Calvin Seibert was born in Colorado, USA. After graduating from the School of Visual Arts in New York, Seibert came up with the idea of creating sandcastles on the beach. He traveled to many different beaches to create unique sand sculptures, inspired by the Brutalist style (emphasizing simple structural measures and the rustic expression of natural stone, brick and wood).
In addition to sculptures that are simple in form, such as stacked rectangles, Seibert creates works of astonishing size and architectural complexity. The dramatic angles and curves make the pieces appear to defy gravity and be indestructible.
Seibert says he uses only a simple set of tools, including a trowel and buckets of sand, and shapes the sandcastles by hand.
Seibert's sculptures often take the form of castles or cities. Many of these sand cities come to life as real cities, with people living within them and winding paths leading from one building to another.
Calvin Seibert doesn't usually plan out the shape of his next piece. He does some research and sketches, but when he starts working, Seibert can come up with a new idea and start working on it immediately without thinking or calculating.
Building sandcastles like this is a race against time, Seibert says. High tides, wind, seagulls and children are just some of the obstacles he must consider when starting a project. But with more than 30 years of experience building sandcastles, he usually goes with his gut when choosing a location for his creations.
Some pictures of Calvin Seibert's impressive sculptures:
