A Beach Sand Sculpture Story

A few days ago Bob spotted a truck dumping sand at the top edge of the beach north of here. A couple of nights ago, we saw a few people gathered around a sand sculpture. A woman said to me, "It happens every year around this time." Because the scuptures weren't finished, we knew the sculptors would be back.

      Many tools in her belt.

And sure enough, we found them at work this morning. What happened was a bigger story than the one we discovered this morning. The sculptor said the the owners of the home behind the sculptures comissioned him and his wife to create a sculpture for a wedding on their property a couple of years ago.

           A sand sculpture for this property.

The owners liked the scupture so much that they commissioned the scuptor and his wife to create a scupture every year at the beginning of the holiday season for people on the beach to enjoy. What a generous idea I thought.

We raised seven children the couple said. This is our new career. Go to Treasure Island if you'd like to see a global sand sculpture competition.

       Work in progress.

And so off we went today. It turns out the humble scuptor and his wife have quite a life behind them. Together Dan Doubleday and Meredith Corson created Sanding Ovations, a company that has sculpted commissioned pieces for the NFL Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four, the Outback Bowl,  Budweiser, Pepsi, Coca Cola, Frito Lay, SeaWorld, Disney World and Busch Gardens among others.

According to their website they travel the world creating sand sculptures for hundreds of clients each year. Between the two of them they hold 15 World Champion medals and have won or placed in every major competition they have entered. Their sculptures are emotional, thought provoking and often striking in their simplicity or at the other end of the spectrum, incredibly detailed.

They didn't tell Bob and I any of this. All they said was that they like their office (the beach). They organize the annual Treasure Island Sanding Ovations Masters Cup Competition and the annual Revere Beach Massachusetts National Competition.

The Team

Dan Doubleday was discovered sculpting on a beach in Santa Cruz, CA. His technique was so advanced that he was invited to his first master event just months later.

He entered his first World Championship in ’96 where he won the coveted Sculptors Choice award, being the first North American to ever take that honor.

He now holds 8 World Champion medals. Dan constantly pushes the envelope with new ideas and strives for perfection in human anatomy.

Meredith is a World Champion Gold Medalist and has the honor of being the first female ever to win a medal at the World Championships.

Raised in New Bedford, MA, Meredith relocated to Florida in 1980 and started sculpting sand as a hobby. In 1996 she met Dan Doubleday at a competition.

You stumble upon the most amazing people when you walk out your front door.

A Selection of sculptures from the Sanding Ovations Competition:

1.

2.

3.  This is Dan's sculpture.

          Dan at another competition.

Other examples of sand sculptures.

I hope you have enjoyed these as much as we did. Tomorrow I have a Spanish class with my Guatemalan instructor. Bob and I both have a bug of some sort and want it to be gone.

Best thoughts. Be well.

Experiences with Art

Over the last 14 years Bob and I have seen how art explains not just a country's culture but also its level of development. The temples of Cambodia's Angkor Wat showed the greatness of a sophisticated ancient civilization. But when you see Siem Reap and poor Cambodian villages now, you wonder how such strength and beauty could fall so far. But then, this is Syria where once great civilizations flourished and now all is ruin.

                      Angkor Wat

We were stunned by the intracies of Mayan ruins in Honduras and Guatemala. But people in those countries now are struggling to feed their families and stay alive. On my first night in San Sula Pedro, Honduras, I stayed in a gated community whose entrance had four armed security personnel, four growling guard dogs, two sets of metal gates allowing cars to enter and leave and metal contraptions on the ground that stopped you from backing up. I was shaken there. I don't remember seeing art in Honduras. 

An example of Guatemalan art. The style of most Guatemalan art is indigenous or Christian.

Brazil is still struggling financially and politically. But it has a well developed art scene. As we were leaving Cassia Aresta's house a few days ago, I asked if she could send me some of her work. Because I couldn't describe the meaning of her geometic work, Cassia sent an explanation and her CV showing the vibrancy of her work and an active Brazilian art scene over the last few decades. She has had a successful life long passion that evolved as her children grew up.

The Cassia's Perspective on the Artistic Development of Geometric Work (with edits by me).

