2016 Solo Master Sand Sculpting Competitors

2016 Solo Master Sand Sculpting Competitors Melinage Beaureguard Montreal, Canada Melinage has taken after her father to become an internationally renowned sand sculptor. The father-­‐daughter pair teamed up in 2004 to win the World Championship in the doubles category. As an individual, Melinage has won several awards and was Grand Champion of the first All Woman World Championship of Sand Sculpting in 2013 in Florida. While she is very talented in sand sculpting competitions, she believes it is more of a spiritual experience for herself than anything else. Guy Oliver-­‐Deveau Montreal, Canada Guy’s work with sand first began as a summer job to help finance his university study in the field of philosophy. He then met and worked with several professional sculptors who helped him refine his skills and enter the Sand Sculpture World Championship in 2008. He placed 4th in this competition, then took to the world to perform his art. Guy is now a professional sand and ice sculptor and resides in Quebec, Canada. Pavel Mylnikov Moscow, Russia Born in Moscow, Pavel is both an ice and sand sculptor. He is a five-­‐time world champion of sand sculpture, and the 11-­‐time winner of the International and Russian competitions of sand sculpture. Pavel has also won numerous other international as well as Russian competitions and festivals for sand and ice sculpting. Benjamin Probanza Acapulco, Mexico Benjamin began sand sculpting in 1988 and since then has won many championships and awards. He is a member of the World Sand Sculpture Association (WSSA) and won the 2003 WSSA Exceptional Lifetime Achievement Award. Benjamin incorporates his love for sand sculpting in short stop-­‐motion filming, live shows with pictures of sand and light, and short films displaying his techniques. Kevin Crawford Perth, Australia Kevin has been a professional sand sculptor for 35 years and lived much of his life as a nomadic sand gypsy. Throughout his career he has participated in many sand sculpting festivals and events, winning over 11 World Championships in Sand Sculpture competition. He now works as a project designer for Sandstorm Events and lives in Western Australia with his wife and two children, Keegan and Sienna. Jonathan Bouchard (Jobi) Montreal, Canada As a competitor in this competition for the past 5 years, Jobi has won first place on 3 occasions. Being a very creative and competitive person does not deter him from appreciating and having the utmost respect for the fellow artists and their work. He performs very well to take his unique ideas come alive in the sand. Although from French-­‐
speaking Canada, Jobi is fluent in English. Jooheng Tan Singapore After falling in love with the art of sand sculpting in the late 90’s, Jooheng made his debut in 2000 winning him 1st Prize in the International Sand Sculpting Competition in the Netherlands. His work has been showcased in over 50 cities across more than 20 countries around the world. With no sign of stopping this talented artist he has been hailed “Vincent Sand Gogh” by the Dailymail UK.
Marielle Hesseles The Netherlands While working as a sculptor and painter for amusement parks and museums, Marielle took to the sand and started sand sculpting in 2006. This new passion for the sand allowed her to learn and grow as a sculptor. She enjoys working with the sand because it provides the opportunity to work quickly and on such a large-­‐scale canvas. Marielle believes that the best part of sand sculpting is the wonderful people you get to work with and the opportunity to travel to new places. Nikolay Torkov Moscow, Russia Nikolay spent all his life studying art and graduated in 2012 from the Moscow State Academic Art Institute. He is a professional sculptor who has devoted years of his life to creating art in the sand, which he refers to as “street art.” He enjoys the short-­‐
lived aspect of sand sculpting, and appreciates the art in each piece more than the thrill of competition. Leonardo Ugolini Italy Born in Italy in 1969, Leonardo first took to sand sculpting competition in 1998 when he traveled to an international competition in Harrison Hot Spring, Canada. Since then, he has participated in many festivals and event competitions around the globe, including China, USA, Japan, Russia, and different parts of Europe. Among these accomplishments, he has also written two books about the sand castles. 2016 Duo Master Sand Sculpting Competitors David Durcharme & Enguerrand David David’s sand sculpting career took off after his participation in the World Championship of Sand Sculpture where he placed 2nd in the solo category and 1st in the doubles category. He continues to learn from some of the best sculptors in the world while traveling to participate in sand, ice, and snow sculpting events. Enguerrand began his sand sculpting as a hobby in 2001. Since 2003 he has participated in over 26 competitions around the globe. Of those 26 competitions he has either won or placed in all but 4. Steve Topazio & Deborah Barrett-­‐Cutulle Ten years ago, Steve competed in his first Master’s Sand Sculpting event after discovering his love for the sand only years before while creating a dragon in the sand with a clamshell. He has found a passion in Master’s Competition and now heads the Sandtasia Sand Sculptors of the Ocean State. Deborah, a graduate of the Art Institute of Boston, found her creative outlet in the sand in 2005 and has participated in different sand sculpting events ever since. She believes that every time she jumps into the sand she has an experience in which she can learn from. Dan Belcher & Marianne van den Broek Since 1990, Dan has been creating professional sand sculptures around the country and the world. He is honored to have learned from many of the pioneers of sand sculpting, and thrilled to now get the privilege of collaborating with some of the best new, talented sculptors in the world. What started as Marianne’s summer job shoveling sand in 1999, led to a passion for sand that has taken her around the world. After many competitions along the way, Marianne and her husband moved to Key West in 2005 where they now run their own sand sculpting business. Paul & Remy Hoggard Paul has been a sand artist since 1991, creating his first sculpture on Baga Beach in India. Appearing in many books, magazines, and newspapers are accomplishments rivaled by his creation of a farm scene for the Queen of England in which he presented in person to Her Majesty. A leading figure in the sand sculpture world, Remy has been a sand artist since 1999. She has participated in festivals and contests in many different countries, and the human faces she creates in the sand are known for being the best in the world. Remy and Paul’s company, Sandartist Ltd., produces, organizes, and creates sand sculptures for different events and locations all around the world. Abe Waterman & Morgan Rudluff Hailing from Prince Edward Island, Canada, Abe is an excited artist who has participated in many sand sculpting competitions and festivals. His work throughout the years is said to “fill nearly 24 life size replicas of the south side of Manhattan.” After leaving college in 2007, Morgan stumbled into sand sculpting. In addition to pursuing sand, snow, and ice sculpting, she also has a passion for clothing and costume design/construction, creative writing, kitchen witchery, scrap paper doodling, street theater, global backpacking, martini-­‐infused philosophizing, and rocking out on her ukulele.