This Year’s Competitors
Master sculptors from around the world apply to compete in our annual competition.
Parksville is known within the sculpting circuit for its fine hospitality and beautiful location. The Parksville Beach Festival Society works very hard to ensure the sculptors are well taken care of. Their travel, meals and accommodation are paid for. They also receive an appearance fee as well as the opportunity to win prize money.
Attracting sculptors to apply for our competition is done by sending out an open invitation to past competitors as well as to any new/unknown sculptors who have expressed interest. The top 3 singles and doubles from the previous year receive automatic entry in to the next year’s competition.
Doubles:
Seveline Beauregard & Guy Beauregard
Sèveline Beauregard is an artist, creating made her feel good. She always knew she would be an artist. Art has always been a way for her to express herself and feel free. She used to practice circus for 7 years, but 3 years ago was the real start of her new horizon: being a professional sculptor. Her father, Guy Beauregard, has traveled to over 15 countries to play with sand, ice, and snow. He introduced his children to sculpting, and now is honored to work, support, and compete with them.
Sue McGrew & Dmitry Kilmenko
Dmitry and Sue started competing together in 2019, after years of carving next to each other at sand sculpting festivals and competitions around the world. Since meeting at the Tottori Sand Museum in Japan, their instant bond has led to a friendship that has grown with each passing year of artful adventures and Parksville dance parties. Wild in their creativity, these two goofballs are excited to combine their talents to compete in the gritty glory of sand sculpting.
Fred Dobbs & Ted Siebert
Ted and Fred first met at Alki Beach near Seattle, Washington as competitors ('Freddie and the Sandblasters' vs 'Team Totally in Sand'). We later joined forces and competed together and have created fabulous sand sculptures around the world ever since. Our sand sculpting journey has taken us to Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, Kuwait, Romania, Saudi Arabia, and throughout the USA, and Canada.
Susanne Ruseler & David Ducharme
Susanne started sand sculpting in 2003, while living in Utrecht and discovered that she loved creating sculptures. Susanne started her own sculpture company, working with materials such as snow, ice, foam and concrete. She travels around the world working on projects, taking part in events and competing.
In 1987 David started sand sculpting with his brother and friends as the Wazoo Warriors. They won first in the intermediate class! David was hooked and has competed every year Parksville has had a competition. “I love the ease of carving, simplicity, quietness, and beauty on a sandy shore somewhere in the world”.
In 1987 David started sand sculpting with his brother and friends as the Wazoo Warriors. They won first in the intermediate class! David was hooked and has competed every year Parksville has had a competition. “I love the ease of carving, simplicity, quietness, and beauty on a sandy shore somewhere in the world”.
Edith van de Wetering & Wilfred Stijger
When Edith was young, she hated sand between her toes, but now she couldn’t live without it! Participating in the sand sculpture festival in Scheveningen (The Netherlands) started as a hobby but got out of control fast. Now she’s been traveling the world building sand, snow, and ice sculptures for over 15 years.
Wilfred started sculpting sand on the beach of Katwijk, (The Netherlands) after reading a book by Pieter Wiersma. The book inspired Wilfred to sculpt and build his confidence. Through his network, Wilfred was invited to festivals and has since been travelling the world creating beautiful sculptures in sand, snow, and ice.
Wilfred started sculpting sand on the beach of Katwijk, (The Netherlands) after reading a book by Pieter Wiersma. The book inspired Wilfred to sculpt and build his confidence. Through his network, Wilfred was invited to festivals and has since been travelling the world creating beautiful sculptures in sand, snow, and ice.
Abe Waterman & Joris Kivits
Abe has been creating artwork ever since he was old enough to eat crayons; he considered every new diaper a fresh canvas. Though some may still consider Abe’s output rather colorful, and he may still enjoy a Crayola from time to time, he now works mostly on ephemeral mediums, such as sand and snow.
Joris started sand sculpting in 2006, and since then it has become his main job. Since then, he has had the opportunity to meet and work with other sand-carvers. Making sand sculptures for him is like a theatre-act; you can enjoy it as long as it is there and then the memory and pictures are the only things that remain...
Joris started sand sculpting in 2006, and since then it has become his main job. Since then, he has had the opportunity to meet and work with other sand-carvers. Making sand sculptures for him is like a theatre-act; you can enjoy it as long as it is there and then the memory and pictures are the only things that remain...
Brian Wigelsworth & Matt Long
Naturally artistic from an early age, Brian has worked in a multitude of mediums. Upon retiring to Florida, he discovered the art of sand sculpting and quickly rose in the competition ranks. His own master event, The Siesta Key Crystal is in its 13th year!
