Fast forward to September 12, 2001. There are few things capable of completely changing one’s outlook on life. The events of September 11th 2001 were certainly more than enough to create a cause to pause and reflect on one’s life. I can’t say that immediately after the events unfolded on that tragic day that I somehow knew that I would be making a life altering decision in the near future. I did  know deep down that life as we all knew it would be changing. Perhaps it was that knowledge alone that drove me to be in control of exactly how my life would change.

As the surreal images continued to flood the airways and fill television screens for what seemed like endless hours , days and weeks on end, the image of how my life would change direction began to take shape. Out of the suffering of others, I felt a deep need that demanded to be filled. Now more than ever I was more focused on sharing my art with the world. Art, much like music has the ability to inspire others.Ithas the innate ability to uplift he spirit and help heal. i could see no other direction that my life could possibly take from there after.

Fast forward to September 12, 2011. As I sit here typing these words, a full 10 years and one day later, I know that I have been transformed by those events. I have since devoted my full-time career to my art. In 2006 after several years of increased focus pushed unconsciously by way of the events of 9-11, I successfully made the transition to a full time artist. It is only now that I see that. It would seem, to me any way, that tragedy can also be a powerful motivator. Some how I know that I am not alone and that countless others have walked on the same path. I think we all owe that to those that gave their lives on that day.

On September 17, 2011 I will be unveiling a special sand sculpture dedicated to everyone living and deceased that have been touched by the events of 9-11. At The 2nd Annual Braveheart Awards I am hoping to continue to uplift and inspire everyone in attendance… one grain at a time!

With three simple words, I can provide solutions to all of these challenges; ‘ Professional Pumpkin Carver”. In the past few years Halloween has grown wildly in popularity, rivaling only Christmas as the number one spending holiday. This surge in popularity has spawned a new breed of extreme artist.

The professional pumpkin  carver is born  from a combination of talent and demand. They have elevated the ordinary jack-o-lantern to a new level of amazing art. It takes more than just being able to carve a cool pumpkin to be considered a professional pumpkin carver, however. A true professional needs to be able to maintain a consistent quality of work while meeting the demands of many clients at once. Whether it’s a live performance, or a simple centerpiece for a wedding, it is imperative to follow through on each project with passion and integrity.

The great thing about working with a professional pumpkin carver is that the art form transcends all social barriers. What began as a form of folk art in Ireland, where locals would carve turnips, has risen to entertain the masses at venues from county fairs to five-star cocktail parties.

The value in hiring a true professional pumpkin carver will be easily apparent the moment you begin your search. There are literally less than a dozen such professionals in the United States and many of them book up weeks, months and in some cases years in advance.  So start your search early and don’t give up hope, if you can’t get someone for your next event , find out from the artist when he or she is available, by being flexible you will increase your chances for a successful booking and a really cool entertainment experience.

Sand sculpting events appeal to a wide range  demographic and are in most cases family friendly events. This makes them an attractive option for local communities, marketing agencies, the hospitality industry and even the local and nationally media outlets. A well-organized sand sculpting festival can generate millions in economic stimulus and inspire social change.

Community benefits. A well produced professional sand sculpting event can give a community  positive name recognition. Many communities struggle to find an identity of their own that helps them stand out, not only in their own region, but on the world stage.  Such was the  case for the City of Revere , home of America’s first Public Beach.  In the early to mid part of the 20th century, Revere Beach thrived as a vacation destination for thousands of people each summer. It’s beach side charm and Coney Island sensation kept people coming year after year. In the later part of the 20th century  Revere struggled to hold onto that reputation as a family fun destination. The amusement parks were replaced by ugly towering cement condos.  Crime and gang violence took a tight hold on the area. In 2004 Fitzy Snowman Sculpting proposed a sand sculpting event that would turn all that around. The event was initially met with resistance from members of the Revere Beach Partnership who had been unsuccessful in previous attempts to create a signature event for the city. Those critics were soon silenced in the Summer of 2005 when close to 100,000 people flocked to the beach to witness history in the making. The three-day event had been dubbed one of the most successful events not only in the city of Revere but in the entire state of Massachusetts.  Fitzy Snowman Sculpting was not only able to design a first year event that made a profit, but also accomplished every goal  that was set forth in the mission plan. The event garnered positive national media coverage and more importantly, the approval of the entire community.  As a direct result of the creation of that event, hundreds of millions of dollars have been dedicated to the improvement and redevelopment of the region. Additionally millions of dollars have been infused into the local community through increased area tourism  since the creation of the event.

