The end of San Diego’s B Street Pier is lined with amazing sand sculptures created by world masters for the 2016 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge.
At this moment, the most amazing sand sculptures in the entire world are on display in San Diego on the B Street Pier. They were created by genuine world sand masters–many have won world championships–for the 2016 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge’s World Masters Solo Competition. The artists have come in for this big competition from countries all around the planet!
You doubt these are the most fantastic sand sculptures in the world at this very moment? Take a look at some photos! All of these sculptures will be destroyed right after the special event ends. The day after Labor Day, these truly amazing works of art become history!
Rockin’ Bobbin, by Kirk Rademaker, world sand master from Stinson Beach, California.The Rockin’ Bobbin, which resembles a machine with many parts, is a wonderful example of complex sand art.I Want To Fly, by world sand master Katsuhiko Chaen from Japan.A large winged foot carved of sand appears ready to take flight.Armadillo Lizard, by world sand master Susanne Ruseler of the Netherlands.The friendly world-class sand sculptor Susanne Ruseler poses for photos by her fantastic artwork.Alpha Waves, by world sand master Fergus Mulvany of Dublin, Ireland. This sculpture won second place at the 2016 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge.Alpha Waves photographed from a different angle. The layered sand art is truly amazing.And another photo from behind.Yell, by world sand master Benjamin Probanza of Mexico City.An angry, melting face yells at a graceful woman made of sand.Another photo of the astonishing sand sculpture Yell.My Inner Self Revealed, by world sand master Melineige Beauregard of Montreal, Canada.Peering through the amazing layered sand sculpture reveals a human form.The tender, small inner self is revealed.The Man Who Wasn’t There, by world sand master Rusty Croft of Carmel, California.This abstract work of sand art makes the viewer think about its potential meaning.A photo of the rear of this surreal sand sculpture reveals an open door.Yesterday upon the stair I met a man who wasn’t there he wasn’t there again today Oh how I wish he’d go away…What Is The Real Face, by world sand master Agnese Rudzite-Kirillova of Latvia.Is this the real face, or a mask worn in public?What is the real face? Where is it?Nostalgia, by world sand master Ilya Filimontsev of Moscow, Russia. This incredible sculpture won first place at the 2016 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge!Proof that sand sculptures can sometimes be classified as fine art.Side view of the stunning, award-winning sand sculpture on San Diego’s B Street Pier.Surrender To Diversity, by world sand master Michela Ciappini of Italy.An unusual sand sculpture features a rabbit perched upon an upside-down alligator!Out Of Reach, by world sand master Thomas Koet of Melbourne, Florida.Many hands reach for a very beautiful woman, but she is out of reach.The most amazing sand sculptures in the world can be found in sunny San Diego. That is–until this Labor Day weekend ends!
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A sand sculpture representation of the famous statue Ultimate Surrender and magical animals greet people arriving in the morning for a special festival.
Here are lots of photos from the 2016 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge! The Labor Day Weekend event at San Diego’s B Street Pier presents so many genuinely cool sights, I’m dividing my many photographs into two blog posts.
This first batch features a sand sculpture near the entrance to the event, plus one sponsored sculpture. The remaining sculptures you will see here, which are completely amazing, were being finished this morning by local Southern California teams. This particular competition is between Cool California Carvers!
My next post will feature fine art sand sculptures created by the world’s best sand artists that will blow your mind, so stand by!
