COIMBATORE: It’s surprising to know how much effort it takes to build a sand castle. While making sand castles on beaches is more of a hobby, sand sculpting and sand art are turning into a potential career for many.
S Loganathan, a student of Government Kinathukadavu Higher Secondary School, winning a sand sculpting competition in 2018 at the State-level was a turning point for art teachers of the school. The students have been exploring their interest in sand art in the last three years thanks to the efforts of art teachers S Kausalya and SR Rajalakshmi.
They have won many State and National-level sand sculpture competitions held in Kala Utsav, conducted by the Ministry of Education. With the students emerging victorious, the next move is to turn this into possible careers. The teachers are seeking proper training from the School Education Department.
S Kausalya, who has worked for five years at the school, told TNIE, “When we taught drawing to students in 2018, the State government introduced ‘Kalai Aruvi’ programme comprising nine types of competition including sand sculpture. I told Loganathan, who is good at drawing, that he must participate in the competition.”
She said she too was unaware of sand sculpting at first. However, after spending considerable time researching, she trained him under the topic - ‘Don’t Cut Trees’. Loganathan won block and district-level competitions and secured first place at the State-level. “This motivated us a lot. Following this, we started to focus on sand sculpture and started raising awareness on it,” she said.
So, what do you need to get into sand art? Well, firstly, Kausalya opined that only those with a knack for drawing and who can think creatively can learn this art effectively. Sand, water, brick trowel, aluminium channel, and colour powders are enough to make one, she noted. “To make a proper sand sculpture, we should spend at least `10,000, which is expensive for students. With support from the headmaster and other teachers, we spent more than `1 lakh to train them. So far, seven students are being trained,” she disclosed.
In 2020, student S Kiruthika won third place in the national-level sand sculpture competition in Kala Utsav. She told TNIE she was hesitant to take it up at first. “However, Kausalya teacher encouraged me. So, I started to learn about sand sculptures and she trained me and even spent money from her pocket. It kindled my interest. After placing third last year, all I want now is to get first place in the Utsav.”
She won third place in Kala Utsav by exhibiting 3D sand sculptures about Tamil folk arts including Therukoothu (street performance), Mayilattam (peacock dance) and Oyilattam (folk dance). This apart, she had already placed first in the National Youth Festival competition in 2019.
Teacher SR Rajalakshmi said sand artists in the State could be counted with fingers. “If students develop their skills in this art form, they can truly shine and showcase their talent.” She added that they could pursue their Bachelor’s in Fine Arts (BFA) (sculpture, painting, etc) at Fine Arts College and that a tonne of job opportunities await them. “During the training, we also explain about the prospects of choosing this stream,” said Rajalakshmi.
The art teachers suggested the School Education Department find out students interested in this art and train them with the help of art teachers. School headmaster K Krishnamoorthy told TNIE their school in Coimbatore was one of the forerunners in identifying talent and encouraging them. Recognising the efforts of the students and art teachers, he said, the school prioritises sand sculpting and is taking special efforts. Alumni of the school, most of them working abroad, also lend financial support to prod the sand sculpting activities, he noted.