Tag Archives: sand sculptures

August 3, 2025

2025 Revere Beach International Sand Sculpture Festival (Revere, MA)

Date Of Event: July 27-29

Location: Revere Beach, Revere Beach Blvd, Revere, MA (20 minutes northeast of Boston, MA)

Cost: Free

Parking: parking is limited during the festival as the city shuts down the main roadway (Revere Beach Blvd). Visitors are encourage to take public or rideshare services. I arrived early so I was able to find a spot just before the road closures began.

Dog Friendly: Yes

Summary: 10 sand sculptors showed off their talent at the 21st International Sand Sculpture Festival

The sculptors are coming to the Revere Beach Sand Sculpture Festival. Well, they actually already arrived, But, what a fitting place to celebrate this year’s sand sculpture festival.

The first public beach in America hosted 10 sand sculptors from all over the world.

Since it is the 250th anniversary of the beginning of the American Revolution, there were sand sculptures representing the revolution. Fittingly, one of the sculptures, which was lighted up for my early morning visit.

There was also a sculpture of the minutemen from that era.

There were some familiar names at the event. Many of the sand sculptors who participated in the event in previous years competed again this year. And, some of the sculptors who participated in the 2025 Hampton Beach International Sand Sculpture Festival participated in this year’s sand sculpture festival in Revere.

One of those familiar names and faces in this year’s competition was Abe Waterman. Abe, a resident of Canada, earned a hat trick in hockey parlance, for his sculpture “Delicate Balance.” Abe won first place as well as the Sculptor’s Choice award which is voted on by the other contestants and the people’s choice award which is voted on by the visitors at the festival.

Slavian Borecki of Poland earned second place for “Deep Sleep.”

Hanneke Supply of Belgium won third place with “Eye See You.”

Although the rest of the sculptures did not place in the competition, they all deserve recognition for the beauty of their works and the hard work they put into them.

One of these contestants who deserves recognition is Jimmy Bejko of Boston, for his sculpture “I Want To Break Free.” Bejko moved to Boston from Albania recently. This was his second year in the competition.

Despite not winning an award, “Intrepid Innocence (Boop!)” by Damon Meri of Florida, USA, was a fan favorite.

It was hard to find resources or information regarding the inspiration for these sculptures. But, a photographer who spoke to the sculptor told me the sculpture was inspired by Damon’s young niece who is not afraid of anything and would most likely pet a dragon rather than run away if she saw one.

Bruce Phillips of San Diego, California, sculpted “Inner Prison” a sculpture with quite a bit of intricate detail.

Although, it’s not clear, this sculpture may be a nod to mental health and the prison it can create in people as this is similar to a work he created at the Hampton sand sculpture festival called “Imprisoned” which was about mental health and the barriers it can cause.

“Catch Your Dreams” by Jobi Bouchard of Canada also had a lot of intricate details. It also shows how the backs of the sculptures can be as detailed and pretty as the front.

This sculpture depicts something that has been in the news lately. “The Rise of AI” by Matt Deibert of New Jersey, USA, says a lot without being too direct. The face of the sculpture reminded me of C-3PO. For those of you born after 2000, C-3PO was a droid in a really old movie. Oh, never mind.

“Beneath The Flesh” by Joon Park of California, USA, showed off a lot of craftmanship and creativity.

“Ink” by Bouke Atemi pays homage to the squid or octopus who produce ink.

The festival, which ran from July 25-27, also included food stands, a Ferris wheel and other forms of entertainment.

Not all of the “favorites” win a prize. Yet, they all show a tremendous amount of skill and creativity. Do you have a favorite?

32 Comments | tags: beach, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, Revere, Revere Beach, Revere International Sand Sculpture Festival, sand sculpting, sand sculptures, sunrise, travel | posted in beach, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Revere Beach, sand sculpting, sand sculptures, sunrise, travel, Uncategorized

June 18, 2025

2025 Hampton Beach Sand Sculpting Classic (Hampton Beach, Hampton, NH)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: June 12-14

Location: Hampton Beach, 100 Ocean Blvd, Hampton, NH (1 hour northeast of Boston, MA, 1 hour southeast of Concord, NH)

Summary: 10 sand sculptors from all over the world competed in the 25th annual Hampton Beach Sand Sculpting Classic

Turtles, dream homes and mermaids were just a few of the meticulously crafted sand sculptures on display during the 2025 Hampton Beach Sand Sculpting Classic at Hampton Beach, New Hampshire.

But, before the artists begin working on their grand sculptures, they all work together to make the center stage sculptures based on the theme of the competition along with a few sculptures for the sponsors of the event. The theme of this year’s event was “Sand Safari.”

Regardless of the theme of the event, the sculptors are free to make sculptures of any theme they wish. And, each sculpture had an interesting story behind them. Some of the meanings and messages behind the sculptures are fairly straight forward, like the first sculpture posted below.

“Monkey Mind” by Andy Daily (Sarasota, Florida). When I first saw this sculpture I thought the face of the person was Fred Flintstone. Then, just some old guy. It’s actually someone much more well known. Apparently, I should watch the news more often.

