Sand Sculptures - Harrison Hot Springs BC

After the Washington kite festival we went north to the village of Harrison Hot Springs in British Columbia, host to the World Championship sand sculpture competition featuring some of the planet's best sand artists. The village is located on a beautiful alpine lake about 50 miles north of the US border and 100 miles east of Vancouver. This year's event was held on September 2 through 7. We arrived a week early and stayed for a while in nearby Sasquatch Provincial Park. It rained every day but by the time we moved down to an RV park in town for event week the weather had decided to be nice.

The lake-side competition includes events for solo, pairs and team carvers. Entry is by invitation only. Competitors are paid all expenses including travel, plus appearance money and the chance to share cash prizes that this year totaled 64,000 Canadian dollars. It was reported that the number of entries this year was the largest of any sand sculpture event in the world.

Construction of a sand sculpture starts with the setting of large forms that are filled with sand and densely compacted. Forms are stacked to achieve the desired height.
The forms are removed one by one to expose the blocks of sand. Carving begins at the top, with the lower forms used as work platforms. A variety of tools including masonry trowels, spatulas, makeup brushes and soda straws (for blowing away loose sand) are used.

When the blocks of sand have all been shaped additional carving and decoration is done around the base. The finished work is sprayed with a mixture of water and white glue that preserves it for several months.

Some sculptors think "outside the box" and extend their work below the surface. This one called "Deep Sleep" was my favorite and won the People's Choice award. The logic behind the concept eludes me but it is an amazing work.

The detail on this figure, just part of a large sculpture that included two other figures, is amazing. The wire protruding from the top of the head is to keep the birds off.

You can't have a sand sculpture event without sand castles. This is one of several.

The title of this piece is "Delivery".

Here is the First Place award winner in the solo division, won by a young artist from the US whoes name I will add later.

Joani and I throughly enjoyed our first sand sculpture event and hope to do more of them in the future.