During the 2016 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge, San Diego is transformed into “SAND iego”!Inside the 2016 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge on the B Street Pier, food trucks, vendors with art, and some sponsored sand sculptures attract the eye of visitors.This way to the Cool California Carvers, who on Saturday morning are still working on their sand sculptures. We’ll check out the World Masters Solo Competition in my next blog post!Looking down the length of the B Street Pier between the Broadway Pier Port Pavilion and the San Diego Cruise Ship Terminal. These artists you see belong to teams representing the Cool California Carvers.Magnify It! That’s the name of this complex three-part sand sculpture, being built by the Sand Squirrels and SD Sand Castles.Peer through the telescope-like eyepiece and you see a peace sign superimposed on planet Earth!These creative people are the I.B. Posse. Their sand sculpture is titled United We Stand. I see they are working from a small model.Talented sand sculptors work on the flaming torch from New York’s Statue of Liberty.Carving the base of Lady Liberty’s torch.Reaching upward together with peaceful aspirations.Team Archisand is creating an unusual sand sculpture called REAL-EYE’z Your Futur.Small people stand together behind a mask-like face made of sand.Many of these fantastic works of sand art really catch the eye! We’ve got some great local teams!This sand sculpture seems to recreate a coral reef. I don’t know its title. I do know Team San Diego San Castles created it!A close-up photo of some marine life living in a coral reef made of carved sand–on a pier!A team called The Sandcastle Man is bringing some Crazy Dreams into reality. Yes, that’s the name of this sand sculpture.We’re All Mad Here! It must be an Alice in Wonderland themed sand sculpture! I see a team member of Archisand.I see Alice, the White Rabbit and the Mad Hatter!Visitors to the 2016 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge check out artwork being created by one of the Cool California Carvers teams.And that team is called The Sand Squirrels. The title of this cool art is The Captain’s Tale.That sea-going captain appears to be a pirate who has discovered a treasure chest. Or perhaps it’s a mirage made of beach sand on some deserted island…or on a city pier!
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Getting ready for the 2016 US Sand Sculpting Challenge and 3D Art Expo at the B Street Pier. A cool sand sculpture will soon appear here to welcome passing Labor Day crowds on the Embarcadero.
Two epic events are coming to San Diego’s Embarcadero this coming Labor Day weekend! The 2016 US Sand Sculpting Challenge and 3D Art Expo, which will take place near the Cruise Ship Terminal on the B Street Pier, and the 2016 Festival of Sail, which will take place at and around the Maritime Museum of San Diego!
I’ve blogged about both amazing annual events the past couple years. The sand sculptures, created by some of the best sand artists in the entire world, are utterly mind-blowing. The tall ships are a feast not only for the eyes, but for the senses once you step aboard.
I took a slow easy walk along the Embarcadero a short while ago and snapped a few pics of very early preparation for both events. If I feel well enough next weekend, expect to see lots of super cool photos from both epic Labor Day weekend events!
One of several U.S. Navy floating docks has been set in position near the Maritime Museum of San Diego, in preparation for visiting tall ships at the 2016 Festival of Sail.Californian, the official tall ship of California, will participate in the 2016 Festival of Sail this coming Labor Day weekend. Right now she is docked at the Maritime Museum, her home.Gaff-rigged topsail schooner Bill of Rights, based in South Bay’s Chula Vista, will be one of many amazing tall ships participating this year in the Festival of Sail. I spotted it cruising across San Diego Bay today.Visitor to the Maritime Museum of San Diego sits peacefully on a bench near the aft of the 1904 steam yacht Medea. Big crowds will arrive here on Labor Day weekend!The 2016 Festival of Sail takes place Labor Day weekend on the Embarcadero. If you are in San Diego and love historical ships, you must go!
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Lifelike bust of Baskets the Clown, from the FX comedy series Baskets.
Outside 2016 San Diego Comic-Con, in the park directly in front of the Bayfront Hilton, the FX television channel has created a uniquely interesting FXhibition! The exhibition includes six cool busts of characters that have appeared on various FX shows. A couple of the sculptured heads are eerily lifelike. Take a look!
Quinlan, a vampire/human hybrid from the FX series The Strain.Frank Reynolds as The Troll, from the episode The Nightman Cometh in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.The White Nun, from American Horror Story: Asylum.Pam Poovey, from Archer, an animated spy comedy series on FX.Gorbachaka the Troll, from the FX sitcom Man Seeking Woman.
