The Amazing Stuff

For many people, summers are spent building forts and castles on the shores of oceans and lakes, or burying a patient parent up to the neck. And then there are the true sand artists, who create soaring, monumental sculptures out of the famously ephemeral substance. They work for hours creating detailed pieces with the full knowledge that they will, in a short time, crumble back into the natural shoreline. One such artist is Carl Jara, who has been creating these sculptures for 20 years, and loves every moment of it.

Hailing from Cleveland, Jara creates massive sand sculptures in his spare time.

Flickr / Carl (Carl Jara)

He travels to shorelines across the country and participates in competitions and exhibits with other sand artists.

Flickr / Carl (Carl Jara)

Flickr / Carl (Carl Jara)

Here, you can see how Jara uses the natural texture of sand in contrast with smoothed planes to make his sculptures all the more striking.

Flickr / Carl (Carl Jara)

His attention to texture is incredible.

Flickr / Carl (Carl Jara)

His ability to create stability and balance out of nothing but sand is pretty impressive, too.

Flickr / Carl (Carl Jara)

Flickr / Carl (Carl Jara)

Flickr / Carl (Carl Jara)

Flickr / Carl (Carl Jara)

(via Ufunk)

Be sure to check out Jara’s Flickr page, where you can see more of his sculptures, as well as the sculptures of his fellow sand artists, who are also all insanely talented.

When you’re walking along the beach, you’re bound to bump into some sand castles. It’s simply part of the beach-going experience! What you probably don’t see, however, are these exquisite sand sculptures. If you do manage to see one of this sculptor’s pieces on the beaches of Hawaii, consider yourself lucky. You’re not only witnessing a professional artist’s work, but also a project that won’t last until the end of the day.

Calvin Seibert creates these geometric sand castles, drawing inspiration from architects like Frank Gehry and the Bauhaus movement.

Flickr / Calvin Seibert

We’re not quite sure how Seibert manages to get such control over a material like sand, but by his own admission, each castle is “a bit of a test.”

Flickr / Calvin Seibert

He doesn’t start out with a fully formed idea, but rather makes general forms and shapes. He then refines them as he goes, creating a spontaneous sculpture that will never be duplicated.

They look at once like futuristic alien cities and ancient ruins.

Flickr / Calvin Seibert

They don’t just have to look like castles. “In my mind, they are always mash-ups of influences and ideas,” Seibert says. “I see a castle, a fishing village, a modernist sculpture, [and] a stage set for the Oscars all at once.” He also says that the most successful sculptures are the ones that take on an organic shape and could potentially keep going. “I am always adding just one more bit, and if time allowed I wouldn’t stop,” he says.

Flickr / Calvin Seibert

With no set idea, Seibert lets his sculptures take their own forms.

Flickr / Calvin Seibert

Of course, time doesn’t allow Seibert to just keep going. Building on the beach has its own set of challenges. “Nature will always be against you and time is always running out,” he says. “Having to think fast and to bring it all together in the end is what I like about [building sand castles].”

As you might expect, these sand castles don’t last very long.

Flickr / Calvin Seibert

They’re eventually destroyed by the wind and the tide. One castle was even flattened by a group of rambunctious kids, but it was all in good fun and Seibert captured it on film.

Even though they won’t last, the sand castles can get really complex.

Flickr / Calvin Seibert

Flickr / Calvin Seibert

(via Colossal)

In all, Seibert spent 30 days on the beaches of Hawaii creating these sculptures, and while they no longer exist, we’re happy that they were at least immortalized on camera. There are many more of these sculptures that you can see in Seibert’s Flickr album. And the next time you’re on the beach, see if you can make a geometric sand castle yourself!

Sand is perfect for ephemeral art. See what these other artists have created with it:

Summer is finally here, which means it’s time to start planning your dream vacation. Instead of going to your usual spots or moving further inland, why not discover some of the dreamiest beaches on the planet?

These amazing beaches are the places you’ve dreamed about for years. The sand, the water, and the atmosphere at these locales are unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before.

Catch a flight, pack your bathing suit, and soak up some sun at these beautiful sandy getaways.

Papakolea Beach, Hawaii

Zack Travel

This beach is covered in green sand, which gets its color from a mineral left behind by a volcanic eruption 49,000 years ago.

Sculpture by the Sea, Sydney, Australia

Visual News

This beach hosts a long-running sculpture competition, during which artists from around the world build sculptures to amaze both tourists and locals.

Big Major Cay, Nassau, Bahamas

Flickr / cdorobek

In addition to lounging on well-kept sandy beaches and swimming in crystal clear waters, you can actually hang out with the water-loving pigs that frequent this unique spot.

Kaihalulu Beach, Maui, Hawaii

Explorra

Like Papakolea Beach, the sand at this beach acquired a strange hue after a volcanic eruption thousands of years ago.

Barra Airport, Traigh Mhor, Scotland

Oddee

In addition to being a lovely beach, it is the only beach in the world that doubles as a runway for airplanes.

Gulpiyuri Beach, Llanes, Spain

Oviedo

This beach stands out from the rest because it’s entirely inland, far away from any other body of water.

The Baths, British Virgin Islands

Flickr / Jeffrey Schwartz

Likely caused by volcanic activity and subsequent erosion, these hidden streams are surrounded by giant boulders, offering a more intimate beach experience.

Schooner Gulch, Mendocino, California

Flickr / Doreeno

Created by a geological process called “concretion,” this beach’s finest assets are the spherical rocks that line the shore.

Chandipur Beach, Bay of Bengal, India

Flickr / Subhashish Panigrahi

At low tide, the waters at this beach clear out for three miles, leaving a much longer shore in their place.

Baia do Sancho, Pernambuco, Brazil

Roberto Faccenda

This crescent-shaped Brazilian beach is surrounded by stunning cliffs and sparkling blue water. It’s often considered to be the most beautiful beach in the world.

Seven Mile Beach, Negril, Jamaica

Flickr / Michael McCarthy

Despite the name, this serene beach is only six miles long, but it’s lined with palm trees and beautiful white sands, making every stroll along the shore worthwhile.

Punalu’u Beach, Hawaii

Flickr / Russ Alman

The onyx sands at this beach were also created by volcanic activity. This unique beach in Hawaii is also home to many rare species of birds and turtles.

Paradise Beach, Kos, Greece

Flickr / Anna and Michel

This beach’s name is more than fitting because of its tree-lined shore and crystalline waters.

Maho Beach, St. Martin

Flickr / Global Panorama

This beach is beautiful by itself, but what makes this place even more special is that planes fly directly overhead before landing nearby.

Jokulsarlon, Iceland

Flickr / Moyan Brenn

This Icelandic paradise features glacial remnants on the beach and in the water. It’s also a beautiful place to view the Northern Lights.

Boulders Beach, Cape Town, South Africa

Flickr / Graeme Churchard

If you’re looking to swim or soak up the sun, then this beach is perfect. As an added bonus, visitors can hang out with the penguin colonies that call this beach home.

Algarve Caves, Portugal

Flickr / PortoBay Hotels and Resorts

These pristine waters flow between amazing above-ground caves, making a trip to the beach a delightful expedition.

Vik Beach, Iceland

Flickr / Emtewee

This beautiful black beach is the product of volcanic activity in Iceland, thousands of miles from its Hawaiian counterparts.

As someone who just came back from the local beach, I can tell you it was a much-needed and well-deserved getaway. But maybe I’ll visit one of these stunning beaches next time. They look like the most magical places on Earth.