THE SHAPE OF THINGS: One of professional sand sculptor Matthew Deibert’s latest projects is a creation at the top of the 68th Street ocean beach entrance in the Brant Beach section of Long Beach Township. One side celebrates the 250th anniversary of the United States, and the other side depicts a mermaid, treasure and a sunken pirate ship. (Photos by Ryan Morrill)
Over the course of just a few days this month, sand sculptor Matthew Deibert turned 20 tons of special packing sand deposited near the ocean beach entrance at 68th Street in Brant Beach into an impressive sculpture. One side of the formation commemorates the United States’ upcoming 250th anniversary, while the other side depicts a mermaid, treasure and a sunken pirate ship to delight visitors to this Long Beach Township location.
Farther south on LBI, at Fantasy Island in Beach Haven, Deibert is now at work on a sand creation that features both a new ride and a departing ride, with the amusement park’s train choo-chooing around the site of the piece. Deibert has created sculptures at Fantasy Island for nearly two decades, he said last Friday while taking a break from the sandy endeavor.
Deibert, 61, is a native of Atlantic City – “the birthplace of professional sand sculpting,” as noted on sandcreation.com – with a background in graphic design. He founded his company Sandcreation in 2017 following a 23-year career as a professional firefighter.
“I gave up the best job in the world for the second-best job in the world,” he remarked.
In addition to his artistic talent, Deibert’s career in sand is bolstered by his love of the sun and surf. “I was a lifeguard for 10 years,” in high school and college, he noted. “I’m a big beach guy.”
As his website states, “Sandcreation is a testament to Matthew’s decades-long dedication to the art of sand sculpting. As a world champion sand sculptor and professional sand artist since 2000, Matthew has been shaping works of art from sand for all types of events. His passion extends beyond the art itself; he thrives on the performance aspect of sand sculpting, engaging audiences in the creation process and entertaining them with his expertise.”
Deibert took first place in the world championships in 2003, and won the Travel Channel’s “Sand Wars” in 2013, along with his oldest son, Ian.
“Sandcreation is a family affair, with Matthew’s six children actively involved,” the website explains. “Ian, Matthew Jr. and Liam have been carving and competing alongside their father for the past decade. The company has left its artistic imprint around the globe, participating in international competitions and earning accolades … and contributing to events like the 60th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, France.”
Last month, in Daytona Beach, Fla., Deibert and his team carved a 10-foot-tall Castle Grayskull-inspired sand sculpture to celebrate the upcoming “Masters of the Universe” movie – one of many projects Deibert has embarked on during what he says is shaping up to be his busiest year ever.
As Deibert explained, his creations start out with “good construction, packing sand” rather than beach sand. He wets, packs and tamps the sand, with boards and bands used to keep the sand in place. Then, it’s time to carve.
“The sun is my friend; the sun bakes the sand,” he pointed out.
To ensure the sculpture will last longer, it’s sprayed with a mix of diluted glue and water, helping the creation to withstand rain and wind.
Last year Deibert constructed a sand sculpture salute to fire responders on the 68th Street beach entrance – his first partnership with Long Beach Township – and he said it lasted the entire summer. People misbehaving, rather than weather, is what typically destroys the creations in the end, but the Brant Beach location seems to be a great spot to build, as everyone has respected the work and left it to stand.
More sculptures are to come this summer, and Deibert will also be teaching some upcoming camps, including one in September on Atlantic City beaches that’s run through Stockton University.
Sand fans can check out Deibert’s work on sandcreation.com and stay up-to-date on his whereabouts and projects by following instagram.com/sandcreationnj.
— Juliet Kaszas-Hoch