“It Won’t Stay Forever” by Dmitry Klimenko (St. Petersburg, Russia) won third place in the competition.

“Resilience” by David Ducharme (British Columbia, Canada). Ducharme described its meaning as, “something that finds life in really a harsh environment” much like how seeds growing through pavement and how it mirrors how people can be strong during difficult times.

“Aligned” by Meliniege Beauregard (Captain Cook, Hawaii) won 1st place as well as the “People’s Choice Award” voted on by the visitors of the sand sculpting event and the “Governor’s Choice Award” voted on by Governor Kelly Ayotte.

Beauregard’s piece is about balance and being aligned your external and internal beauty and well being. She said it was about how when you’re centered and you can align your mental, emotional and physical elements so you can create beauty and be creative.

“Manitouk” by Carl Jara (Cleveland, Ohio)

Jara said “Manitouk” is an Ojibwe term loosely meaning “protector spirit.” According to Jara, this sculpture was a response to the big block of sand and how he saw something different in it than what he had initially planned.

“The Creation Of Mermaid” by Ilya Filimontsev (Moscow, Russia) won second place. Filimontsev said his sculpture was his playful take on the painting of the Creation of Adam by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel.

“Sing” by Karen Fralich (Ontario, Canada). Although this sculpture did not win an award or place in the competition, it was still a fan favorite. It was also one of the few sculptures that may have a better design on the back than the front. Fralich said “singing is important for everyone.” Even for non humans!

“To Touch The Stars” by Karlis Ile (Riga, Latvia) was a tribute to the artist’s son. This sculpture idea came from when he asked his son what he should make and his son answered a turtle.

“Dream Weaver” by Justin Gordon (Groveland, MA) is a reflection of the 25 years of the sculpting competition and all of the things he has learned during his 24 competitions. That’s right. He has competed in all but one of the sand sculpting classic competitions. Gordon said he combined things like open windows and scallops from his time in Kuwait as examples of things he has learned to sculpt over the years.

“VerTickle” by Abe Waterman (Prince Edward Island) won fourth place and, perhaps the most coveted award, the “Sculptor’s Choice Award.” Since the other sculptors know how difficult it is to make these sculptures, one could argue it is the most meaningful award. A play on “vertical”, the sculpture, in Gordon’s words, is “self explanatory.”

Like many people from New England, and, as I noticed from my interactions with people and the various license plates in the parking spaces, from all over the country, I look forward to this event every year. It is also the precursor to the official start of summer. And there may be no better way to kick off the season!

If you did miss the sculptures, don’t fret. They will be on display at Hampton Beach until Monday, June 23.

18 Comments | tags: art, Hampton, Hampton Beach, New England, new hampshire, photographs, Photography, sand sculptures, sculpture, travel | posted in Hampton Beach, Hampton, NH, New England, new hampshire, photographs, photography, photos, sand sculptures, Uncategorized

December 31, 2024

A Year Of Photography 2024 (New England)

By New England Nomad

Locations: All over New England

As the year winds down, I wanted to share some of my favorite photos from 2024!

Because of my schedule and commitments, I don’t always get to post photos from all of my travels around this beautiful region. I also noticed sometimes I will edit only a few photos from one photo shoot before going onto editing photos from a different photo shoot. So, I haven’t fully edited all of the photos from several of my photo shoots. I will make completing one task before moving onto another task a resolution so this won’t happen going forward!

Another thing I do sometimes is I post my photos from some photo shoots on my Facebook or my Instagram profiles instead of WordPress. So, I thought this would be a good opportunity to share them on here!

Each year, I make goals or plans for my photography. One of my plans for this year was to spend Halloween in Salem, MA. I was able to get a hotel room and stayed the whole day there! It was something I have always wanted to do! There were so many incredible Halloween costumes and decorations!

One of my other plans for the year was to photograph more wildlife. While you can’t always make something like that happen since a lot of it does come down to luck or being in the right place at the right time, l do think you can prepare for the opportunities. I was fortunate to photograph these beautiful critters.

Too bad this lady was looking at her phone when this happened.

I took these photos of a snake in March, when the temperatures were still cold in the morning but warmer in the afternoon.

How did I get so close to a big garter snake like this? Well, essentially, this snake was sluggish due to the cold weather. Garter snakes hibernate (technically they experience a process called brumation which I’ll explain later) through the winter, usually from late October through March or early April. But, if we have some warmer days they may come out sooner. This little guy or lady “froze” in a process called brumation (as opposed to hibernation). In colder temperatures, you may see snakes like this one here seemingly “frozen” as if they were perhaps dead or in a state of dormancy much like a person staring at their phone.

Hibernation of cold-blooded animals like snakes is called brumation. While mammals technically hibernate, snakes, reptiles and some other cold blooded animals experience a process called brumation. The difference between hibernation and brumation is that during brumation snakes can wake up to drink, go to the bathroom, and bask in the sun. But, just like hibernation, they still spend most of their winter in a dormant state.

Have no fear, as the Audubon specialist working there told me they often “unfreeze” when the temperatures increase (much like what bees do when the temperatures dip) when it gets warmer.