Geometric structures develop temporal and spacial relationships.  When outlines, lines, colors and surfaces interact and intersect, a spatial electricity happens. For Cassia, it is at this point that time is determined and noted by the movement of the lines.

Colour is an autonomous language acting as a protagonist. White and black, light, shadow and spaces lead to the work's concept.

Cassia believes that the poetry of her work, perceived by the viewer, is created with mathematical formulations inviting the viewer to participate in the art work's construction as an introspective journey of self.

             Acrylic on Canvas

        Paper Collage on Paper

Cassia's CV shows her active artistic involvement.

Curriculum Document

Cassia Aresta

November 13, 1956 Florianopolis SC

STUDIES

1980 FEBASP São Paulo SP inconclusive course

1994/95 Art Workshop with artists  Tuneu, Dudi Maia Rosa, Paulo Pasta, SP

1996/99 own ceramic Study and Workshop, SP

1996/97 Study and development of the work with the artist Ana Maria Tavares, SP

2002 Specific training in Contemporary Art, USP,with art educator Ana Mae Barbosa, SP

2003 Evaluation and guidance work,artist  Georgia Kyriakakis, São Paulo, SP

2004/5/6 / Philosophy in the Contemporary Arts  with  Dr.Prof and philosopher Nazareno Eduardo de Almeida, Florianópolis, SC

2006 Seminar on The Concepts of Truth and Falsehood in Philosophy and Its Relation with the Construction and Operation of Arts and Fine Arts, philosopher Nazareno  Eduardo de Almeida, Florianopolis, SC

2012 Artist invited to accompany students in philosophy of art CEART, Florianópolis, SC.

2013 Creative Process Workshop with Charles Watson

2013 1st International Dialogue on images, CEART, SC

2014 Theory and art criticism in Brazil dialogues and situations

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

1996 Triangular Exhibition, FUNARTE, São Paulo, SP.

1997 Exhibition Collage and Painting,  Alliance Française Gallery, São Paulo, SP.

2000 Exhibition Circles, CCSP Room Mario Pedrosa, São Paulo, SP.

2001 Correspondence Exhibition, Goëthe Institute, São Paulo, SP.

2001 Correspondence Exhibition at Bayer in Brazil, São Paulo, SP.

2002 Correspondence Exhibition, Monica Filgueiras Art Gallery, São Paulo, SP,

Correspondence Exhibition, Goëthe Institut, Frankfurt, Germany.

Correspondence Exhibition, Goëthe Institut, Bordeaux, France.

2003 Exhibition Circles, MASC,  Museum of Art of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC.

2003 Exhibition Circles, MAJ,  Cultural Citadel Antarctica, Joinville, SC.

2008 Indelible marks, MuNA, National Museum of Arts,  Uberlândia, MG.

2012 Exhibitions Code Look, Rogério Cardoso Culture House, Mococa, SP.

2014 Exhibition Code Look, SESC-SC São Bento do Sul, SC.

2014 Exhibition Code Look, SESC-SC  Chapecó,SC.

2014 Exhibition Code Look, SESC Jaragua do Sul,SC.

2015 Exhibition Code Look, municipal Gallery Paulo Vecchietti, Franklin Cascaes Foundation, Florianópolis, SC.

EXHIBITIONS

1987 Nine potters, Gallery Freedom Garo, São Paulo, SP.

1998 Gallery and Office Art LR, São Paulo, SP.

1999 Exhibition  Planete ouverte, Hall of Ganties Prefecture, France.

Exhibition Planete ouverte, Hall of the Municipality Saint Gaudens, France.

II Prize Maimeri Brazil, Arts and Crafts College, São Paulo, SP.

