PORT ANGELES — In the final day of the 11th annual Windermere Sand Sculpture Classic contest, Damon Farmer of Versailles, Ky., won the People’s Choice Award for “Do Not Feed the Bears,” Steve Zenovic, co-chair of Arts in Action, announced Monday morning.
Farmer also won first prize in the juried contest, and created a noncompetitive display sculpture outside the Windermere Real Estate office at 711 E. Front St., Port Angeles.
The sand sculpture contest was part of the 48th Arts in Action Festival at Hollywood Beach at the foot of Lincoln Street.
The sculptures are expected to remain intact and viewable for about a week before the drying of the sand causes them to become unstable and collapse.
The People’s Choice award was selected by visitors who placed quarters and dollars in jars at each sculpture location.
The dollars go to the sponsoring Nor’wester Rotary Club for its community and international service projects.
“The little details, it’s just fabulous,” said Susan Cange, 64, of Sequim, who was admiring the sculpture of sand bear trying to finagle an ice cream cone from a girl.
However, Cange said she preferred “Zoom,” which featured an elephant with a mouse on its trunk.
The winner was the sculpture that earned the highest amount of money in its respective donation jar.
The five master sand sculptors competing in this year’s contest also served as the judges in the juried contest, with results announced Saturday afternoon.
Sue McGrew of Tacoma received second place for “Momma’s Baby,” and Brent Terry of Seattle was awarded third for his sand igloo for “Have an Ice Stay.”
Cash prizes were given to the top three winners: $300 for first place, $200 for second place and $100 for third place.
Other sculptors with creations on display are Craig Mutch of Vancouver, B.C., with “Tribal Zoo” and Sandis Kondrats of Latvia, who made “Zoom.”
A community sculpting team from Merrill & Ring also created a sculpture, which was not a part of the judging.
The contest presented by Windermere Real Estate is also a qualifying contest for the World Championship of Sand Sculpting.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