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Comic-Con is almost over for 2016, and this will probably be my final blog post concerning it. I hope you enjoyed the ride! Now it’s on to other cool stuff around San Diego. Next up . . . another super special tour at the San Diego Museum of Art! So please stay tuned!
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Founder of the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, Dr. Alexander Chuang, prepares one of two stone lions for their unveiling ceremony.
This morning a ceremony was held in front of the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum. Two large stone lions were unveiled at the intersection of J Street and Third Avenue. That’s in the very heart of downtown’s Asian Pacific Historic District.
I missed the unveiling, because I had a long-reserved ticket for another nearby event which took place at the exact same time. But I did get photos of the two amazing sculptures being prepared!
The founder of the Chinese Historical Museum, Dr. Alexander Chuang, had the two beautiful lions made in China then brought to the City of San Diego. It was a generous gift and a wonderful addition to our diverse city. I was told Dr. Chuang spent 7 or 8 years on this project. The lions are carved from stone taken from Mount Tai, which is said to be the holiest mountain in China. Now I have yet another reason to look forward to walks through this fascinating part of downtown San Diego!
I briefly spoke to Dr. Alexander Chuang while he prepared the statues, and to other members of the museum. They were so very gracious! One day I’ll venture into the museum–it’s on my list of things to do. When I do, I’ll definitely share the experience.
Plaque describes pair of large stone lions made of granite from Mount Tai, considered the holiest mountain in China. They will be a landmark of the Asian Pacific Historic District of San Diego.Final preparations are made about an hour before the unveiling. I got a sneak peek just by walking around with my camera!Members of the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum drape one of the two stone lions. I got my early photos just in time!On the opposite side of Third Avenue, the second lion stands guard. Another very cool sight has been added to the city of San Diego!
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Dog Gnawing Bone, Arthur Putnam, 1904. Photo courtesy San Diego Museum of Art.
Wow! I enjoyed another awesome visit to the San Diego Museum of Art last weekend, courtesy of my docent friend Catherine! She provided a spellbinding tour of several exhibits! The one I liked most–possibly because I love animals and because the artist has a San Diego connection–concerned the bronze sculptures of Arthur Putnam.
The exhibition, titled Ferocious Bronze, features artwork so utterly amazing that Arthur Putnam has been called the American Rodin. He was such a gifted sculptor that his pieces have sometimes been mistaken for those of Frederic Remington. Most of his bronzes depict animals in the wild: hunting, in mortal combat, at play or at rest.
Arthur Putnam lived from 1873–1930 and was considered one of the greatest sculptors of his era. At the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco he won a coveted Gold Medal. During his lifetime his work was exhibited in major cities, including New York, Chicago, Paris and Rome. Many of his monumental public sculptures still stand in San Francisco, Monterey and San Diego.
Check out these photos! They provide a small taste of what you’ll experience should you visit Ferocious Bronze. You can get an idea of Putnam’s tremendous artistry. The superb realism is partly due to the fact that he personally loved the outdoors, and spent many days observing animals in the wild and at zoos. A mostly self-taught artist, Putnam even worked for a brief time at a slaughterhouse. (Yuck!)
Did I mention Arthur Putnam’s unique San Diego connection? His very first commission was from newspaper magnate E. W. Scripps, which he received at the Scripps Ranch located in Miramar. In addition, two of Putnam’s monumental works stand today near the spot where San Diego was founded–the very place where European civilization took root in California.
(I’ve included my own photos of the two large bronze sculptures that stand on San Diego’s Presidio Hill. I wrote a blog several years ago that concerned an interesting walk past these sculptures.)
Ferocious Bronze, curated by Dr. James Grebl, showcases 28 of Putnam’s amazing animal pieces. They were selected from the over 100 pieces that the San Diego Museum of Art has in their collection. This special exhibit was inspired by another Balboa Park institution: the world famous San Diego Zoo! They are now celebrating their centennial year!
If you happen to be in San Diego, and if you love fine art or have a special place in your heart for wild animals, I recommend that you head over to see Ferocious Bronze at the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park! This very cool exhibition runs through October 11, 2016.