I did check on him or her before I left and the snake was still there undisturbed.

I also photographed some sunrises, a sunset and a full moon!

Cliff Walk, Newport, RI

Hampton Beach, Hampton, NH

Independence Park, Beverly, MA

Revere Beach, Revere, MA

Webb Memorial Park, Weymouth, MA

Webb Memorial Park, Weymouth, MA

And, of course, I made several trips to my favorite lighthouse at Winter Island, Salem, MA!

Stanley Park in Westfield, MA, celebrated their 75th anniversary. To commemorate this anniversary, the park officials invited all of the people who were married there to come back for a reunion! This couple looks like they’ve barely aged!

Another exhibit I was able to photograph was the Flora In Flight art display at the New England Botanical Garden. Designed by Poetic Kinetics, Flora In Flight is meant to inspire audiences and connect them with the environment through visually striking experiences.

Recently, I made it out to the Christmas By Candlelight in Sturbridge, MA!

I also photographed some of the sand sculptures on the Yarmouth Sand Sculpture Trail.

So, I had a busy 2024! But, there is much more I want to see and show everyone in the upcoming year! I also plan on editing the remainder of the photos from the photo shoots above!

Thank you all for stopping by my posts!

I hope everyone has a happy, safe and successful 2025!

24 Comments | tags: animals, beach, brumation, Nature, New England, Old Sturbridge Village, Photography, photos, Salem, sand sculptures, sunrise, travel, wildlife | posted in beach, New England, Old Sturbridge Village, photographs, photography, photos, Salem, sand sculptures, travel

July 28, 2024

2024 Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival (Revere, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: July 19-22, 2024

Location: Revere Beach, Revere, MA (15 mins of Boston, MA)

Cost: Free

Parking: Visitors are encouraged to take public transportation or park at the Wonderland T Station.

Dog Friendly: Yes (dogs are not allowed on beach but you can view the sculptures from the sidewalk)

Summary: 15 sand sculptors from around the world came to Revere Beach to compete to be the winner of the sand sculpture festival.

Website: 2024 Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival

During one weekend in July, fifteen sand sculptors from all over the world showed off what they can do with sand at Revere Beach Sand Sculpture Festival.

To celebrate the 20th annual festival, there were sculptures of, of course, cake.

This sculpture incorporated themes and elements of previous sand sculptures at the event, and, of course, some of the sponsors.

While there were sculptors from all over the world at the event, there were also some familiar faces there. If you go to the Hampton Beach Sand Sculpture Classic or read my posts about that festival, some of the names of the sculptors from this competition may sound familiar. In fact, 4 of the participants in the Revere Sand Sculpture Festival also participated in the Hampton Beach Sand Sculpture Classic.

The 3 day festival, which includes entertainment acts, food stations and carnival rides, took place from Fri, July 19 until Sunday, July 21. The awards were presented Saturday evening. Speaking of awards, I am going to list the sculptures with the award winning sand sculptures first.

1st Place & Sculptor’s Choice – “Blend In” by Jobi Bouchard (Canada)

2nd Place – “Untitled” by Slavian Borecki (Poland)

3rd Place – “Dinner” by Susanne Ruseler (The Netherlands)

4th Place – “Barn Swallow, Swallow Barn” by Bouke Atema

5th Place – “Fish Fantasy” by Karen Fralich

The remaining sand sculptures that did not win any awards but were still very impressive are listed below.

“Pray” by Matsu Yoshi (Japan)

“Reflower” by Abe Waterman (Canada)

“Embrace Your Shadows To See Wholeness” by Hanneke Supply (Belgium)

“Say More” by Morgan Rudluff (California)

“Phoenix Rising” by Bruce Philips (California)

“Cat Burglar” by Patrick Harsch (Florida)

“Dice Of Destiny” by Greg Grady (New Hampshire)

“The Special Selfie” by Ndricim (Jimmy) Bejko

“A Butterfly’s Playground” by Deb Barret-Cutulle (Saugus, MA)

“Space Child” by Jeroen Advocaat (The Netherlands)

While all of the sculptures were great, everyone usually has a favorite. For what it’s worth, “The Cat Burglar” won me over. Which sculpture is your favorite?

20 Comments | tags: Massachuetts, New England, photograhy, Revere Beach, sand sculptures | posted in Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Revere Beach, sand sculpting, sand sculptures

June 23, 2024

2024 Hampton Beach Sand Sculpting Classic (Hampton Beach, Hampton, NH)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event” June 20-22, 2024

Location: Hampton Beach, Hampton, NH (1 hour northeast of Boston, MA or 1 hour southeast of Concord, NH)

Cost: Free

Parking: There is metered parking and several parking lots in the Hampton Beach area. See below for specific details about parking at Hampton Beach

Parking At Hampton Beach

Universally Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Summary: Some of the most renown sand sculptures from around the world competed at Hampton Beach in the 24th annual Sand Sculpting Classic event.

“Sand Wars” have come to Hampton Beach! At least that is the theme of this year’s Sand Sculpting Classic.

