BEAUTIFUL BEACH SAND SCULPTURES

Sandcastles make the beach more beautiful, whatever their style. From simples mounds, to molded forms, to fine sculpted works of art. We gathered images from artists around the world that never lost their childish enthrallment with this wonderful ephemeral architecture --- their thrill continues, even as the ocean crashes into their creations and rips them back into the sea.

Photo: Jonas Smith. At Copenhagen International Sand Sculpture Festival, 2012.

The Copenhagen International Sand Sculpture Festival is an annual gathering of some of the most talented sand artists in the world.This festival is one of the largest and most prominent sand sculpture events in all of North Europe.

Photo: Guillaume Baviere. At Copenhagen International Sand Sculpture Festival, 2013.

This year’s Copenhagen festival is well under way, having started on May 15th running until August 25th. It features a dazzling array of giant intricate sand sculptures created by artists from 18 different countries. This year’s theme, Myths and Legends, includes a long maze through sandy illustrations of Icelandic legends and Greek myths.

Photo: Courtesy of Love These Pics. Drip Sandcastle, Puerto Rico.

This drip sandcastle simply defies gravity. Small figures are perched atop this seemingly floating bridge, creating a picturesque frame around Puerto Rico’s turquoise waters. This is a masterful work of art and engineering.

 

Photo: Courtesy of Matt Long. Financial District, Manhattan.

 

A temporary urban beach was recently created in the financial district of Manhattan. Artist Matt Long sculpted this 18 ft castle, with pointed towers, curved bridges, and winding steps. It’s glorious, beautifully juxtaposed against skyscrapers in the background.

Photo: Matt Long. Financial District, Manhattan.

This 3 week, 55 ton project marked the largest solo project that Long has ever attempted. He has competed in the World Championships of Sand Sculpting four times already, with his highest placing as a runner-up in 2010.

 

Sadly, the castle was taken down on August 12th (2013), but we can still ogle at the pictures.

Photo: Anthony Quintano. Ed Jarrett, Point Pleasant, NJ.

Ed Jarrett is another notable sand sculptor, is best known for setting the world record for tallest sand sculpture in 2003, at 29 feet, 4 inches. He broke his own record two more times, once in 2007, and then again in 2011, with heights of 31 feet, 6 inches, and 37 feet, 10 inches, respectively.

 

This spring, Jarrett partnered with his college pal, Alan Fumo, to try to break his record once again and set an ambitious goal of 50 feet. Jarrett elected to build this giant at Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, as a fundraiser for the Sandy Castle Foundation, aiming to help local residents and businesses devastated by Hurricane Sandy in late October, 2012.

 

Photo: Anthony Quintano. Ed Jarrett, Point Pleasant, NJ.

 

Jarrett’s project kicked off on March 25th (2013) and drew more than 4,500 volunteers who came to help build the sandcastle over a two month period. Jarrett completed the castle on May 24th, but fell short of his 50 foot goal. It used 1.6 million pounds of sand. After castle is dismantled, sand will be used to build another castle.

 

Jarrett is once again calling volunteers back to New Jersey for the building of Sandy Castle 2013, Second Edition, which will start after Labor Day. If you would like to be part of the project and help break a world record, check out Jarrett’s volunteer page to see how you can participate!

Photo: Calvin Seibert. Box Builder.

Sculptor Calvin Seibert creates amazing geometric sandcastles. He rarely starts with a plan, but rather just a vague notion. He improvises and develops his concept, organically, different each time, as he builds.  They are left unfinished, on purpose, as a way of sculpting the element of time.  

Photo: Courtesy of the World Championship of Sand Sculpting. Fergus Mulvaney, “Magnetic Feels.”

"Magnetic Feels" was built by Fergus Mulvaney, an artist from Ireland. In an interview with NBC News, when asked about the temporary nature of sand sculptures, Mulvaney replied, "No material lasts forever. Even the amazing Roman or Mesopotamian sculptures are slowly deteriorating. And like most things in the world right now, the most exclusive things are the ones you can’t have. So this makes it even more special and more exclusive. Nobody can have it."

 

There is a spiritual element to art that is created when both the artist and the viewer know full well that it will soon be destroyed. With sand sculptures, the artist works against time, as the tides wait for no one. It takes a special kind of passion to pour your soul and talents into something that will soon be claimed by the sea. Their art is beautiful to behold, even watching as they melt away into the lapping waters.

 

Check out all the BN posts this week as we feature different takes on Beautiful Beaches, across all genres, including, The Ultimate Beach Food: Kelp, Fascinating Beach Dunes Now, Secluded Beaches. Shhhh, and Make a Beach More BeautifulNow.

Be sure to enter our Beautiful Beach Competition (Deadline: 8/25/2013).