Big Combat, Arthur Putnam, undated. Photo courtesy San Diego Museum of Art.Ambling Bear, Arthur Putnam, 1910. Photo courtesy San Diego Museum of Art.Fighting Buffalo, Arthur Putnam, 1900. Photo courtesy San Diego Museum of Art.Lynx Ready to Spring, Arthur Putnam, 1909. Photo courtesy San Diego Museum of Art.The Indian, Arthur Putnam, 1905. This amazing sculpture stands on San Diego’s Presidio Hill beneath the Serra Museum.The Padre, Arthur Putnam, 1908. This sculpture stands among some trees on San Diego’s Presidio Hill beneath the Serra Museum.Wild Cat, Arthur Putnam, 1908. Photo courtesy San Diego Museum of Art.
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People enjoying the beach by the Ocean Beach pier are joined by a mythical god and two sunning mermaids!
If you’re in Ocean Beach this week, there’s a good chance you can still enjoy a fantastic sand sculpture created by a talented street artist. Just head down to the base of Newport Avenue!
I don’t know the artist’s name. I did learn that he doesn’t have a website. His buddy was watching over the artwork when I walked past it. He said people should just drop on by and check the sand sculpture out! I thought all that inspired work deserved a nice tip!
Very cool!
The sea wall at the end of Newport Avenue, north of the OB pier, is a good place to see a variety of street performers.Two sand sculpture mermaids created by a talented street artist near the Ocean Beach boardwalk.Neptune is popping up out of the sand at Ocean Beach!
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of fun photos for you to enjoy!
Heading down the Bayshore Bikeway on Coronado Island, with a bit of downtown San Diego in the background.
My random walks around San Diego are full of surprises. I’m always excited to stumble upon one of those immensely fun sculptures that used to be part of the Urban Trees exhibitions on the Embarcadero.
From 2003 to 2011, seven different Urban Trees projects were funded by the Port of San Diego. Each exhibition featured about 30 unique sculptures, standing downtown at intervals along San Diego Bay. This public artwork was made from a whole range of different materials, including wood, copper, glass, tiles and steel. The fanciful pieces were selected by juried artist competitions, and when the Urban Trees exhibitions came to an end after about one year, many of the creations were sold by the artists to various collectors, institutions, businesses and public entities.
So there are times when I just can’t help smiling, because I happen to encounter one of the transplanted “trees” during a walk.
Perhaps you’ve already seen a few of these highly creative sculptures on my Cool San Diego Sights blog. If not, then click here.
My Bike, by Amos Robinson, 2008. This inventive kinetic sculpture turns in the wind. It was part of the Port of San Diego’s fun Urban Trees 5 exhibition.A steel bicyclist with wildly blowing hair flies through the blue sky past some Southern California palm trees!This colorful sculpture was part of Urban Trees 2. It’s called A Different But Loving Pair, by Cecilia Stanford. It’s made of handmade tile and mosaic.Whimsical public artwork that now stands across the parking lot from the Port of San Diego building on Pacific Highway.Visitors to San Diego’s Embarcadero walk past a looming dragon!Sea Dragon, by artist Deana Mando, 2006. This fantastic creation was part of the Urban Trees 3 exhibition. It’s now seen by many people.My walks around San Diego are frequently interrupted by dragons and other very cool sights!
UPDATE!
Here are a few more photos of three Urban Trees in front of the Cruise Ship Terminal! (I took the following pics in early 2017.)
Three sculptures by the San Diego Cruise Ship Terminal on the Embarcadero were part of Urban Trees exhibitions in past years.Green Fire, Robert Verhees, 2006.Tap Root and Growth, Christopher Lee. I can’t find a year.Orange Tree, Guy and Ellen Mayenobe, 2007.
ANOTHER RANDOM UPDATE!
Some of the Urban Trees that have been acquired by the Port of San Diego are moved around from place to place. I’ve observed that the Sea Dragon was moved to Pepper Park in National City in early 2017.
