Sand Castles or Sand Sculpting
Don’t come to see sand castles at Revere Beach, Massachusetts. These sand artists traded plastic buckets and toy shovels for coal shovels and palette knives. Each artist gets 12 tons of sand and an 18’ x 18’ exhibit area in which to mount their own sculptures. This year, 15 artists from the United States, Canada, Russia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Italy competed.
14 Years and counting
This is the 14th year for this competition. More than a contest, this is a festival with live music, food trucks and carnival rides. A DJ keeps the action pumping as the beat goes on. All around the sculptors beach goers swim and splash. The artists have from Friday at 10 am until Saturday at 2 pm to create their masterpiece. That’s a great time to get action photos of these sand magicians. This year there are no teams, no duos. It’s all solo sculpting.
The Team Effort
The centerpiece sculpture is a team effort. All of the competitors worked together to create the main attraction, a twenty-foot-wide recreation of the U.S.S. Constitution. It even has cannons that fire. They are only water cannons but that just adds to the fun. Unsuspecting visitors get a good soaking when they linger in the “splash zone”.
Making a Statement
Just about all of the sculptors use the venue to make a statement. Some are more clear than others. Some make you think others may make you sad, or angry but like any good art, they all move you.
I think my favorite was this one titled “Who are you?”. A griffin makes the acquaintance of a little human boy. Whimsical and provocative. It made me smile and feel warm all over.
One known simply as “Save the Elephants” was very powerful. It disturbed me. I admired the workmanship and agree with the message, but I can’t say that I liked it. The image was sad and depressing. I guess it made it’s point.
And the winner is…Soul Evolution
The winning sculptor was from Russia. Like all of the sculptures it was thought provoking. I thought it was a beautiful piece of art. It reminded me of the great Greek sculptures. What a shame they don’t last long. Here today and gone tomorrow, water is a part of each sculpture at the start as well as part of the end. With a good rain it all dissolves away.
I love Sand Castles, I have only seen them on TV or in pictures. They had a show on TV a few years ago that showed the artist actually making sand Castles. It sure is a lot of work, but very creative. They are beautiful. Glad you shared this one.
This is the 2nd time I’ve been to see them. There also is a competition at Hampton Beach but I’ve never gone to that one. Since I usually only have time to spend 1 day I always go when they are done. I’d like to visit during the “work in progress” stage one of these years.