2000 Exhibition Cassiopeia, Museum Pierre Bayle Carla Bayle, France.

2003 Palmo Square Exhibition, Alumni Institute, São Paulo, SP.

2004 Palmo Square Exhibition, MOLAA Museum of Latin American Art, California

2004 Project Equal contrast, MAJ, Joinville Art Museum, SC.

2004 Project Equal contrast, MASC, Museum of the State of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC.

2004 Project Equal contrast, Memorial of Curitiba , Curitiba, PR>

2004 Project Equal contrast, MAC, Museum of Contemporary Art, Porto Alegre, RS

2005 Collective Palmo Square  Conneccticut College, New London, Connecticut.

2005 Collective Palmo Square University Art Gallery, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California

2006 Paint the Future, MASC, Museum of the State of Santa Catarina, Fpolis, SC.

Paint the Future , Museum of the Brazilian House, São Paulo, SP.

2006 16 in Forte, Forte Santa Barbara, Franklin Cascaes Foundation, Fpolis, SC.

2006 Draw-Drawing 2 LONDON Biennale, London

2007 Paint the Future, MASC Museum of Art of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC.

2007 Invention of Memory, MAJ,  Art Museum of  Joinville, Joinville, SC.

2007 Lestada and Deconstruction, BADESC Cultural Foundation, Florianopolis, SC

2007 Lestada and Deconstruction, Art Gallery Multiple, São Paulo, SP.

2009 Project 365 MAC, Museum of Contemporary Art, Curitiba, PR.

2009 Project 365 Cultural Citadel Antarctica, MAJ, Joinville, SC.

2009 6 REASON Casa das Rosas, São Paulo, SP.

2009 Project 365 in the 2nd Biennial of Brazilian Visual Arts of Brussels, Belgium.

2009 Project 365 MHSC Historical Museum of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC.

2010 Project 365 SESC Pinheiros, São Paulo, SP.

2010 Project 365 UFMG Cultural Center, Belo Horizonte, MG.

2010 Project 365 at the Contemporary Art Museum, CAM, Casoria, Italy.

2010 Project 365 at the Cultural Center Sergio Porto, Rio de Janeiro, RJ.

2011 Troy Art Mube, Brazilian Museum of Sculpture, São Paulo

2012 6X6X2012Rochecester Contemporary Art Center, Rochecester, NY

2013 Memoriando  Arts Space of the Integrated Cultural Center (CIC), Fpolis (guest artist)

2013 Affections and Knowledge, Martha Pagy Arts Office, Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Narratives, Martha Pagy Arts Office, Rio de Janeiro, RJ

2014 I Am a womam CAM Contemporary Art Museum, Casoria, Italy.

2014 Imago Mundi Luciano Benetton Collection, Benetton Foundation, Italy.

2014 Tessitura Urban, International Institute Juarez Machado, Joinville, SC

2015 Memoriando Arts Space of the Integrated Cultural Center(CIC), Fpolis, SC(guest artist)

HALLS OF ART

1988 4th Ceramic-Art Open Show, Palace of Arts, England.

1988 1st Sculpture Hall at the All Range, invited artist, São Paulo

1989 5th Shows Open Ceramic-Art, FAAP, São Paulo.

1993 Exhibition of Contemporary Art Mococa, Mococa, SP.

1994 Art Hall 1 Contemporary Art, Elke Hering, Blumenau, SC.

23 Bunkio  Art  Hall of the Brazilian Society of Japanese Culture,

(Award Bronze Medal), São Paulo, SP.

1995 24 Bunkio Art Hall of the Brazilian Society of Japanese Culture,

(Premio Magic Ink), São Paulo, SP.

1995 Art Hall 8 Mokiti Okada, São Paulo, SP.

1996 25 Bunkio Art Hall of the Brazilian Society of Japanese Culture, São Paulo.

2012 40th Art Hall Exhibition of Contemporary Art Luiz Sacilotto, St. André, SP.

PROJECTS

1997 Triangular Project in CARGILL of Brazil company

1997 Triangular Project on SHARP OF BRAZIL company

2001 collage workshop in BAYER'S BRAZIL company

2013 Experiences Itinerant People, the Cultural Foundation of Santa Catarina.

WORKSHOP

1999 Crossing the Waters, SESC, São Paulo

2001 Picture of Yourself, SESC, São Paulo.

ART RESIDENCY

2000 Planete ouverte, Ganties, France.

PUBLIC ART

Thinking about Volpi, City of San Jose, SC.

