Brian Wigelsworth

Brian has been creating in sand from a very early age.  Naturally artistic he loved working in many art mediums.

Later in life he went to school for Commercial Design and Illustration and started his own studio art company in Minneapolis. He loved entering amateur sand sculpting events with his family. After he retired  from a successful art career, he returned to amateur sand competitions, then moving up to state competitions, until he was invited to a Master level competition in Ft Myers Florida, where he met true experts of sand and found himself in a whole new class of artists.  It wasn’t long before he started his first sand sculpting company creating beer displays inside grocery and liquor  stores Gold Coast Eagle Distributers.  Growing his business he then dreamed up the “Siesta Key Crystal Classic International Sand Sculpting Festival” in Sarasota, Florida.  With the help of the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce and local businesses like the Best Western Siesta Key, Smith Architecture and others, they brought his dream to fruition. He now has partnered with Sculptor Andy Daily with their company “SandVenture Crew”, with clients like Hyundai, Marriott, New York Life, Loreal, Peterbuilt, Margaritaville Clothing, The Inns of Sanibel and many more.

The Crystal Classic has become an incredible event in the community for over a decade now, and with the Siesta Key Chamber and our local’s help, will only become better every year.

Thank you so very much to everyone who contributes and attends.

Matt Long

Since 2001, Matt Long has created innumerable sand sculptures around the world for every type of event imaginable. From small but impressive table-top sand sculptures at trade shows to sculptures well over a hundred tons. They are always suited to the client, well thought out, and skillfully designed.

Matt has placed in four World Championship Competitions and was a cast member for the two-season run of the Travel Channel Show Sand Masters. He has created sand sculptures as far away as Thailand and New Zealand to Times Square and Rockefeller Plaza. Matt has also designed and patented Can You Dig It Sand Tools that are used by participants in all his team building events. www.sandsculptor.com