The center sand sculpture at the Sand Sculpting Classic event has a different theme each year. And, as you may have guessed, the “sand Wars” theme is a play on “Star Wars.” All of the sand sculptors work together to make these impressive sand sculptures. Oddly, the Sand People were not included in these sand sculptures.

While “Sand Wars” was the theme for the center sculptures, the sculptors could make sculptures for any topic or subject.

Battling both a heat wave earlier in the contest to rain on the last day (it is New England after all), the sand sculptors had to work through some difficult conditions. But, as you will see below, the weather didn’t deter them from creating some spectacular works of art.

I am posting the sand sculptures in the order they are located at the beach (from left to right)

“Skin Deep” by Andy Dailey (Sarasota, FL)

The first sand sculpture “Skin Deep” by Andrew Dailey is a sculpture in the form of a mermaid. He said his piece was a statement on the many limitations on what some put on beauty.

“A Step Beyond” – Dmitry Klimenko (St. Petersburg, Russia) Second Place

Dmitry Klimenko’s sculpture won second place with his sculpture for “A Step Beyond.”

Inception – Melineige Beauregard (Captain Cook, HI) Third Place

Beauregard, who won first place in the competition last year, took third place with “Inception.” She said her sculpture was inspired by how life is “linked through DNA and all of nature.”

“Sofia’s Cradle” – David Ducharme (British Columbia, Canada) First Place

In his debut appearance at the Sand Sculpting Classic, Ducharme won first place. His inspiration for this sculpture came in a dream. Recently, Ducharme had a dream about Sofia, the Greek goddess of wisdom. The nest or “cradle” under the goddess is meant to be the nest where wisdom is nurtured.

“Orphan” – Carl D Jara (Lyndhurst, OH) Sculptor’s Choice Award Winner

Carl, who has participated in all 24 sand sculpting events, said this sculpture which depicts a woman surrounded by two extinguished candles was influenced by the loss of both of his parents. His sculpture won the Sculptor’s Choice Award which is voted on by the competing sculptors. Since it is voted by their peers, it is a highly coveted award.

“Imprisoned” – Bruce Phillips (San Diego, CA)

Bruce said his sculpture is about people trapped in mental health issues. The panels surrounding the skull represent the barriers of mental illness.

“Artio” – Karen Fralich (Ontario, Canada) People’s Choice Award Winner & The Governor’s Award Winner

Karen said her sculpture was a tribute to the Celtic bear goddess. She also said it represents the strength of a mother bear who protects the Earth. Karen won the People’s Choice Award which is voted on by the people who visit the event as well as the Governor’s Award which was voted on by New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu.

“Neptune Rising” – Justin Gordon (Groveland, MA)

“Open Your Mind & Awaken Your Inner Child” – Karlis Ile (Riga, Latvia)

Ile, another newcomer to the event, said this sculpture was inspired by his 20 month old son. Ile jokingly said his son is a “nice troublemaker.” He said he wanted to portray the child as being both playful and happy while the man is very serious, much like himself. He said it is kind of like a self portrait.

“We All Fall Down” – Abe Waterman (Prince Edward Island)

There was also a sand sculpture dedicated to the Boston Celtics because of their recent NBA Finals Championship. It is their 18th championship in the team’s history.

As you may have noticed, the inspirations and explanations of the sculptures are just as interesting and moving as the sculptures. Finding about the background of these sculptures adds so much to the artistic value of them.

I wasn’t sure when to go to the beach because of the various, changing weather forecasts predicting scattered showers. Lucky for me, I happened to wake up early enough to get there before the rain started. But, the threat of rain kept a lot of people from going to the beach which allowed me to get photos without many people in the background. As I was finishing the photo shoot it just began to rain. And, if you zoom in and look closely, you may see the rain and even some rain drops on the sculptures.

These sculptures will be up until Wednesday, June 26. They will also be lit up for night time viewing.

32 Comments | tags: Hampton Beach, New England, new hampshire, sand sculptures | posted in Hampton Beach, new hampshire, photographs, photography, photos, sand sculpting, sand sculptures

January 2, 2024

2023 Rewind Part 3 – Holidays, Events And People

By New England Nomad

Date Of Post: January 2, 2023

Location: All over New England

Summary: I have photographed a lot of events and people last year. Below are some of my favorites!

Welcome to part 3 and the final installment of my 2023 rewind. In this post I will be showing my photos of events and people from a variety of places around New England.

2023 was a busy year for events and celebrations! One of my favorite annual events I like to photograph is the Salem’s So Sweet festival in Salem, MA in February. Two dozen ice sculptures were displayed throughout Salem. The sculptures are lit up each night which makes them even more fun to photograph! Below are just a few of my favorite sculptures.

Some of the sculptures had lights that changed colors.

Only one of these images is an actual sculpture. Grizzly was nice enough to pose for this photo.

Another event I was fortunate enough to photograph was the Celtic Celebration in March at Old Sturbridge Village. The Celtic Celebration was a celebration of how Sturbridge celebrated the holiday in the past. Lee (MA) Irish Dance performed Irish dances

And Celtic Harpist Cate Mahoney performed Celtic songs.