Social impact. Events like this have also  has a huge social impact. Prior to the event in 2005, civic pride in the City of Revere was at an all time low. Since then however, the positive impact  has given residents and community leaders something to brag about. Once a city that was better known for political corruption and gang related crime, Revere is now well known on the world stage as a sand sculptors paradise.

It is important to note that simply hiring a professional sand sculptor will not guarantee you a successful event. There are multiple facets to any  event such as logistics, promotion, marketing, PR and communications and social media. Without someone on board who has  the understanding and expertise in all of these areas, the road to a successful event can be a long painful journey. To learn more about creating a successful sand sculpting event in your community, check out the contact page here and drop us a line.

Intellectual rights In almost every instance it is the photographer that owns the intellectual property rights of his or her photos. The confusion seems to arise when those photos contain works of art. When a photo contains something that is protected by copyright law such as a painting or sculpture it can not be reproduced without permission from the creator of the painting or sculpture. Even if only a portion of the painting or sculpture appear in the photo, permission still may be required. There is no set standard on how much of the work appears in the photo. The key  factor is something referred to as “substantial part”. If a recognisable element of a sculpture is featured on a photo no matter how small, permission for use is required.

Some exceptions If a photo is used for a news story or as part of a critique then no permission is required for  one time use. Additionally if a sculpture or work of art is on permanent display in a public area then there are no restrictions set on commercial use. This rule does not apply to works of art on temporary display.

Known violations You may think that professional photographers are the biggest offenders of these rights. The truth is that professional photographers are well aware of copyright and intellectual property law. Many of them have been exposed to the same infringement  as the artists and sculptors I have mentioned in this article. With the age of the cell phone camera and photo sharing sites like Flickr and Facebook it is not only the average person but also a horde of internet entrepreneurs that have taken the top honors when it comes to copyright infringement. There are currently no less than two dozen iPhone and Android apps that contain unauthorised use of professional sand sculptors artwork. In addition get rich overnight bloggers regularly steal these images from Flickr accounts to attract more visitors to their blogs.

Stop the abuse I’m not advocating a massive class action law suit to put an end to this rampant abuse of intellectual property rights. There are easier ways you can help put a stop to this abuse and protect your intellectual property rights. To report violations in the Android market follow this link. To report violations to the Apple market follow this link. The best way to protect yourself as an artist is to be aware. Try doing periodic searches on the internet. A good search term is “sand sculpture calendars”, another is” sand sculpture photo books”. If you find any evidence and feel your rights may have been violated, try contacting the author or publisher directly. It never hurts to try to settle these disputes out of the court room. If you feel you are not getting any results, it may be time to contact a copyright attorney. The next time someone asks to take a photo of one of my sand sculptures I will kindly say, “yes, for  your personal use only.” If someone is thinking about using my work for profit, hopefully this will kick-start the necessary conversation…One Grain at a Time.

I hope you all enjoy!

At a recent public event in Yarmouth MA, vandals destroyed roughly 40 hours of hard work that my team and I had put into a centerpiece sculpture for the Summer Kick Off Celebration. My team and I were just finishing up breakfast and getting ready to hit the beach for our second day of carving when I got the call from parks and recreation director Pat Armstrong. I could tell by the tone of Pat’s voice that something was wrong. ” You’re not going to see what you left last night” , she said, noticeably upset. “It’s pretty bad.” My first reaction was to remain calm and try not to over react.  When we arrived on scene, we found that the top three feet of our ten foot sculpture had been knocked off and all of the carved detail that we had done the day prior was wiped clean. In its place were scratch marks, gaping holes and the word sorry scratched into the surface.

 At that point my team and I could have given up and  explained to Pat that recovery from such a devastating attack was not possible. What we did do, after the police had finished with their initial investigation of the scene, was get right back to work with our trademark “failure is not an option” attitude. Fortunately for us, we had done such a good job prepping the sand, that it was  difficult to do little more than surface damage to the sculpture. The main body, less three feet in height, was still intact. We made a promise to Pat and the residents of Yarmouth that our finished design would be even better that our original plan. That  same spirit was also reflected in a particular group of life guards who volunteered to hold nightly watches over the sand sculpture to prevent the possibility of future attacks.