I’ve also noticed from the window of the trolley that the Fish Tree by Zbigniew Pingot and Tobias Flores, which used to stand with those three other sculptures in front of the Cruise Ship Terminal, is now located in the northwest corner of the Port of San Diego’s parking lot! A Different But Loving Pair no longer occupies that corner of their parking lot! Where it is, I don’t know!
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Seven curving metal palm trees rise into the beautiful San Diego sky at Bayfront Plaza.
These are photographs of “living metal” under changing skies. Since 2008, seven stainless steel abstract palm trees have stood in front of San Diego’s Bayfront Hilton, moving gently on windy days. I’ve taken many photos of these unique sculptures over the years. They were created by artist Ned Kahn.
Wind Palms, Ned Kahn, 2008. Stainless steel kinetic sculptures in front of Hilton San Diego Bayfront.People walk beneath unique tree-like art between the San Diego Convention Center and the Hilton hotel.The silvery, sun-reflecting stainless steel ribbon “leaves” of the Wind Palms move very slightly in the sea breeze.Looking upward at different geometric patterns. The curving fronds rotate when the wind’s direction changes.Seagulls circle high above the palm-like kinetic sculptures on a gray, cloudy day.Walking along near the Hilton, heading toward the edge of San Diego Bay.Shining trees in a cloudless blue sky.
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Many outdoor sculptures are being introduced into Balboa Park. The exhibit is titled Art of the Open Air. It’s a unique project of the San Diego Museum of Art.
During the past week, a number of sculptures in the San Diego Museum of Art’s collection have been carefully moved into the Plaza de Panama, a large outdoor gathering place in Balboa Park. For the next two years, anyone in San Diego will be able to freely enjoy the sculptures, and see them in changing light, beneath different skies. Moving such large pieces has taken a lot of work, but I noticed today that the installation, titled Art of the Open Air, is approaching completion.
Included in the unique outdoor exhibition are works by world-famous artists Joan Miró, Auguste Rodin and Tony Rosenthal. I wasn’t able to approach the artwork too closely–right now, while the sculptures are being readied, they’re still roped off. The same goes for a new piece in the museum’s May S. Marcy Sculpture Garden, which I also photographed from a bit of a distance. I put some identifying information in the photo captions.
Art of the Open Air is set to run from February 11, 2016 through February 13, 2018. I can already see that Balboa Park is going to be more lively and interesting than ever!
Alexander Calder. Spinal Column, 1968. Steel. A sculpture being installed in the San Diego Museum of Art’s outdoor May S. Marcy Sculpture Garden.Lynn Russell Chadwick. The Watchers, 1960. Bronze. Now stands in Balboa Park’s beautiful Plaza de Panama, part of the Art of the Open Air exhibition.Auguste Rodin. The Prodigal Son, 1905. Bronze. Installed in the northwest corner of the Plaza de Panama, where the sculpture Youth Taming the Wild (Horse Trainer) used to stand.I can’t find anything about this piece, but it seems strangely familiar. If you know what it is, leave a comment! UPDATE: I learned the bronze sculpture is called Mother and Daughter Seated, by Francisco Zuniga, 1971Two very fine sculptures that will soon will be approachable in Balboa Park’s Plaza de Panama.Joan Miró. Solar Bird, 1966. Bronze. Standing guard near the entrance to the San Diego Museum of Art.Tony Rosenthal. Odyssey III, 1967. Aluminum.Photo across front of the San Diego Museum of Art, the north end of Balboa Park’s Plaza de Panama. Outdoor art is being installed.Luis Jiménez. Border Crossing/Cruzando el Rio Bravo, 1989. Fiberglass with acrylic urethane finish. Stands outside the May S. Marcy Sculpture Court and Panama 66.Monumental totem-like sculpture depicts artist’s immigrant grandfather carrying wife and son, crossing the Rio Grande from Mexico.A large sculpture seems to stride into the life-filled Plaza de Panama in San Diego’s historic Balboa Park.
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