There were also quite a few sand sculpture attractions and competitions during the summer.

The annual Yarmouth Sand Sculpture Trail in Yarmouth, MA, featured 32 sand sculptures located throughout Yarmouth and Dennis. These are just a few of my favorites. All sculptures were made by Fitzy Snowman

The, of course there was the annual Hampton Beach Sand Sculpting Classic in June.

Melineige Beauregard won first place at the competition for her sculpture “Love Is A Universal Temple.”

Sadly, most of the sand sculptures at the Revere Beach sand sculpting competition were damaged or entirely destroyed by all of the heavy rain during the event. However, one sculpture did withstand the inclement weather conditions. Appropriately, it was the sculpture of King Kong.

I also came across a few sand sculptures in Rhode Island during the summer. They were sculpted in preparation for the Atlantis Rising sand sculpting event in October. Unfortunately, I could not make it to that one!

I made it out to Rhode Island again for the Green Animals Topiary Garden in July. The topiary featured a variety of animals sculpted out of the greenery.

In addition to the various sculptures of animals, the topiary also had a special exhibit by Sean Kenney. The Sean Kenney Nature Connects exhibit included several sculptures entirely made out of Legos!

I also made out to Newport, Rhode Island, to photograph the Umbrella Sky display.

And the Newport Kite Festival at Brenton Point, Newport, RI.

I also made it out to Salem MA, for my annual Halloween photos.

And I was able to photograph the Salem Zombie Walk.

But, one of the most fun and interesting photo shoots I did last year was the Beep Baseball event in September. Beep baseball is baseball played by visually impaired players.

After the game, I made it out to the Salem Lawn Vintage Party. Various dancers with various dancing skills cut a rug (lawn?) with music provided by Annie and the Fur Trappers.

Last but not least, I took in a trip to, of course, Salem, MA, to check out their Christmas decorations.

And, there were a few special visitors during my visit! And, I though, you weren’t supposed to be able to catch the Gingerbread Man!

The Gingerbread man was in Salem as part of an ad campaign by The Good Witch. Only in Salem.

And what would Christmas be without a trip to Yankee Candle Shop in Deerfield, MA!

So, as you can see, 2023 was a pretty busy year for me! And I look for to doing a lot more in 2024!

19 Comments | tags: Massachusetts, New England, new hampshire, photograhy, Rhode Island, Salem, sand sculpting, sand sculptures, travel | posted in New England, photographs, photography, photos, travel, Uncategorized

June 19, 2023

2023 Hampton Beach Sand Sculpting Classic (Hampton Beach, Hampton, NH)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: June 18, 2023

Location: Hampton Beach, Hampton, NH, 160 Ocean Blvd, Hampton, NH

Cost: Free

Parking: Metered parking and several parking lots are available in the area. See below for parking restrictions, availability and costs

https://hamptonbeach.org/vacation/parking/

Universally Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Summary: Ten sand sculptors put their talent to the test in the 23rd annual Hampton Beach Sand Sculpting Classic. The sculptures will be available to be viewed until Sunday, June 25 and they are lit up at night

It’s amazing what you can do with sand, especially if you are one of the gifted artists at the Hampton Sand Sculpting Classic.

The sand sculpting event, which took place June 15-17, attracts world renown sculptors from all over the United States and abroad. But, if you pay attention to the event or visit the competition, you may notice some familiar names as many of the artists compete in the event each year. In fact, one of the persons instrumental in the creation of the event, Greg Grady, has competed each year since its inception in 2000.

Some fun facts about the sculptures: 200 tons of sand is imported for the sand sculptors to use for their own sculptures and for the main design. Those sticks on tops of the sculptors you may see in some of the photos are not for artistic value – they are used to prevent birds from landing on the sculptures. And each sculptor is given 10 tons of sand to make their work of art.

Each year, the sand sculpting classic has a different theme. All of the sculptors work together to make the sculptures in the centerpiece design. Some of the themes in previous competitions were “The Greatest Show In Sand” (in 2022) and Sand, Sun and Fun in 2021″ (in 2021 of course). This year’s theme is “The Sand Before Time” with a nod to the Old Man of the Mountain (I had a hard time finding it too).

Although it’s good to see teamwork, this is a competition after all. Each sculptor had 3 (or more like 2 and a half) days to make their sand sculptures. From Thu morning until Saturday afternoon the sculptors toiled away, despite some inclement weather. But, despite the wind and rain they carried on.

The sculptures are listed below in the order they are located. Whenever possible, the meaning or other information about the sculptures are included in the description. The information and quotes were found on the Hampton Beach Facebook page and various new stories.

“Audio Immersion” – Rusty Croft (Carmel, California)

Rusty’s inspiration for this sculpture came from unexpected source; Audible. He said he enjoys listening to audio books. He went on to say how the immersion of a story or music can take you out and how you can be encapsulated by these different mediums, especially when you listen with noise cancelling headphones. This experience of listening to words or music can be immersive to your ears eyes and mind. Rusty also mentioned how the piece shows, “how your mind doesn’t need your eyes to see a vision sometimes, it’s just the audio. The sound comes through without them.” He also made a joke about how he ironically lost his own earbuds in the sand while making this work of art.

