Greg Grady
Hampton Beach, New Hampshire
www.GregGrady.com
Local Master Sculpter, Organizer/Sand Consultant
This year, I am excited to kick off Hampton Beach Village District's 100th Anniversary with our 7th Annual Masters Competition. Once again the group of sculptors, come to be known here in New Hampshire as "Arti-sands",will be sure to dazzle you with their unique talents, turning piles of sand into amazing works of art. I would like to thank everyone involved for their time and support in making this one of Hampton's landmark events. Hope that you all enjoy this year's gallery and remember to vote for your favorite on Saturday. Visit
GregGrady.com to contact me for your own lesson or creation.
Meredith Corson
Treasure Island, Florida
www.sandingovations.com
Meredith Corson and her life and business partner, Dan Doubleday won the Travel Channels' 'Sand Blasters 2007', with their zipper head man titled 'Closed Minded'. They were 1st place duo winners in Port Aransas, Texas, 2007. 1999, Meredith was the first woman to win a medal at the World Championships. She now holds 7 of them. From Mass., this contest is sentimental to her. She still has family in the area, so she sees them at least once a year at Hampton Beach. Meredith and Dan own Sanding Ovations' Treasure Island, Florida. They travel the world creating sand sculptures commercially and competitively that are emotional and thought provoking.
Justin Gordon
Groveland, Massachusetts
www.ElwinDesigns.com
Justin has been sculpting for over 32 years and sculpting sand for 28 years. Justin is a professional sculptor and works in many mediums. He carves wood, wax for jewelry, clay, ice, sand, snow for ski areas, foam for Story Land, and stone. He now concentrates his work on commissioned fine carved figures, architectural carving and custom clock cases with his sculpting
company Elwin Designs, Groveland, Mass. Many have seen his 55 ton sand sculptures at the Topsfield Fair. Justin was also featured in the first Travel Channel show, 'Sandblasters', on
Team Sand Daddy. Justin also teaches carving classes in Groveland and Randolph, MA.
Carl D. Jara
Lyndhurst, Ohio
www.artcleveland.com
For sixteen years, Carl has pushed the envelope in sand sculpture, staying one step ahead of the competition and his own expectations of his art form. Beginning in 1991 with his mentor and friend Tom Morrison, Carl developed a unique style and grace in a field overflowing with talent. His efforts have been rewarded over three dozen times, and is the most decorated solo competitor at the World Championships with nine medals. His two-person team, Grain Damaged, has twice won Best Recovery on the Travel Channel's Sand Blasters. He and teammate Suzanne Altamare are competing together at the 2nd Tournament of Champions, an elite sand sculpting competition at the World Championships. Carl also creates exhibits for the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and in his wood shop at home.
Dan Doubleday
Treasure Island, Florida
www.sandingovations.com
Dan competes all over the world, but Hampton Beach is one of his favorites. "Not only is the sand awesome," says Doubleday, "but the people here and Greg Grady make it a special event". He has won 1st place in Hampton Beach 3 times and would like to make it 4. He has won numerous National and International Master¹s Contests including several medals from the World Champion-ship. 2001-2004, Dan was chosen to represent U.S. solo tour for the World Sand Sculpting Assoc. (W.S.S.A.), a global tour to China, Denmark, France, and Holland; placing in each of these events; and is still the only American to have won a WSSA event. Dan strives for perfection in human anatomy with powerful, emotional creations. He and Meredith were featured on Travel Channel's 'Sand Blasters 2007', winning 1st place with 'Closed Minded' and reside in Florida where they share their business, love and life.
'Sargent' Art Knapp
Massapequa, New York
Military life for Art ended in 1971. "No one has called me 'Sarge' since, but when I come to Hampton Beach, I hear it all the time and love it. 25 years ago, when my son was 5, I bought him all the beach sand toys. Well, he never picked them up and I never put them down. Now, I am competing against some of the finest carvers in the world. It is one of the most important things in my life. Even heart surgery in 2003 didn¹t keep me from competing here in June 2004. Come see me at the beach, I'm always looking for fresh material, can't miss me in my Viet Nam Veterans hat. If I am not having fun, I'm in the wrong place."
Karen Fralich
Burlington, Ontario, Canada
www.sandqube.com
Karen is a professional sand sculptor, beginning her career in a pottery studio in Guelph, Ontario, 1983, she found sand sculpting in 1994. In 1998 entered an international contest, and by 2001 became a free-lance sculptor in sand, snow, clay, stone, super sculpey, foam, wood and fiberglass, collaborating with sand sculpture companies in N. America, Europe, Japan and Australia. She has participated in 56 sand sculpting competitions all over the world and won many titles. The high point was at Harrison Hot Springs, B.C, Canada in September 2004. At this event, Karen was the Solo World Champion of Sand Sculpture and also won the Sculptor's Choice award. She is the only woman to achieve these honours in the contest's 17 year history.
Marc Lepire
Quebec City, Canada
www.sculpturesMichelLepire.com
"My name is 'The Worst' from Quebec Canada. I love Hampton Beach. I have come here for the sand contest every year since the beginning with all family. All my life, I have carved ice, sand, and wood. I work with my father, Michel Lepire. I come to Hampton Beach because the organization is great and my family has a lot of fun."
