profiles Text by ALEXIS CHIU and ALLEGRA WEST
v
Photo illustration by BLAIR MIGDAL
Sculptures in the sand
SPANISH TEACHER PURSUES SEASIDE PASSION
S
PANISH TEACHER PILAR Ba“If there’s people that are walking by dillo Novas describes the pitch black … we ask them to join us,” Badillo Novas morning sky that cloaks her and her said. “So anybody’s welcome. In the end it family as they prepare to leave for works out very well, somehow.” Carmel Beach. They are on their way to the Rather than the traditional beachside Carmel Beach Great Sandcastle Competi- sandcastle, Badillo Novas’ sand sculptures tion hosted by the City of Carmel and the resemble massive three-dimensional sand Monterey Bay Chapter of the American In- carvings sculpted into the moist, dense unstitute of Architects. Despite the early hour, derlayer of sand. the Badillo Novas Badillo Nofamily eagerly pack vas and her family The first prize is what their car to the brim start by marking with shovels, buck- they call the golden shov- where they want ets, strings and other el, [and] we have won that the sculpture to sandcastle-building go, then digging equipment, ready to several times.” a few inches down begin their journey to create a founda— PILAR BADILLO NOVAS, Spanish teacher tion for the structo the competition. Since 2000, ture. Afterward, Badillo Novas has they pack in the competed alongside 30 other teams to sand to create the basic shape of the sculpbuild elaborate sand sculptures in hopes of ture. taking home the competition’s first place While her husband finds the inspiraprize — the coveted golden shovel, an tion image and scales it accordingly to build award Badillo Novas and her family have its replica on the beach, Badillo Novas has won several times. her own responsibility for each sculpture. Badillo Novas’s sandcastle-building hobby began over 20 years ago as a cure for boredom at the beach. “We were at the beach, we didn’t know what to do,” Badillo Novas said. “So my husband came up with the idea of making sandcastles.” What started as a way to kill extra time has transformed into an annual family tradition. Each year, Badillo Novas and her family head out to a beach in Carmel with an elaborate design in mind, ready to sculpt. However, once at the beach, the building process is never exclusive to Badillo Novas and her family, and she welcomes all who are interested in joining and helping.
“
“My main goal for when we go to the beach is the shape and the volume [of compacted sand blocks],” Badillo Novas said. “I do the big one [compacted sand block] and then everyone does the little ones [sand blocks] around the shape.” Once the sculpture is complete, Badillo Novas and her family have mere moments to admire their work before the waves rush ashore, washing away hours of tireless work. Photos will be all that remain. “We are very proud, but of course, sandcastles are very ephemeral,” Badillo Novas said. While the sculptures themselves have short lives, their creation fosters community, leaving Badillo Novas with unforgettable memories of her family on the shores. “You build something that you know is going to disappear within a few hours with it when the tide comes in,” Badillo Novas said. “But it gives you the pleasure of working with other people in a group with your family and your friends. So it was nice to see how something so beautiful could come out of something so organic.” v
SEAPONY EXPRESS — Pilar Badillo Novas stands triumphantly with her husband and son by their completed mermaid sculpture. She is shown waving the coveted golden shovel that they won for their creation.
VERDEMAGAZINE.COM 31
