SAND SCULPTORS

For the first time in the event’s history, Strand Ephemera included a sand sculpting component in 2015. This additional feature to the exhibition proved to be astonishingly popular with visitors of all ages.

This component saw Gallery Services bring three of the world’s leading sand sculptors to Townsville, each to deliver a single major work and to deliver workshops throughout the event.

Visiting all the way from the South Padre Island in Texas, USA, Amazin’ Walter is one of the world’s most experienced sand sculptors having first started sculpting with sand in the 1980s. Over time Walter’s castles have become increasingly extravagant, and his expertise was on show in Townsville with many amazed by his level of detail and gravity-defying arches.

Leading Australian sand sculptors Peter Redmond, and Jino van Bruinessen, the 2015 Sand Sculpting Champion, also visited Townsville. Peter and Jino are both part of the Sand Sculpting Australia team, managed by Sandstorm Events.

With a background in Graphic Design and Illustration, Peter Redmond started carving in sand as a ‘junior’ at Sand Sculpting Australia’s 2006 event at Rye. He learned quickly and used the experience as a springboard into other sand projects.

Since this formative experience, Peter has worked steadily around Australia as part of the Sand Sculpting Australia team, creating unique works at festivals, events, shopping centres and smaller corporate jobs. His work in Strand Ephemera depicted dinosaurs on a cloudy mountain, at the base of which sat our modern day dinosaur, the crocodile, in reference to The Strand’s rumoured visitor.

Jino came to Australia over 30 years ago from the Netherlands, and presently lives in the Blue Mountains. He has worked in the Film and Television/Entertainment industry for over 19 years, starting out as a prop maker and sculptor/ scenic artist, and progressively becoming more involved in concept and design.

A one-off sand sculpture in 1992 led to a series of annual events, and Jino has now been working on the Sand Sculpting Australia team for over 11 years. Earlier in 2015, Jino was awarded the 2015 Sand Sculpting Champion title on the Surfers Paradise Foreshore. His work at Strand Ephemera made reference to the nearby Great Barrier Reef, with its beautiful coral forms and reef creatures.

The Amazin’ Walter, Jino van Bruinessen and Peter Redmond played a major role in the delivery of daily workshops for school students. In total Strand Ephemera saw the delivery of 77 school workshops for 1154 students.

Over the final three days of the festival, Jino van Bruinessen and Peter Redmond also collaborated on a separate, smaller work to the great delight of viewers who enjoyed watching the process of the sand sculptors working.

IMAGE OPPOSITE:

Jino Van Bruinessen

Photo of completed work by Ani Christiani, entry in the Strand Ephemera 2015

Photographic Competition

Photograph: Ani Christiani

IMAGE ABOVE: Peter Redmond

Photo of completed work by Jana Wieland, entry in the Strand Ephemera 2015

Photographic Competition

Photograph: Jana Wieland

IMAGE RIGHT:

Jino Van Bruinessen and Peter Redmond

Photo of completed work by Wade Howlett, entry in the Strand Ephemera 2015

Photographic Competition

Photograph: Wade Howlett