SandFest_Solo

2007 Texas SandFest
Master's Solo Event
Pictures of Sandcastles, Sand sculptures, and Sand art.
Click on the thumbnail for a larger image or Click on the names underneath the
thumbnail for a full resolution image.

Demo Mountain
Guy Beauregard, Fred Mallett, Thomas Koet,
John Gowdy, Katie Corning, Jeff Strong, Carl Jara, Suzanne Altamare,
Matt Long, Vern Cooley, Barry Swires,
Biographical info comes from the Texas SandFest Gazette and the Texas SandFest Web site.

Guy Beauregard (Quebec, Canada) Sand Sculpting since 1998. He sculpts in Sand, snow, and ice. Guy has won many awards including the World Championships, British Columbia, Canada, Expo Cite Quebec City, Sand Castle Days, South Padre Island, Texas, Fort Myers's Beach, Fort Myers, Florida, Scheveningen International Sand Sculpting Festival, Holland, International Colored sand sculpture competition, Luliang, China. Guy came in first place this year at SandFest with "Warriors Of Love"

"Warriors of Love"	"Warriors of Love"	"Warriors of Love"	"Warriors of Love"
"Warriors of Love"	"Warriors of Love"	"Warriors of Love"	"Warriors of Love"

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Fred Mallett (Port Aransas, TX)Fred has been competing since April 2002. His first contest was in the Texas SandFest Amateur Division. He has worked on many contract jobs and taught many people to have more fun on the beach through carving sand, When not playing in the sand, he is just as likely to be found doing home remodeling, painting watercolors, mucking with motors, playing skipper on 'Sweat Equity,' or compiling code and teaching engineers to write programs. Check out Fred at http://www.spigeek.com . Fred won second place for his piece: "Public Face, Private Face."

"Public Face, Private Face."	"Public Face, Private Face."	"Public Face, Private Face."
"Public Face, Private Face."	"Public Face, Private Face."	"Public Face, Private Face."

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Thomas Koet (Netherlands & Melborne, Florida) Started sculpting sand nine years ago.Thomas has placed in many competitions in the US, Europe, Canada and China, including the First place team title in the North American Sand Sculpting championship, numerous sculptor's choice awards, and many other awards.If you saw "Sand Blasters " TV show on the Travel Channel Thomas team won First Place with "Bank Robbers". Thomas also plays a key role as a partner in Sandsational Sand Sculpting, a professional sand sculpting company based in Florida. http://www.sandsational.com . Thomas won Third Place with his piece: "Drain Pipe."

"Drain Pipe"	"Drain Pipe"	"Drain Pipe"
"Drain Pipe"		"Drain Pipe"

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John Gowdy (Italy & New Jersey). John was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey the birthplace of professional sand sculpture. He is a retired Captain from the Atlantic City Fire Department. He now lives in Italy and pursues his interest in art. He has won many national and international awards. He has competed at the professional level in sand sculpture competitions since 1987, winning many national and international competitions. He has won the American Sand Sculpting Championship and the International Championship in Quebec, Canada. He has won the International Competition in Jesolo, Italy twice and has placed second at the International Competition in Hardelot, France. John has been the North American Sand Sculpting Champion three years. He was also voted People's Choice World Champion twice in British Columbia, Canada. Find out more about John at: http://jgowdy.com . John won People's Choice award with "He Lives" (Pieta)

"He Lives" (Pieta)

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Katie Corning Fort. Myers Beach, Florida) A full-time professional sand sculptor, appearing in the Southwest Florida as Sand Magic Sculpting. She travels internationally, working for other sand sculpting companies, including Team Sandtastic, Sanding Ovations, Sand Pounders, and Sand In 'The City. She has competed in man sand events including: World Championships of Sand Sculpture, Harrison Hot Springs, BC North American Sandsculpting Championships, Virginia Beach, VA, American Sand sculpting Championships, Fort Myers Beach, Fl, Sandcastle Days, South Padre Island, TX, Texas SandFest, Port Aransas, TX, Myrtle Beach Open, Myrtle Beach, SC, Pier 60 Sand Fest, Clearwater, FL, Katie had a fun piece that was in Good Taste ';^) “Love is like a box of chocolates.”

“Love is like a box of chocolates.”