Over those next two days, as we completed the sculpture the outpouring of support from the community leaders , residents, media and tourists was incredible.  What ever the vandals were trying to achieve by destroying our hard work, they failed. The one thing they did do was bring added attention to sand sculpture as a legitimate form of public art.  Thousands of people turned out to view the progress of the sculpture and many more will continue to enjoy it over the next few weeks. Yes, I think we kept true to our promise to Pat and the Town of Yarmouth.Our sculpture was received very well by the thousands who came to see it. We were even able to include an additional element into the sculpture to pay tribute to all the life guards that graciously volunteered their time to watch over it each night.  There were a few people who were quick to blame the attack on the irresponsible young people. I will make the point that this group of young people, under the direction of Pat Armstrong, were some of the most admirable group of people that this artist has ever met.

The police are still investigating the incident. While it is not the crime of the century, destruction of public art is considered a felony in most states. If the suspects are caught, I would suggest to the judge hearing the case to consider having them volunteer to help us prep all the sand for next year’s event. Perhaps if they experience all the hard work that goes into creating a sand sculpture , it will make them think twice about ever destroying one  again…One Grain at a Time.

1. Know your budget Even if you haven’t decided on a final budget for your project, you should at least have a vision of the scale of your project. By knowing the scale of the project and it’s level of importance to the over all event or presentation, the artist will have critical information needed to present several options that will fit that need.
2. References and examples Don’t be afraid to ask for references. I am always more than happy to provide references on request and have created a whole page of testimonials  for my potential clients to review. Also, ask if the art samples you are viewing  on a company’s website are done by that artist that will be working at your event.  Many companies  use sculptors for hire. This a common practice and one that I do not particularly frown upon unless there is not full disclosure to the client prior to booking. About 95%  of the work featured on my site was created by myself or my very talented  wife of 24 years. If a client is taken by a particular sculpture that was created by one of my associates, I always make the best effort to make a direct referral to that artist.
3. Know who you are hiring To elaborate on what I’ve mentioned in the previous paragraph, It is important to know who will actually be creating your project. If the person you are speaking with is not the artist who will be creating your project, be sure to ask to see examples  of the artists work and how long this person has been working a professional sand sculptor. There are a few companies that have a history of sending underqualified artists out to projects. Many problems can arise from this practice other than the obvious poor quality of work. It takes many years to develop the skills to operate as a professional sand sculptor. Even if the person is an extremely talented artist, there are many other skills required to make a project run smoothly. Without the necessary experience of dealing with logistical issues, having strong communication skills and the ability to problem solve, new artists can quickly get overwhelmed with a project. I make it a strict rule to only work with the most experienced and talented artists in the industry. We also run extensive background checks on all the artists  that we contract and maintain a no tollerance drug policy.
4. Best Business Practices Realistically there are only a handful of legitimate professional sand sculpting companies in the US. When searching for professional sand sculpting companies however, you may reveal hundreds of results. So how do you distinguish the real companies from the part-time hobbyist? The easiest way is to ask for a certificate of insurance from the artist. Only companies with active business licences can obtain liability insurance. This will also protect you and your company in the event of an unexpected accident or mishap. I’m proud to report that I have maintained a spotless safety record since my company was established in 2000. That said, accidents do happen and it’s always a good idea to request this document.
5. Trust your instincts Once you have narrowed your search to a few top results, it’s time to establish your initial contact. Whether you do this by email or by phone, it’s important to pay attention to the details of that first contact and simply trust your instincts. In my experience, a delay in more than 24 hours to respond to an email or phone call is a bad sign. In any business it is critical to maintain an open line of communication with your clients at all times. Of course there are always exceptions to this rule, but if you are having a difficult time on the second or third attempt it’s probably wise to move on in your search.
6. Look for a diverse portfolio When you are searching for someone to create that perfect sand sculpture you probably have a specific idea in mind. If not, you want to be confident that the artist you are working with will be able to provide a wide range of options. If all you see are castles and you are looking for a classical greek depiction, these guys may not be for you. Another thing to look for are artists that are skilled in multiple mediums. Artists that work in more than one medium tend to be more creative and flexible. This also gives you the convenience of one stop shopping. You may find that in addition to needing a sand sculpture exhibition that you also need an ice sculpture for a cocktail party. At Fitzy Snowman Sculpting , we offer many different carved mediums such as sand, snow, ice, pumpkins and many types of fruit.
7. Be realistic Calling me or any professional sand sculptor a week before a special event or promotion is not the best idea. Often there are multiple issues that need to be solved, not to mention, there really aren’t a lot of us out there, so the chances of landing someone truly talented are very slim. Also, keep in mind that you are hiring a performance artist. I don’t know this for sure, but I imagine Leonardo may have gotten a little grumpy if you wanted to ask him repeated questions while he was painting the Sistine Chapel. Professional sand sculptors thrive in that enviroment. Your event is our studio and your guests are there for us to entertain. That kind of talent is hard to find, and doesn’t come at discount prices. Sand sculpture represents one of the best values in experiential marketing and performance entertainment. If you follow this simple guide you will get to experience that value first hand. Or just give me a call, I’ll explain  everything… One Grain at a time!

 DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF By looking at the big picture and taking time to appreciate the many blessings that each one of us has in life we can shift our perception of overall happiness. If you spend your days focused on your daily struggles instead of taking time to appreciate things like your health, your family and your friends, than your chances for overall happiness drop significantly.  Each one of us needs to take a few minutes each day to focus on one or more positive things in his or her life. By doing this you are making a conscious decision to be happy.

I HATE MY JOB It is a well documented fact that many Americans are unhappy with their current job or position at their place of employment. Being unhappy at your place of employment is similar to having a chronic illness. There are only two solutions to this problem. In order to determine which solution is right for you need to consider the source of your unhappiness. If you like your position and what you are doing, then most likely, the source of your unhappiness is in your work environment or perhaps the process you are required to follow. By first identifying the source of the problem and then making a rational list of possible solutions you will have the necessary tools to confront your employer to initiate positive change. If you simply confront your employer with a blanket statement of  ”I’m unhappy and I don’t know what to  do”, you can expect a response that is very similar to your statement. By taking the time to examine possible solution you will, at the very least, be able to start an open dialog to initiate  a solution.

 The other possible source of your unhappiness is that you simply have grown tired, lost interest or simply had a different perception of what your job was going to be like. One of the biggest questions facing everyone is ,”What do I want to be when I grow up?” Many of us choose a career based on financial successes. Too often we overlook the most important question when choosing a career path and that is ” How will this position fulfill my personal goals, dreams and passion?”  The solution to this problem is a bit more complex and requires a lot of self-reflection. By focusing on what you are truly passionate about you will be able to define a clear picture of possible career paths.  Here is a basic scenario. You spent many years going to nursing school, get a job in a prestigious medical practise and after a few days, weeks, months or even years, you suddenly realise that you hate nursing!  You could just suck it up and carry on with your initial career path, or if you really want to be happy you can take action. Perhaps you like painting or riding horses or camping. What ever it is that  you find comfort in, has the potential to become a successful career path. Take a serious look at these passions and consider all the possible ways you could take these interests and support your self  by doing what it is that you already love doing. I’m not recommending that you immediately quit your job as a nurse and jump blindly into the horse breeding business. Rather I’m suggesting that you try new things, experiment with these passions  in your spare time. Most importantly, what I’m suggesting, is that you make time for yourself to try these new things.

OVER COMING FEAR Fear is the number one obstacle that prevents most of us from achieving true happiness. The fear of failure often stands in the way of us trying new things. In order to over come this fear you need to be willing to accept the possibility of not succeeding on your first, second or even 100th attempt. It took Thomas Edison 1400 attempts to invent the lightbulb. Imagne if he gave up after only a few tries.  Failure is a necessary step in success. The important thing is to learn from your failures as well as the failures of other. Research your passion. Talk to others in the field. Don’t be afraid to ask what you may perceive as a dumb question. The only dumb question is the one not asked.

THE JOY IN HELPING OTHERS Sometimes it’s the little gestures in life that can change your day. Holding a door for a perfect stranger or spending time with an elderly neighbor can brighten that person’s day as well as your own. Consider how you can use your talents to help others. Write a blog, paint a picture, lead a class field trip. You will find that perhaps the most rewarding thing in life is spreading happiness to others. Be conscious of people around you. Happiness can be contagious, help spread some today…. One Grain at a Time!