Sand sculptor pleasing crowds for the love of it

GEELONG sand sculptor Ian Zulic has been delighting Barwon Heads beach goers in recent months with his whimsical creations of people, animals and mystical figures beside the bridge to Ocean Grove.

The sculptures can take him a full day to create, and depending on the tide they can be gone within minutes.

But images of his works captured on camera continue to generate interest and affection online long after the subject has ceased to exist.

Mr Zulic cited a recent piece that read “your not alone” as one example where he posted the images to the Surf Coast Community page on Facebook and “created a bit of conversation.”
“Some people asked about the spelling as it didn’t have the ‘re, and then others jumped in and said ‘Leave it alone, the work is great.’ I was just happy it started a conversation,” he said of the piece that was inspired by a mental health campaign in his workplace that he’s been involved in.

The shift worker has been pursuing his out of work passion for sculpting with sand since he and his children first created a dragon on a Queensland beach over 20 years ago.

“When I go to the beach, the missus sunbakes and I do sand sculpture.

“I absolutely love it, I go there and lose myself in it and lose track of time.

“I love the sand there… and the water is right there, whereas at Ocean Grove I have to walk half a mile to fill a bucket,” he said of his repeat visits to Barwon Heads.

“And its sheltered, but I have done them practically at all beaches along the coast.”

His creations are never planned and eventuate from a mound of compacted sand.

After he starts to carve, the process takes him away.
“It might start out to be an animal and becomes a person,” he said.

Outside intervention also plays a part in the creations; on more than one occasion a curious child has accidently knocked the face or head off a sculpture forcing him to change tack, but he’s unfazed when it happens.

“I love when kids join in, their parents say I’m the best babysitter ever,” he said.

“I love seeing the enjoyment on their faces and some are really easy to teach, they’ll follow to a T.”