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Jeff Strong (Tecoma, Washington) Sand sculpting is a hobby for Jeff, who works as a computer programmer for the University of Puget Sound. He began sand sculpting six years ago after watching the masters at Olympia's "Sand in the City" event. The organizer of "Sand in the City", Bert Adams, invited him to help at an upcoming event. Jeff met and began training with master sculptor Michael Velling, and was soon involved in a variety of sand sculpting activities. In 2004, he placed first in the semi-pro division and won the people's choice award at the competition in Seaside, Oregon. In 2005, his solo sculpture of a dragon devouring a sand sculptor won two awards in the Canadian Open Sand Sculpting Competition at Parksville BC - Third Place, and People's Choice. In 2006 Jeff returned with the "Orbital Sanders" team, winning First Place, and Sculptor's Choice awards. Then, in September 2006, he won Second Place in Westport Washington with "Bathtime", showing a mother dragon holding her baby in the tub. This year Jeff's piece, "Fire, Water, Earth, & Air" had an amazing cut-thru that defied gravity.

"Fire, Water, Earth, & Air"

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Carl Jara (Lyndhurst, Ohio). For the past sixteen years Carl has been pushing the envelope in sand sculpture, always staying one step ahead of the competition and his own expectations of his art form. Carl got his start in 1991. His efforts have been rewarded more than three dozen times, and he stands as the most decorated solo competitor at the World Championships with nine medals. His two person team Grain Damaged has been featured on the Travel Channel's Sand Blasters and he and his teammate Suzanne Altamare will be competing together at the second Tournament of Champions, an elite sand sculpting competition at the site of the World Championships. In addition to sand, Carl draws on his creative talents to earn a living creating exhibits for the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and in his own wood shop at home. You can see more of Carl's work at: http://www.artcleveland.com . Carl created this beautiful woman blooming from a flower.

woman blooming from a flower	woman blooming from a flower	woman blooming from a flower
woman blooming from a flower		woman blooming from a flower

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Suzanne Altamare (Daytona Beach, Florida), a full time sand sculptor for 25 years specializing in soft sand sculpture, but also working in compacted sand sculpture. Suzanne appeared on the first Sand Blasters on the Travel Channel in 2006 with Sandy Feet (Team Women in Black) and is also in the new Sand Blasters for 2007 with Carl Jara (Team Grain Damaged). To see more of her sculptures visit: http://justplainsand.com . This year Suzanne created "In Our Hands"

"In Our Hands"

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Matt Long (New York, New York). Matt has a really cool web site where he sells his own line of sand sculpting tools. http://www.canyoudigit.com.I was really hip to what this cat was lay'n down this year. Don't know why....just liked the concept. "Jazz Fish"

"Jazz Fish"

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Ven Cooley (Seattle, Washington). Vern is an architect in Seattle and started carving sand in 1983. He is the captain of the Orbital Sanders Sand Sculpture Team based in Seattle, which has been active on the sand circuit since 1985 and has won over 60 awards in competition. Vern has participated in sand sculpture competitions and exhibitions in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Virginia, Minnesota, British Columbia, Mexico, and here in Texas. In 2006, The Orbital Sanders won the following Master Team awards: Ocean Shores, Washington, Northwest Open, First Place; Longbeach, Washington, Sand-sations, Third Place; Parksville, BC BC Open, First Place. This year Vern tried to put a square peg in a round hole with "It Won't Fit"

"It Won't Fit"

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Barry Swires (Kelson, Washington). Barry won People's Choice Moscow, Russia; invited to the World Championships in Canada many times, where he won Best Solo (hand packed). Barry won Second Place Solo, in Moscow and Anapa, Russia; has competed in every major event in North America, Canada, and Switzerland. Barry, along with a partner, competed in his first contest in 1984 at Long Beach, Washington, and won Best Sandcastle and Mayor's Choice Award. Barry also competes in chain saw woodcarving and snow sculpting. He has won awards in sand and/or snow sculpture competitions in Russia, Canada, Switzerland and the J.S. In 2001, Barry won Second Place in the International contest in St. Petersburg, Russia (with Mark Mason). 2 time winner and People's Choice at the International solo event, Seaside, Oregon. You can catch more of Barry at: http://www.wallsculpture.com . This year Barry presented: "Beach Fun"

"Beach Fun"

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