Hi, I’m Carl Jara. I’m actually a pretty simple guy, When I'm not hanging out with my amazing daughter, I enjoy woodworking, gardening, food, a good book, and beer.

I have two of the most envied jobs in the world; exhibits creator for the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and professional sand sculptor. I’ve earned the opportunity over the last 32 years to travel the world, win six dozen or so medals, and to work with and compete against almost every sand sculptor in the business, many of whom have become like family.

I create sand sculpture because I worship it, it is my spiritual experience. It is my opportunity to illustrate the profound changes, moments, and efforts of my own personal narrative and it gives me great pleasure to be able to share it with you.

My name is Ludo Roders and I come from the Netherlands.

I graduated from Rotterdam Willem de Kooning art academy. Not long after my study in painting, drawing and print techniques I got in touch with the world of sculptures of sand, ice and snow. Ever since I have been developing my skills and broadening my view by participating in festivals and competitions all over the world.

In the winter of 2021, I was the winner of a Dutch Television show Ice Masters. A competition on TV between six ice sculptors with four episodes. An amazing experience that I will never forget.

My sculptures are sweet symbioses of dream and reality. They breathe a magical and poetic atmosphere, something that is also often to be found in my paintings that I create in my studio.

Visit my website if you want to see more: www.ludoroders.com Or my Instagram: @ludoroders

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The Dutch artist Maxim Gazendam was born in 1981 in The Hague (NL) and studied Architecture at the Delft University of Technology.

During his studies he accidentally came into contact with sand sculptures. An afternoon of building sand sculptures for adults (as a team building workshop) laid the foundation for his later career in this field. Simultaneously with his studies at TU, Maxim developed his qualities in sculpture and design. In the meantime he himself gave the conscious workshops for team building activities to the business community.

Under his leadership, more than 10,000 people have followed the sand sculpture building program. Slowly but surely he received more assignments worldwide for the creation of professional sand sculptures, which was sometimes a logistical puzzle in combination with his teaching program and exams at TU Delft. After graduating in 2005, he was awarded the title of Master of Science of Architecture and decided to continue as a full-time sand artist. He started his one-man business under the name Puremaxim. In that period he made many sculptures with an architectural touch. His designs now have a very wide range of themes, but are always characterized by his own characteristic clean lines.

Over the years, in addition to creating sculptures himself, he has also developed the skills to set up, supervise and carry out complete exhibitions and events; whether or not in collaboration with an international team of sculptors. Several international prizes have now been won to his name. Follow him at Facebook and Instagram @puremaxim.