Fred Mallet
Port Aransas, Texas
www.spigeek.com/sand
Fred first competed at sand sculpture in 2002. He tends to compete at everything he does, and plays very hard at learning the world of sand sculpture. He also enjoys teaching people to have more fun on the beach through carving sand. He has competed in 6 countries in duo events and as a solo master in 22 competitions placing in 13. 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 to support all of the above.
Michel Lepire
Charlesbourg, Quebec, Canada
www.sculpturesMichelLepire.com
Worked in Quebec hotels for 25 years as waiter, maitre, then Director of Food Service. Sculpting was his hobby. 1980's, he joined the national snow sculpting team in Quebec, winning Gold and Silver in Italy, Japan & Finland. 1994, he founded his company carving ice, fat, fruit, vegetables, and sand, competing in America. He won 2001 Silver Medal World Championship and has been in charge of Quebec's International Sand Sculpting event International sculptures de sable Expo Québec since 1997. His son Marc joined his company in 1999. His company is the official sculptor for the ice Hotel since 2000. In 2003, he won the World Championship in sand sculpture.
Marianne von den Broek
Key West, Florida
What to say about Marianne. Don't be fooled by her shy and silent appearance. It's all part of her cover. Studying martial arts in Japan for several years, the movie Kill Bill was partially inspired on her journey through life. Since two years she has entered calmer waters by living in Key West. Running a charter company takes up most of her time nowadays. Not a whole lot of sand to play with down there, so it's time to get the tools cleaned, rust free and sharpened to be ready for Hampton Beach this year. Bring it on!
(Sandy Feet) Lucinda Wieranga
South Padre Island, Texas
www.sandyfeet.com
Lucinda has won a modest amount of fame with her sandsculpting skills, competing at major events around the world for over 20 years. She has been in both episodes of "Sand Blasters: Extreme Sand Sculpting Championship"; LIVE with Regis & Kelly for four days (eight if you include repeats); and in a full-page People Magazine spread. She has taught thousands of people to build a better sand castle and has written three books on the subject, the latest is "Sandcastles Made Simple", published in both English and German. She just opened "The Sandbox Inn" where guests can stay in a spacious, comfy "beach shack chic" condo while learning the art of sand sculpture from their hostess.
Chris Guinto
Key West, Florida
www.whiteapeman.com
Busy fighting the forces of evil, here's what fellow carvers who know him have to say:
As quoted by Ms. Meredith Corson 12 years ago: "Chris is the best carver in the entire world. His talent is unmatched, and it's what has kept me carving all these years (referring to his skill level), God bless him."
Suzanne Altamare, stated on 'Good Morning America': "You mean Guinto? Chris Guinto? He's coming to this competition? I'm forfeiting now."
Carl Jara said: "If I had to absolutely narrow it down to just one story, I'd have to say when Chris saved my life. I was working this huge pile of sand and it fell on top of me and Chris flew in from nowhere and picked up all 10 tons of sand with his bare hands. It was a miracle I tell you, a damn miracle. Thanks again Chris, you're the best."
And finally Dan Doubleday jumped in with: "I've lost more prize money to him than anyone else out there. And I sold my soul to the devil!! And Chris still wins!!!! bastard."
Attilio "Steve" Topazio
Tiverton , Rhode Island
www.sandtasia.com
After being a volunteer in the sand pit for a few years Steve 's dream of being a Master Sand Sculptor beame a reality. Greg regconinzed his talents and made him an altenate in 04. A slot did become availble and Greg gave Steve the oppitunity to start his way to reach his goal.He has been in the Hampton line up ever since.He combines his fine art talents and his wacky sence of humor to always come up with a crowd pleasing sculpture.He now heads up his own sandsculpting company Sandtasia, based out of Tiverton , RI.
Darlene Duggan
Essex, Massachusetts
By day, a Sr. VP of Winning Moves Games Corp, Danvers, Mass, I have learned to release all my stress by kicking back and playing in the sand. Having Greg Grady as a brother made the transition simple. I try to get "in" as much sand as possible sculpting at events such as the Big E Fair, Boston's First Night, World Trade Center and the many other wonderful places sand has brought me. But, I have to say, Hampton has always been my favorite! Every year I look forward to my second job. Who would have ever known.
FREE PROFESSIONAL SAND SCULPTING LESSONS with Kristie Haupt
June 21, 22, 23, 1- 4 pm
Limited space. Sign up required at the Beach Chamber office, the day of
lesson, starting at noon June 21st.
Kristie Haupt
Groveland, MA
Kristie Haupt is a commercial artist born in Vermont. She now lives in
Massachusetts. Over the course of the year, she is involved in several sand
events and is back for her 4th year at Hampton Beach. Her work includes many
mediums including painting, illustrating, and graphic design. She will be
teaching sand carving classes during this year's event. Her newest pursuit
is a custom clock business that creates personalized hand painted and hand
carved clock cases. Justin Gordon of Elwin Designs, a master sand
sculptor and participant in this year's competition, is her business
partner. www.elwindesigns.com
