TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — Meredith Corson says sand is forgiving.
“It’s a really unique medium,” she said, while working to smooth an organ-pipe-shaped a piece of coral.
What You Need To Know
- The "Sanding Ovations" sand sculpture festival is taking place this weekend and next
- Six sand sculpters are competing for the People’s Choice Award using the theme "Sandlantis"
- More: Get more information on the "Sanding Ovations" event
Corson’s been scraping away at the sand grains to make fantastical pieces for four decades.
“Everybody has tried building a sand castle as a child — mostly with failure,” she said. “So they are always in awe to see what we can do. And I don’t know, I get so much joy out of doing it.”
So much joy, in fact, that she helped create a now-annual free event: Sanding Ovations.
“It’s our 13th year — lucky 13,” said Corson, walking past other sand sculptors hard at work.
There are six sculptors competing for the People’s Choice Award following the fantasy underwater theme, "Sandlantis."
After the competition sculptures are finished, a newer part of the festival takes place: sculptures made just for fun.
It’s where Corson is building her pipe organ, and showed off her sculpting tools.
“You use your shovel to take away the big bulky sand, and then you work your way down to the smaller tools,” she said, pulling out various sized and shaped trowels. The smallest ones are borrowed from painters and dentists — whatever tool it takes for Corson and her fellow sculptors to create their ephemeral, fleeting work.
“The fact that it’s going to be gone — you know you make these amazing masterpieces — that’s a temporary art form," Corson said, smiling. "That’s job security though — get to come back and do another one."
Corson’s partner Dan Doubleday picked the theme and planned all the exhibition pieces.
Some are quite tongue in check — including a sculpture of a tortoise with an outhouse on it.
It’s called a “Tort-a-potty.”