“The Devil In The Details” – Chris Guinto (Captain Cook, Hawaii) – Governor’s Choice Award

Chris Guinto secured a spot in next year’s competition by winning the Governor’s Choice award, perhaps not so ironically, with his sculpture “The Devil In The Details.”

“Love Is A Universal Temple” – Melineige Beauregard (Captain Cook, Hawaii) 1st Place Winner & People’s Choice Winner

Melineige, who won first place last year, snagged first place this year as well for her sculpture “Love Is A Universal Temple.” It is also the third time in four years she has won first place in this competition.

Melineige said the sculpture, which shows a mother and child embracing in the shape of a cathedral, was about ” “the feeling of being in love, whether it’s human or animal,” Beauregard said. “It’s very sacred. It is its own temple by itself.”

For her efforts, Melineige was awarded $6,000 for first place and another $1,000 for the People’s Choice Award.

“Obsolete” – Carl Jara (Lyndhurst, Ohio) Third Place

Carl, another familiar face at the competition, won third place for his effort “Obsolete.”

Carl said his sculpture was based on being old and obsolete and was “something of a vulnerable piece” for him. Carl went on to say he has been sculpting for 32 years and sculpting at this event for 23 years (every year it has been held) and he’s seen the progression and change over the years.

“For an old guy like me, you know with years of experience…I don’t have time to innovate again. I feel sometimes a little obsolete,” Carl said explaining his sculpture. He also stated this “old God” feels these same feelings of being obsolete as there are no “new god’s” and, out of sheer frustration, he has thrown his six pack into the TV monitor while he sits on his lounge chair with his fast food or chips by his side.

“Futurism: Man’s Best Friend 2.oh-no” – Greg Grady (New Hampshire)

At this risk of dating myself, all I could think of when I saw this sculpture was Muffet (the dog from the TV show Buck Rogers). If you get that reference, it may be time to join AARP.

“Ascent” – Bruce Phillips (California) Fourth place (tie)

Bruce Phillips said this sculpture is about how Artificial intelligence is basically replacing free thought.

His sculpture tied for 4th place with the next sculpture.

“Raptor Ryder” – Karen Fralich (Ontario, Canada)

Karen tied for 4th place with her “Raptor Ryder”. Karen said the inspiration for this sculpture was based on two of her favorite things and was tied into the “Sand Before Time” theme. “Heavy metal and dinosaurs, two of my favorite things” she explained.

“Guardian Of Her Dreams” – Matthew Deibert (New Jersey)

Matthew Deibert, a retired Atlantic City firefighter captain who has been competing in sand sculpting competitions since 1999, made his debut at this competition this year. His piece “Guardian of Her Dreams” depicts a young girl sleeping in bed with her teddy bear, sword in hand, protecting her from nightmares.

“The Struggles We Face”- Josh Gordon (Massachusetts)

Another familiar face at the competition, Josh Gordon, created the sculpture “The Struggles We Face.”

“Dave Is Here” – Abe Waterman (Prince Edward Island) Second place & Sculptor’s Choice Award

Abe’s sculpture was a tribute to another sculptor, Dave Andrews.

Abe said he made this sculpture in honor of fellow sand sculptor David Andrews who had previously competed in the Hampton Beach Sand Sculpting competition. Sadly, David passed away last year. Abe said the sculpture is for David, “but it’s also for all of us.” He went on to say “David was an incredible guy and sculptor.”

This sculpture of Andrews also won the Sculptors Choice Award, voted on by those competing in the contest.

The sand sculptures are expected to remain up until Sunday, June 25. Then, they will be taken down. They will also be lit up at night for evening viewing.

10 Comments | tags: Hampton Beach, New England, photograhy, photos, sand sculpting, sand sculptures, travel | posted in Hampton Beach, Hampton, NH, New England, new hampshire, photographs, photography, photos, sand sculpting, sand sculptures, travel

October 7, 2022

22nd Annual Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic (Hampton, NH)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: June 19, 2022

Location: Hampton Beach, 169 Ocean Blvd, Hampton, NH

Cost: Free

Parking: Metered parking is available at Hampton Beach. Since this is a popular event, parking is also available at various lots usually for $20 for the day during this event, although prices fluctuate based on the time of day and parking availability

For more parking information see below

https://www.hahttps://www.hamptonbeach.com/directions-parkingmptonbeach.com/directions-parking

Universally Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Websites:

https://hamptonbeach.org/events/sand-sculpture-event/

https://hamptonbeach.org/events/sand-sculpture-event/contestants/s:

Summary: Sand sculptors from all over the globe competed for the Hampton Beach Sand Sculpting grand prize

It may seem strange to talk to about sand sculptures and the beach during October. But, what better way to feel warm and cozy during these colder days than looking back to this annual summer event.

The theme for this year’s sand sculpture event, which began in 2000, was “The Greatest Show On Earth.” All of the competitors contributed to sculpting the main sculptures for this theme.

