Sand sculpture

By Susan Misur
Special to the Register
MILFORD — Beachgoers in Milford created a sandstorm of a different kind Saturday at Walnut Beach.
Hundreds of people covered the beach, observing, digging, carving and shuffling sand around for five hours for the 30th annual Great American Sand Sculpture Competition. Of the 58 entries, 16 were named winners in the family, friends and clubs, and individuals categories.
Steve Warzel and his friend, Ellen Croll, both of Milford, entered Saturday and said they have won the contest in previous years. Their inspiration Saturday came from the video game, "Guitar Hero."
"He’s an amalgam of a character from the game and bands like Kiss," Warzell said of the sand man he was gently shaving and sculpting.
"It’s amazing when you look around and see the different ideas people have," Croll said as she studied the rock ‘n’ roll character’s hair to see if it looked too long.A few feet down the beach, Milford resident Dee Baker, her daughter, Brittney Baker, 10, and some relatives were sculpting a mermaid. The group gathered sea shells to arrange as the mermaid’s teeth and styled her green seaweed hair.
Josh Woyciesjes, Brittney’s 9-year-old cousin, said they began by digging a pile of sand and shaping the mound into a mermaid shape. Josh’s sister, Alicia Woyciesjes, 10, said the group chose to design a sand mermaid because she made one in her Girl Scout troop.
"We did it before in our Brownie troop and thought it was pretty," she said.
This was the first time the family attended the contest, and they plan on coming again next year, Baker said.
"The kids did a ton of the work. We did a lot of digging, but they made the teeth, hair and necklace and put shells on the body," Baker said as she stood back to admire the finished product. "They really did a good job."
Other creations included race cars, turtles, ducks, a gnome, a snowman, soda bottles, a treasure chest and a banana split.
Fran Breban also chose an ice cream theme, and titled her melting ice cream cone, "Oops," which won first place in the Individuals 17 and Up category. The Milford resident said this was her fourth time entering the contest and that she, too, had won in previous years.
"It’s so much work. The higher and bigger the project, the more sand you have to dig up. I spent at least half the time digging," she said.
"That’s making me hungry," exclaimed Valerie Scicchitano as she paused to look at the six-foot-long ice cream cone.
Scicchitano, of Long Island, said she was visiting friends in Milford. When she saw a nearby sculpture of a capsized boat and oncoming submarine, she declared the ice cream and boat entries her favorite.
"Look at this detail," she said as she watched Brad Conant, 36, mold a sand submarine and blow excess sand crumbs away with a straw. "This guy has a straw in his mouth, he knows what he’s doing."
She stood with a growing crowd behind Conant, a resident of West Haven and professional sculptor for a company making prosthetic limbs. Conant said he’s entered the contest in previous years and typically uses a beach theme for his creation.
"I wanted to play on different themes like ‘The Old Man and the Sea’ and ‘20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.’ I thought it would be fun for people to see," said Conant
As he carved, bystanders called out guesses, ideas and comments, to which he credits his motivation.
"The reactions people give, it’s why I keep coming back," said Conant, who won Best In Show.
Contestants were judged on originality, detail and difficulty, said contest judge David Konopacke of New Haven.
Milford Fine Arts Council Executive Director William Meddick, who organized the event, was pleased with the turnout and quality of work.
"It’s such a nice thing for families and neighbors to do together," he said. "That’s what you want the arts to do — involve all people. Everybody can be an artist for a day."