Since 2001, Matt has created innumerable sand sculptures around the world for every type of event imaginable, while having won innumerable awards and performed as a cast member of the Travel Channel Show Sand Masters for its two-season run. He has created sand sculptures as far away as Thailand and New Zealand to Times Square and Rockefeller Plaza. Matt has also designed and patented Can You Dig It Sand Tools that are used by participants in all his team building events.
Since 2001, Matt has created innumerable sand sculptures around the world for every type of event imaginable, while having won innumerable awards and performed as a cast member of the Travel Channel Show Sand Masters for its two-season run. He has created sand sculptures as far away as Thailand and New Zealand to Times Square and Rockefeller Plaza. Matt has also designed and patented Can You Dig It Sand Tools that are used by participants in all his team building events.
Soloist:
Guy-Olivier Deveau
Professional sand and ice sculptor from Québec, Canada for many years, this occupation merely was a summer job meant to help finance university study in the field of philosophy. After meeting and working with professional sculptors as a helper, he refined his skills and finally was able to enter the sand sculpture World Championship in 2008 where he placed 4th. This is the event that started him on the path he is on today, traveling the world to perform his art.
David Kaube
David Kaube was in the Bachelor of Arts Program at VIU for 2 years where he took classes in oil painting, drawing, classical and computer animation. Along with this he has done professional photography work and has two screen plays registered with Writers Guild of America. David thinks its a little funny that he has never taken a sculpting class but has been paid to teach one!
Jo Hollick
Jo loves Parksville. For the last two years when there was no competition she came, just to be on this beautiful beach. We are so lucky to be able to sculpt in paradise; and she lives in Vancouver with her husband and son whom she adores. And she’s a landscaper, so please water your plants…..
Bruce Waugh
My Father loved to travel, and beaches were always his first choice for a vacation. Ocean, lakes, rivers it didn't matter, wiggling your toes in warm sand was always an attraction. And what did I do while Mom and Dad were sipping their cocktails on the beach? You guessed it…sand sculpting!” Bruce first got inspired by the 1987 White Rock Competition. He spent hours looking at cable TV footage in the White Rock library. He then tried his hand at it a little later, and his first piece was featured on the front page of the “Peace Arch News”.
Yoshiko Matsugi
After graduating from Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate School of Fine Arts, Yoshiko moved to Okata, Kochi in 2002, on the Pacific Ocean where beautiful sand beaches extend. Initially I moved there because I wanted to live near the beach to surf. While working as an art instructor at local high schools, Yoshiko was drawn into the creative fascination of sand-sculpture in 2008. Since then, she has been actively participating to events held in Japan and elsewhere as the only female professional sand sculpture artist in Japan.
Peter Vogelaar
Over 50 years ago, Peter enjoyed many summer days playing on the beach in Parksville. He had no idea that much later in life, he would come to have great success sculpting sand above the tide line. Parksville Beach continues to be a magical place, a community that has managed to create one of the most popular sand sculpture contests on the international circuit. A six-time winner here, Peter hopes to keep adding to that total for as long as he can wield a shovel. All these fine memories, give Parksville a warm place in his heart.
Damon Langlois
Damon got started as a sand artist in 1992 competing at the World Championships in Harrison Hot Springs. This was the gathering place for all the greats, and he learned a lot from those artists. In the sand Damon likes to plan a little but then discover the sculpture within. “My favourite part of a competition is actually the “pound-up” where we compact tons of sand into forms making it strong enough to work our magic. I don’t really like the shoveling but I always take note of the final structure that is full of potential energy and creative possibility.”
Francisco Valdez
Since 2008, when he ventured into sand sculpture, as an independent artist, he shows his work permanently on the boardwalk in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, with a wide variety of cultural and artistic themes. Already considered a tourist attraction for the city, he has collaborated in tourism promotion, advertising, social awareness, and environmental campaigns, with governmental and non-governmental institutions, private companies, and NGOs. His work has been requested for movies, TV series, digital media and for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Puerto Vallarta.
Brett Stocker
Brett was born in Kenya, lived in Canada and now resides in Los Cabos, Mexico. He is a Master sand sculptor with over 25 years experience and has participated in many competitions and exhibitions around the world. He is the winner of several prestigious people choice awards, including the World Championships, The American Championship, The Canadian open, and Port Huron Blue Water International. On top of that he has placed 1st at the US Open, The PNE International and Oregon International and has placed in numerous international events.
Craig Mutch
Craig is an artist who wears many hats - sand sculpture, ice, snow, pumpkin, and woodcarving, body painting and professional photography for over twenty-five years. Originally an Illustrator and Graphic Designer from Edmonton, Alberta, however he changed careers and boarded the cruise ship industry where he worked for many years as a lab manager/photographer/artist. He now resides in Vancouver, BC, and travels around the world producing private works for large shopping malls and special event productions. He is currently working in the film industry as Set Artist/Sculptor for such features as ‘Planet of the Apes’ and ‘The Solutrean’.