I made two visits to the beach to view the sand sculptures which may explain the difference in light and shade in the photos.

I am posting the photos in the order they were located on the beach and including info about each sculpture whenever background details were available..

“Transition” – Rusty Croft (Carmel, CA)

4th Place

As is evident by the gravestone like sculpture, this sculpture is a tribute to a loved one who has “transitioned.” This sculpture placed 4th in the competition. As I was photographing these works of art I found it

“Primal” – Chris Guinto (Captain Cook, HI)

Chris, originally from Florida but currently residing in Hawaii, is no stranger to the competition or to winning awards. He won the Sculptor’s Choice Award in 2021.

He described his dinosaur skeleton (or as he called it “spineasaurus”) coming to life. As you will see as a common feature of these sculptures, the attention to detail is incredible.

“I Am Life” – Melineige Beauregard (Hawaii)

1st Prize and People’s Choice

Melineige, who won the competition in 2017, repeated her standard of excellence with “I Am Life” bringing home first place.

She said the sculpture was based on the “flower of life” design that is present in all of nature and life. According to Melineige, this pattern connects us all through flowers and nature. The front side represents the “flower of life” while the back side represents the death and destruction that is also present in our lives.

“Knowledge Is Limited. Imagination Encircles The World” – John Gowdy (Italy/New Jersey)

This sculpture, based on a quote by Albert Einstein, uses symbols like books, an owl and pen and paper to show the different ways to express knowledge. Again, the attention to detail is amazing.

“Wyvern Whisperer” – Greg Grady (Derry, NH)

Governor’s Choice Award

Grady, another regular competitor and founder of the sand sculpture event, said the inspiration for the sand sculpture the Wyvern (pronounced (why-vurn) Whisperer was his son. His son asked him to make a dragon and they settled on a two legged dragon (wyverns are 2 legged dinosaurs) and he modeled the smaller figure on his son who likes to play “super hero.”

“Linked” – Bruce Phillips (San Diego, CA)

Bruce, from San Diego, CA, said his sculpture represents people and working together.

“Trolls” – Karen Fralich (Ontario, Canada)

2md Place

The meaning of this sculpture seems straight forward. Troll-like figures hug, offer treasures and act friendly to the crowned figure while they attempt to stab and mock him to his back

“Entropy” – Carl Jara (Lyndhurst, OH)

3rd Place

“Entropy”, in short a randomness or disorder in the system, certainly does show a disorder and randomness. Jara’s sculpture placed 3rd in the event.

“Let There Be Peace On Earth And Let It Begin With Me” – Justin Gordon (Groveland, MA)

“Hierarchy Of Needs” – Abe Waterman (Prince Edward Island, Canada)

Unfortunately, Abe’s sand sculpture collapsed due to weather conditions. So, a photograph of the sculpture was put in its place.

The sand sculptures are usually kept up for a week (in this case until June 26). The sculptures are also lit up for night viewing.

10 Comments | tags: Hampton Beach, New England, new hampshire, photograhy, photos, sand sculptures | posted in Hampton Beach, New England, new hampshire, photography, photos, sand sculpting, sand sculptures, Uncategorized

June 26, 2021

21st Annual Hampton Beach Sand Sculpting Classic (Hampton Beach, Hampton, NH)

By New England Nomad

Dates Of Event: June 17 -19, 2021

Location: Hampton Beach, 115 Ocean Blvd, Hampton, NH

Hours: The beach is accessible daily from dawn until dusk

Cost: Free

Parking: Hampton Beach offers a variety of parking options. If you’re lucky enough to get a parking spot in the main parking area it is $2 an hour during the summer. There are also additional lots that range from 5 to 20 dollars for the day depending on when you arrive. See link for additional parking info: Parking Info

Universally Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes but dogs are not allowed on the beach during the summer

Website: https://hamptonbeach.org/event-listing/21st-annual-hampton-beach-sand-sculpting-classic/

Highlights: sand sculptures

Summary: Ten artists converged upon Hampton Beach to sculpt pieces of work.

Nothing says summer like long days of sunlight, road trips and, of course, sand sculptures. And as proof of this, Hampton Beach has ushered in the season with their 21st annual sand sculpting classic.

Ten sculptors from all the world put their talents to work at the sculpting competition. But, before the contest began the competitors collaborated to build the 100 ton main sponsor site sculpture. The sculpture pays tribute to the New Hampshire Marine Memorial statue which is located at the beach, the lifeguards who help to keep the beach safe and the sea life of the area.

The competition began on Jun 17 and ended on the 19th. Two hundred tons of sand are used for the sculptures and each competitor was given a plot size of 18×18 to complete their work on.

Although I haven’t been able to attend the actual sand sculpting competition the past few years, I do make sure to visit the day after the competition to photograph the sculptures in their pristine state. Even though I arrived at sunrise, there was already a healthy crowd at the beach and it was hard to get some photos with people in the background. But by using some creative angles and with some patience I was able to get most of the photos without any beachgoers in them.

After hours of grueling work, the winners were announced June 19th.

