PORT ANGELES — Shopping and sand carving today will start off the Arts in Action festivities, which culminate this weekend.
The sand for the eight sculptors on Hollywood Beach has already been “pounded down” by mechanical packers and is ready for the carving to begin first thing today.
The elaborate sand sculptures will be evaluated by a panel of judges, as well as being open for a “people’s choice award” and a “sculptors’ choice award.”
The sculptures are part of the eighth annual North American Masters Invitational sand sculpture competition.
The competition is the main event of the Arts in Action festival put on by Nor’wester Rotary Club.
Eighteen downtown stores will participate this weekend in a “sidewalk sale,” some of them beginning today.
The stores are Sterling Impressions, Unique Treasures Mall, Teenie Queenie, Cottage Queen, Bay Variety, Waterfront Art Gallery, Aglazing Art Studio, Athletes Choice, The Toggery, Country Aire, Olympic Stationers, Odyssey Bookshop, Family Shoe Store, Tiger Lily Clothing, Rick’s Place, Brown’s Outdoor, Steppin’ Out Salon and Port Book & News, according to the Port Angeles Downtown Association.
Although Victoria 3-D chalk artist Ian Morris was scheduled to create a chalk drawing at the Conrad Dyar Memorial Fountain at First and Laurel streets, a family issue will prevent him from making an appearance this year, said Doc Reiss, who organizes the sand sculpture contest.
“Jackson [Smart] will be down there working on the mural, though,” Reiss said.
The finished sand sculptures can be seen beginning Friday. They can be viewed from City Pier at no cost. To walk through the gallery will cost a $1 admission, which also provides four votes toward the people’s choice award.
The theme for this year is “Legends of Science Fiction.”
Competing for the adjudicated contest are Carl Jara, Damon Langlois, Damon Farmer, H. Firat Uysal, Fred Dobbs, Sue McGrew and Jeff Strong.
Dan Belcher will be the “artist in residence” after winning the competition two years in a row.
“Carl [Jara] is the only one to have done that before,” Reiss said.
“We started that because we felt like if you were winning two years in a row either we weren’t working hard enough to find you good competition or you are simply that good and should take a step back and let others have a chance.”
Arts in Action will also include a street fair on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at City Pier.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladaily news.com.
