PORT ANGELES — Carl Jara’s “Alien vs. Bender” sand sculpture won the People’s Choice Award in this year’s Windermere Sand Sculpture Classic, event organizer Doc Reiss announced.
Jara’s piece, which features the creature from the movie “Alien” and a robot from the cartoon “Futurama,” had already won the $1,750 first-place prize in one of the most competitive contests in the eighth-year event held at the Port Angeles City Pier.
The theme for this year’s sand sculpture contest, which was held in conjunction with the Arts in Action festival, was “Legends of Science Fiction.”
Reiss said the turnout for this year’s contest surpassed the crowds seen in recent years.
He estimated that 5,000 came through the sand sculpture gallery and about 20,000 attended Arts in Action, organized by the Nor’wester Rotary Club of Port Angeles.
The sand sculptures have been on display since July 23. Judging was held on July 24. The People’s Choice Award was determined by those who visited the sand gallery over the past week.
A close second place to Jara, who is from Cleveland, was the Star Wars-themed “Luke & Leia” sand sculpture made by Sue McGrew of Tacoma. Second place won a $1,250 prize.
Damon Farmer of Versailles, Ky., earned the $950 third-place prize for his “Radio Visions,” which depicts a small boy listening to the radio.
Dan Belcher of St. Louis, who served as this year’s artist in residence and was not eligible in the judged contest, won the $500 sculptor’s choice award for his H.G. Wells “Time Machine” creation.
Other sculptures were “Planet of da Apes,” by Fred Dobbs of Victoria; “I’ll be Back,” by H. Firat Uysal of Erdine, Turkey; and “The Three Laws,” by Damon Langlois of Victoria.
Strong, Dobbs, Uysal and Langlois each received $650 for “showing up and finishing.”
Vandals hit sculptures
Last Wednesday, vandals removed most of the faces from the sand sculptures.
“They got damaged again,” Reiss said.
“That’s the way it goes in sand sculpting.”
The sculptures were still at the City Pier on Sunday afternoon. Reiss said they will be removed this week.
For winning first place, Jara is automatically qualified for the 2011 world championships held in Federal Way. The 2010 world championship begins Sept. 8 in Federal Way.
A photo of Jara’s sand sculpture is featured on www.popularmechanics.com.
Glacial till used in the sand sculptures will be stored at R.J. Services in Port Angeles, Reiss said.
Reiss said the eight sand sculptors enjoyed the sci-fi theme.
“It’s something that they all the sculptors got into,” Reiss said.
“They thought it was a brilliant theme.”
Judging was so close that the top four sand sculptures were virtually tied, Reiss added.
“It was that strong of a competition,” he said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