The winning sculpture “Empty” was sculpted by Abe Waterman of Prince Edward Island, Canada. Abe said he came up with the idea for this sculpture about a year and a half ago after his separation from his wife.

Second place was awarded to Melineige Beauregard of Montreal, Canada for “Rebirth Of Phoenix.” Melineige won the first place award last year.

Karen Fralich of Toronto Canada snagged third place with he sculpture, “Poker Face.”

And fourth place was awarded to Thomas Koet of Satellite Beach, Florida, for his sculpture, “Multiple Piercings.” Thomas also won the “People’s Choice Award” for his 2020 sculpture.

Chris Guinto of Key West, Florida, won the “Sculptor’s Choice Award” for his “Continuum” sculpture.

I don’t envy the judges who had to decide on the winning sculptures. They were all so well done.

The remaining sculptures are, in no particular order,

“Behind Every Successful Man There is a Strong Woman” by John Gowdy of Atlantic City, New Jersey.

“Pulled” by Carl D. Jara from Lyndhurst, Ohio

“Once Bitten” by Greg Grady of Derry, New Hampshire.

“Laugh” by Dan Belcher of Saint Louis, Missouri.

“Miss You, My Friend” by Justin Gordon of Groveland, Massachusetts. For some reason this one touched a chord with me.

Wally and the Plymouth Rock assurance mascot were also part of the sand sculpture celebration.

There was also a sand sculpture dedicated to retired police officer Jack Donaldson who passed away earlier this year from cancer. Jack worked both as a teacher and as a part time officer for 50 years.

The sand sculptures are lit up at night and they are removed after a week or two. So they may no longer be there. At least not until next year!

15 Comments | tags: beach, Hampton, Hampton Beach, New England, new hampshire, photographs, Photography, sand sculptures, summer | posted in Hampton Beach, Hampton, NH, New England, photographs, photography, sand sculptures, Uncategorized

June 27, 2020

Yarmouth Sand Sculpture Trail 2020

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: June 26, 2020

Location: Yarmouth, MA

Cost: Free

Parking: Free parking is available at or near each of the locations of the sand sculptures

Universally Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Summary: 17 sand sculptures are located throughout the Yarmouth, MA, area. The sculptures are located conveniently at places of business and other popular landmarks like Yarmouth Town Hall and the visitor center in Yarmouth.While it is possible to walk to some of the sand sculptures, the only way to see all of the sand sculptures in a timely fashion is to travel by vehicle. The sculptures will be around until Columbus weekend (Oct, 12)

Website: Yarmouth Sand Sculpture Trail 2020

Map: Yarmouth Sand Sculpture Trail 2020 Map

Sculptor: Tracy Fitzpatrick at Fitzysnowman Studios.

Yarmouth, MA, has some unusual tourists this summer.

The sculptor Tracy Fitzpatrick at Fitzysnowman Studios has created 17 sand sculptures located throughout Yarmouth once again for everyone to find and enjoy. The 20 year tradition is a socially distancing friendly activity that is fun for the entire family.

Don’t worry if we get some rain or stormy weather. Barring any vandalism, the sand sculptures will still be there throughout the summer. But, vandalism can be an issue. In fact, last year, when we went to visit them, three of the sculptures had been damaged. So, I didn’t even bother posting the photos. However, all of the sand sculptures were intact during my visit this weekend.

The reason why these sculptures don’t break down so easily is because they are built with finely ground quarried sand, which has sharp edges and stacks like sugar cubes. This sand tends to keep its integrity unlike beach sand because beach sand doesn’t stick together as well because it is often rounded by wave-action and includes bits of oddly shaped seashells. The sand sculptures that were built last year were built so sturdy they withstood 110 mile per hour winds during two tornados in the area.

Each sand sculpture is created one at a time, typically in a single day. Work usually begins in late May and continues throughout the month of June. The sculptures were expected to be completed by June 26, the very same day I went to view them. They are planned on being up until Columbus weekend (October 12).

The numbers of the locations of the sand sculptures are listed alphabetically on the map. However, it would not make sense to look for them in the order they are listed on the map. I am listing the locations based on the way I found them during my trip. Of course, you can travel to each sculpture in any order you choose. But, I decided to go to the Taylor Bray Farm in Yarmouth Port first because it is the location that is the farthest away from the other sand sculptures. Then, I tried to do a loop to visit the rest of the sand sculptures until I checked them all of my list.

I have included the addresses and landmarks where each sand sculpture can be found. However, I could not find the exact addresses of some of them. So, it’s tricky getting to some of them. But, finding them is part of the fun!

I am listing the locations in the order I found them, mostly. I am also including the number that corresponds to the sculpture number on the map in parenthesis. But, I must admit some of the sculptures don’t seem to follow in order on the map and I actually stumbled across some of them by mistake (although that may have more to do with a lack of map reading skills on my part). Unfortunately, due to how the sculptures are scattered throughout the area, you may have to backtrack to see them all in an orderly and efficient way. Lastly, don’t forget to enter the Yarmouth sand sculpture photo contest!

(14) Taylor Bray Farm

108 Bray Farm Rd N, Yarmouth, MA