Stampede sand sculptures bring Western art to BMO Centre
Ten sand art installations created by six international sculptors are on display throughout the Stampede venues.
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Six sand sculptors have crafted 10 Western-themed sand art installations now on display throughout Calgary Stampede venues, including the BMO Centre concourse, Western Oasis, The Market, and Community Square.
The project was led by Karen Fralich, a five-time sand sculpting world champion and founding member of SandQube. She recruited Rusty Croft, a California-based artist, alongside Isabelle Gasse, Guy Olivier Deveau, Abe Waterman, and Marie-Line Gagne. The sculptors worked live in front of spectators during the first week of Stampede.
The largest piece, the Heavy Horse Show sculpture displayed in the Western Oasis, took 70 to 80 hours with a team of four and weighs 40 tonnes, standing roughly 10 feet high. A second sculpture depicting Stampede founders Guy Weadick and Flores Ladue weighs roughly 30 tonnes. The remaining pieces weigh in the five-tonne range.
Each sculpture required a full day of prep work — shoveling sand into a pile, compressing it, and letting it sit overnight before carving began. The sand was provided by AG Baxter. Spectators of all ages have been enjoying the displays, from children posing with the Heavy Horse piece to older attendees studying the details.
