Channel your inner sculptor with Build a Bigger Sand Castle Classes on Siesta Key. Photo courtesy of Mitch Guerrero.

Anyone strolling down Siesta Key during the Crystal Classic International Sand Sculpting Festival knows sand castles are anything but child’s play. Sand sculpting is an exciting art form that allows artists to channel their creativity while marveling at the natural wonders around them. With Learn to Build a Bigger Sand Castle classes by Mitch Guerrero, a professional sand sculptor, anyone can create their dream sand castle.

Guerrero, who hails from a family of artists, first learned about sand sculpting in 2015 from a passerby marveling at the sphinx he was building on the beach with his son. He began practicing his skills and participating in competitions. “When I was at a level where I could teach, I figured that I could pass on the art form to others. I’m a big family person, and I decided that this would be a great experience for families,” he says.

Since 2018, Guerrero has led sand sculpting classes on Siesta Key. Participants learn advanced techniques and don’t rely on buckets or other plastic molds to shape their structures. “Everything is hand carved. I teach students how to use tools and specific methods, like wet stacking, where they fill a bucket with water and sand to create supersaturated sand patties to carve. Students use finer tools to create overhangs and other features. With pencils, they draw in 3D details like doors and windows that pop off the castle and don’t look drawn onto the surface, and also work with paintbrushes to polish the castle and make it look like stone.” Lessons last two and a half hours, and while most participants opt for the classic castle project, more advanced return customers get to try their hands at other types of sculptures.

Even though sand castles, by their very nature, are fleeting, Guerrero takes advantage of modern 3D printing technology to preserve students’ creations. He captures the castle’s image and prints the model of the castle, a product called the Forever Sand Castle. A photo of the participants next to their real-life creations is pasted underneath the model. Students can add the Forever Sand Castle, which Guerrero ships to them, to their class package. “I hope I’m imparting some of my love for the art to these families,” he adds, “and so creating a core memory.”

Visit https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/907189?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=a5f720ee-cd3f-4acb-af26-50b67681897c to book a class. Learn more about The Forever Sand Castle at theforeversandcastle.com.

Channel your inner sculptor with Build a Bigger Sand Castle Classes on Siesta Key. Photo courtesy of Mitch Guerrero.