April 5 - 14, 2013
For the first time in the history of sand sculpting, SAND BASH is hosting an All-Women's Sand Sculpting Competition. Women sculptors from the United States, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands and Australia have come to compete for the Blanche E. Swope Gold Cup.
Blanche Swope and her sister Georgia were both breast cancer survivors. Blanche was also the grandmother of Marianne Knight, co-owner of the Sand Bash event producers. In partnership with the Susan G. Komen Foundation of Southwest Florida, The Sand Lovers LLC are not only hosting the first all-women’s sand sculpting competition but also supporting breast cancer awareness. April is National Cancer Control Month, when we remember those we have lost to cancer and commit to progress toward controlling the disease.
Sand Bash did not have an auspicious start. On Friday, April 5, the first day of the sand sculpture competition, the weather was an atypical April day in SW Florida-- it was chilly, windy and rainy. Fortunately, things quickly got back to normal, and on Sunday, the final day of the singles’ competition, the weather was brilliant--it was warm, the sun was shining, and the sand was glistening.
Ticket Sales for entrance to the sand sculpting competition.
The entrance is adjacent to the Holiday Inn on Fort Myers Beach.
Entrance to the sand sculpting area
Sand Bash sculpture at the entrance to the competition area
Sand Bash banner
Tulips in honor of cancer survivors or in memory of those lost to the disease
Group logo of participating sponsors
The platform for the zip line attraction is right behind the sculpture.
The Susan G. Komen logo in the center
The Susan G. Komen booth near the entrance to the sand sculpting area
The first row of four sand sculptures
Natasha Kamenskaia is a native of Russia who moved to Australia in 1992
She received a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from the Victorian College of Arts in Melbourne in 2004. Natasha has been sand sculpting since 2007.
The title of her sculpture is “Pandora’s Vessel” or “The Hope.”
Morgan Rudluff is from Santa Cruz, California.
She is part of “Sand Guys, International,“ a sand sculpture company.
Morgan has been sand sculpting since 2010.
Natasha Kamenskaia is a native of Russia who moved to Australia in 1992
She received a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from the Victorian College of Arts in Melbourne in 2004. Natasha has been sand sculpting since 2007.
The title of her sculpture is “Pandora’s Vessel” or “The Hope.”
Morgan Rudluff is from Santa Cruz, California.
She is part of “Sand Guys, International,“ a sand sculpture company.
Morgan has been sand sculpting since 2010.
The title of her sculpture is “Childbirth.”
In Spanish, “Dar a Luz” = To give to light/to give birth
Profiles of sculptor and sculpture
The title of Kali Bradford's sculpture is, “Loves me, loves me not.”
Kali Bradford is from Sequim, Washington
She has been a sculptor, artist, teacher and poet for 28 years and
seems to enjoy interacting with the crowd.
“Loves me, loves me not”
Agnese Rudzite-Kirillova is from Latvia.
She received her Masters degree in sculpture from the Art Academy of Latvia and works in an art, décor and sculpture company in Latvia. Agnese has been sand and ice sculpting since 2007.
Agnese at work
The title of her sculpture is, “Reborn.”
The second row of five sculptures
Melineige Beauregard at work
Melineige Beauregard is from Quebec, Canada. She is following in the footsteps of her famous sculptor father, Guy Beauregard, and has been sculpting since 2001.
Melineige working on the back of the sculpture, which is lovely all by itself.
The title of her sculpture is “Reveal your inner child.”
Lucinda “Sandy Feet” Wierenga at work
Lucinda is from South Padre Island, Texas. She has been sculpting since 1987, and she is a regular participant in sand sculpting competitions on Fort Myers Beach.
Lucinda finishing up her sculpture.
The title of her sculpture is, “It’s good 2 B Queen.”
Edith Van de Wetering at work
Edith is from the Netherlands. She has been sculpting since 1993.
The title of her sculpture is, “The best way to cheer yourself up is to cheer someone else up.”
“The best way to cheer yourself up is to cheer someone else up”
(This is not an easy task to accomplish nor is this sculpture easy to understand.)
Laurie Arntz-Tournoux is from Louisville, Ohio.
She has been sculpting since 2002 and runs her company,
Tournoux Sand Sculpting & Co. in Canton, Ohio.
The back of the sculpture
The title of her sculpture is “Sweet Dreams!”
In the background, you can see a row of vendors' tents.
Suzanne Altamare is from Daytona Beach, Florida, and she began sculpting in 1982.
Her sculpture is "Dedicated to Caregivers."
The title of her sculpture is, “Strong.”
Ludo Roders is from the Netherlands.
She has been sculpting in sand and ice since 1994.
The title of her sculpture is, “Carried by the wind.”
DID YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITES?
THE WINNERS (besides us):
Canadian sculptor Melineige Beauregard won the singles title in America's first All-Women Master Sand Sculpting Championship at Sand Bash on Sunday. Beauregard's sculpture, "Reveal Your Inner Child," was judged the best among the 10 sculptures at the event.
Sand Bash continued to entertain until Sunday, April 14. During the week, the top women's sculptors competed in two-woman teams in the doubles’ division championship. Completion and judging took place Sunday. The People's Choice award for the singles’ division was announced that day as well.
There are three sculptures in the doubles’ division.
“Ahhh Romance” is the name of the sculpture by Natasha Kamenskaia and Lucinda Wierenga. Natasha is working on one side of the sculpture.
Lucinda is at work on the other side of the sculpture.
“Ahhh Romance,” from the other side
“The Earth Menders” by Kali Bradford and Suzanne Altamare
“The Earth Menders”
“The Earth Menders” from the other side
“How can I still be your Superman?”
by Agnese Rudzite-Kirillova and Melineige Beauregard
Agnese at work by a Superman who fears becoming superfluous
Women can do it all.
THE WINNERS
