Sand Sculpting

by Linda Farmer Harris 

I guess we all have a bucket list—those things we want to do before old age intervenes and our bucket has a hole in it.

My family has always lived in the desert or the mountains, and I've never walked on an ocean beach. Maybe that's why I want to take my bucket to a wide, isolated stretch of clean sand and play.

Historians surmise that sand art may have been part of our creative expression since the Egyptians used sand models to outline the design of pyramids before actual construction began. It wasn't until the 16th century that the art was documented.

I have no sculpting talent. Thankfully, it runs in my husband's family. Niece Tracy Diane Harris Sugg is an internationally renowned sculptor with commissioned pieces in the US and Europe.

One of my favorites of Tracy's many bronze and clay pieces is an American Revolution heroine Margaret Corbin. Her husband, John, dead at her feet, she bravely took up his part of firing the cannon until gravely wounded she was taken prisoner. She is buried at West Point US Military Academy. Tracy creates models in accurate historical clothing and accompanying artifacts.

Margaret Corbin, American Revolution heroine — Tracy H. Sugg, Sculptor

Yes, I'd love to take her to the beach with me and my bucket. She does commission work. Hmm, I wonder...

Having no talent myself, what other options do I have? Well, I can go to the festivals and enjoy the artwork of others - 88 Incredible Sand Sculptures, and it is art and it is work! Take your time to savor these master pieces.

I could buy a sandcastle tool kit and learn to do it myself.

Sandcastles Made Simple—Lucinda "sandy feet" Wierenga

Notice that Ms. Wierenga's book title implies a promise that sandcastles are simple to build. She recommends South Padre Island, Texas—The Sandcastle Capital of the World. We lived in central Texas for 41 years and never went to South Padre Island—6 hours and 8 minutes away. Shameful!  

Tools of the trade are essential in any craft and sandcastles have their requirements. A basic kit will have pastry knives, a corded blow tube, a pointed trowel, a floozy (duster), and custom hand tools.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

That seems to be a lot of work for a sand creation that will be swept away by the rising tide, crushed under the rolling waves; even when it's an historic reproduction or for a romantic reasons.

Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley University, CA, 2005—Kirk Rademaker

Courtesy of Sandcastlecentral.com

In 1897, Philip McCord is recorded as the sculptor of a woman and baby in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Documentation came from the folks who paid him for his creations.

In the 1980, Todd Vander Pluym started Sand Sculptors International, based in Redondo Beach, California, and is considered the organization that set the standards for this art form.

Sandcastles have been moved indoors and used as business logo presentations for a new business, mall openings, birthday and wedding venues, theme parties, etc.

Alice in Wonderland took 6 weeks to complete

I could get a kit and learn to use the tools, or I can learn to hand-stack a sculpture.

Hand-stacked sculpture in the 2003 Hot Springs, British Columbia World Championship

Or, I can choose to use the "drip" method, which depends on very wet sand dripped on top of other wet sand to create towers of sand globs.

courtesy of whatstherumpus.blogspot.com

I know I'll never be a professional sand sculptor like Karen Fralich, or have my own "Sand Masters" TV show like the Sand Guys, but wouldn't it be fun to see if I could do more than dig my toes in the wet sand and wait for the waves to fill in my footprints?

courtesy of earthporm.com

Flea Circus [Image Credit: Evelyn Tan]

Africa [Image Credit: Sandstorm]

Have you ever tried building sand castles? Don't forget the floozy!

Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of California Gold Rush Romance Collection.

Barbour Publishing, August 2016

Blessings,

Linda "Lin" Farmer Harris
Turning Tidbits of History into Unforgettable Stories

Lin and her husband, Jerry, live on a hay and cattle ranch in Chimney Rock, Archuleta County, Colorado. Monsoon season makes for good mud, but not sandcastles. 

Her novella, The Lye Water Bride is included in The California Gold Rush Romance Collection (Barbour Publishing, August 2016, print and eBook).