Dan Belcher
Dan has been creating professional sand sculptures since 1990. He is honored to have learned from many pioneers of the art form, and now to get the privilege of collaborating with, and learning from a family of many of the best and most talented sand sculptors from around the World.
During this time, he has won 14 world Championship in the Team, Doubles, and Solos categories, and competed in scores of other contests and hundreds of professional projects across the country around the world including Japan, China, Denmark, Italy, Australia, Great Britain and many other wonderful destinations. He loves the balance of the physical and creative sides of working with sand.
During this time, he has won 14 world Championship in the Team, Doubles, and Solos categories, and competed in scores of other contests and hundreds of professional projects across the country around the world including Japan, China, Denmark, Italy, Australia, Great Britain and many other wonderful destinations. He loves the balance of the physical and creative sides of working with sand.
Matthew Deibert
Matthew Deibert was born and raised in Atlantic City, NJ. Living close to the beaches, Matthew spent many days playing in the sand. As a child, Matthew showed an interest for the arts. Living close to the beach, and number 7 of 8 children, family trips to the beach were frequent. Sand was a medium readily available and affordable. Sandcastles, large decorative walls, tunnels, and motes were some of his favorites.
Years later, after the birth of his son Ian and their early trips to the beach that sparked a new relationship enjoying the sand. This enjoyment transformed into a passion after studying the art of sand sculpture and discovering the history of sand sculpture and its connection with Atlantic City.
Years later, after the birth of his son Ian and their early trips to the beach that sparked a new relationship enjoying the sand. This enjoyment transformed into a passion after studying the art of sand sculpture and discovering the history of sand sculpture and its connection with Atlantic City.
Sandi Stirling
Master Sand Sculptor Sandi “Castle” Stirling, from Dundas Ontario, is passionate about sand and loves to play in it. She discovered her talent for sand sculpting at Sauble Beach Lake Huron Ontario in 1995. Since then, she has won numerous awards at sand sculpting events both in Canada and the United States. For many years, Sandi has competed at the Sauble Beach Sandfest at Sauble Beach Ontario, Parksville British Columbia Beachfest, South Padre Island Texas Sandfest, Port Aransas Texas, Fort Myers Beach Florida, and Revere Beach Massachusetts at The New England Sandfest. Sandi is kept busy during the summer months on commission sand sculptures for events in Ontario. Sandi also teaches the “Master in the Making” workshops for 5–12-year-olds during the summer at the CNE in Toronto.
Andrei Kudrin
At age 10, Andrei went to art school and by age 15 he had finished art school and started art college. While I college he focused on sculptures. In second year, he started carving ice, and in third year he started carving sand. Since 1998, Andrei has been taking part in sand sculpting contests around the world, including Russia, Finland, Ukraine, China, Israel, and The Netherlands.
Head Judge:
Charlie Beaulieu
Charlie began sand sculpting 30 years ago on the beautiful beach of Northwest Washington State. He has placed 1st at 12 World Championships, earned numerous American and Canadian titles, broken a few world records, and been featured on multiple TV shows (and hated it). He is now the Executive Director of World Championship Sand Sculpting and the Head Judge at the Parksville Sand Sculpting Competition! Charlie brings his many years of experience as well as his innovative, cutting edge, and creative ideas, many of which were stolen from other world class sculptors, the library, and the internet.
Canadian Tire Learn to Sculpt Like A Pro Sculptors:
Ken Abrams
Ken began sand sculpting in Parksville in 1994 with his family in the tidal beach competition. During that first year he met a team from Victoria who qualified for the World Championships and was asked to join them. As the Sand Boxers Team they went on to win the team event many times in Parksville as well as at the World Championships! Those experiences led to sand sculpting commissions all over the world for festivals and corporate demonstrations.
In recent years Ken has worked with kids during the Parksville Beachfest, teaching the skills and tricks used to create with sand.
In recent years Ken has worked with kids during the Parksville Beachfest, teaching the skills and tricks used to create with sand.
Mike Hearst
Mike has always been looking for a way to grow his sculpting abilities. In 1986, when Freddie and the Sandblasters were looking for a new body, Mike joined them and enjoyed success at both Parksville and Harrison. He assembled a group of friends in 1993 that had been attending the Parksville competition as spectators and wanted to try it out. The Sandboxers team started that summer in the intermediate category, then went straight to the World Championships at Harrison. Mike won the Worlds and Canadian Open numerous times as a member of the Sandboxers team.
Sponsorship
Put your business in the spotlight and reach over 100,000 potential customers. There are many ways to participate! If you don’t find the right fit for your business and budget, we would be happy to customize a benefit package to suit your needs. Contact us at info@parksvillebeachfest.ca.
Sculptors
Master sculptors from all around the world apply to participate in Parksville’s annual competition each year.