Acquis works

MASC- Art Museum of Santa Catarina,

MOLAA-Latinamerican Museum of Art, California, USA,

MAJ- Art Museum Joinville,

Museum Pierre Bayle in Carla Bayle, France.

CAM-Casoria Contemporary Art Museum, Italy.

Issues: The book of Arts Brazil-geometries.

Award: Elisabete Anderle 2009- Government of the State of Santa Catarina

ART ASSOCIATIONS

APLASC, ACAP, APLAJ and APAP

Art in Florida

If you get a chance to go to St. Petersburg, The Salvador Dali Museum is incredible on so many levels. The building itself is a work of art and practically bomb proof, built with three foot thick walls to withstand tsunamis and hurricanes. Dali's work is on the third floor for protection against floods. 

Bob and I saw his work two years ago and were astounded at the complexity of his symbols and the depth of the man. Bob and I had thought he was a kook way back in the 70s. How wrong we were.

            The Salvador Dali Museum

Next week we're going back to the museum to see "Escher at the Dali." I'm drawn to his work like so many others.

"“Escher at the Dali” features prints, drawings, a sculpture, wood blocks, a lithograph stone and posters drawn by the artist to explain his printing techniques. The exhibit will delve into his exploration of infinity through tessellation, in which shapes fit together perfectly without overlapping, including an enormous woodcut “Metamorphosis” (1939-40) which spans 13-1/2 feet."

How odd last week to have seen this fellow all decked out in his thick red suit in a Florianopolis store not far from the beach.

See you soon. I hear it's been warm in Ontario. Christmas carols are playing in the stores.

Looking Back

My heart is still in Brazil and I wish so much that our family were not spread so far apart. Brian and his family will return to B.C in a couple of years if the stars are aligned, Susan and her family are rooted in Nelson B.C. and Mark travels extensively for Microsoft, hanging his hat in his Collingwood home for part of each month. 

But while Bob and I miss watching Saphira grow up, we finally know how to get around in an important part of Brazil and it will be a ton easier next time.

We loved our intense and active visit, in Brian's home at the edge of a jungle. I know how to poke a stick around before stepping into it to make sure the snakes slither away.

At the edge of the deck where beasties shelter.

100 steps lead up to the house -- a slippery slope in the dense humidity.

Family

Brian at the beach a few steps from the house. Brian is developing his photography business and forging Brazilian connections. 

               noppephoto.com

Saphira and Regina with Bob. Brian, Bob and a tourquoise telephone booth are in the background.

Regina is the cofounder of Dream2B,  an organization that helps entrepreneurs progress from ideation to business creation. This year, Dream2B is helping Brazilian technology companies connect with the Vancouver startup ecosystem through a program called Brazilian Silicon Valley North. The program is supported by the Brazilian Consulate in Vancouver, Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce, the Brazilian Association of Startups (ABStartups), the Centre of Digital Media, and Launch Academy.

Saphira and her beloved, Figaro, the most patient of cats.

                Sun, fun and sand.

More about Brazil soon. After 24 hours en route and three flights yesterday, we arrived in Indian Shores Florida, the land of Royal Palm trees, an amazing cultural and geographical transformation. 

See you tomorrow!

Local Culture

Florianopolis is called The Island of Magic. You an see witches and other characters on walls and outside restaurants.

We passed this muscian outside a coffee shop yesterday afternoon. The haunting sound of the wooden didgeridoo has always fascinated me. Perhaps it's because it's so old. Archaeologists have found paintings of the wind instrument on 1500 year old Australian rock art and cave paintings.

Its hard to find local coffee shops serving really good coffee. That because most Brazilian coffee is imported to wealthy countries that will pay well for it.

Folklore

The colourful window sculpture below is part of Boi de Mamão or Papaya Bull or Ox, a folkloric Santa Catarina drama involving a bull and other characters.

In the window of a Sambaqui craft store.

The drama often forms a part of a parade.

Bobbin Lace Making

  The lace maker is 82 and very sprightly. Florianopolis' bobbin lace making originated in Belgium.

We leave for the airport soon. More from Florida. I am thinking of you and home.