Face of Nation : For Quebec City’s Marc Lepire, building sandcastles is much more than a hobby: it’s a full-time job and part of a family legacy.
Lepire was one of the master sculptors whose work was on display at the Wonders of Sand festival in Gatineau, Que., on the weekend.
As Lepire explained, carving fine sculptures out of sand requires plenty of creativity — especially when it comes to tools.
“You can use anything. Almost every carver has a different kind of tool,” he said.
Lepire uses straws, spoons and peanut butter jars to build his sand creations.
Knowing how to shovel and compact the sand is key to a sturdy sculpture, he said.
“You need to pack the sand very well. We use a [60 centimetre tall] wooden box.”
It takes nearly a week to create a major piece and it can easily end in tears, Lepire said.
“Almost every contest I do, at least one or two [sculptures] collapse during the contest because we push the limit.”
Lepire is known for his elaborate pieces.
One of his favourite creations was modelled after Cinderella’s castle at Disney World and stood more than eight metres tall.
Lepire comes from a family of sculptors.
His father, Michel, started out as a maître d’hôtel, carving ice sculptures to decorate wedding buffets. In 1996, he opened his own ice sculpting business.
Lepire learned the craft from his dad, and the two began competing together in both ice and sand sculpting competitions around the world.
Father and son picked up new skills and techniques at international competitions to enhance their elaborate creations (they learned the peanut butter jar trick from a Russian competitor).
Lepire’s father died a year and a half ago, but the carving trade will remain in the family: Lepire is now passing the craft down to his son, Matthew.
“Matthew is not bad at it, and we work well together,” Lepire said.
Even when Lepire is on vacation, he doesn’t take time off from sculpting.
“I prefer to bring my tools over my clothes on vacation,” he laughed.
He just returned from a trip to Mexico, where he filled his suitcase with tools for building in the sand.
“I am still a kid, but the sandbox is bigger than me now,” Lepire said.
