to create the intricate designs. The pressure from the tightly packed sand grains held the images together\u2014no glue or Mod Podge required!   The designs almost look as if they were digitally printed, but that&amp;#039;s because Clemens\u2014who was deaf\u2014was so meticulous about placing each grain that some of his bottles would take up to a year to complete. Subjects depicted in his work, which often included custom pieces, ranged from steamboats and flowers, to American flags and even portraits of George Washington.  While Clemens allegedly produced hundreds of bottles in his lifetime, few survive today. Because his sand art is so rare and unique, it has sold at prices ranging from $411 to $22,800 through Cowan&amp;#039;s Auctions. You can see more of Clemens&amp;#039; amazing designs on the Friends of Andrew Clemens Facebook page.   Photos: Cowan&amp;#039;s Auctions via Twisted Sifter  ----  PLUS:   Antique Needlework \u00BB   William H. Roy, Folk Artist \u00BB   Antique Artwork \u00BB "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.countryliving.com/life/a5542/crazy-sand-art/>