Non-Competing Master Sculptors
It's not all about winning, it's about having fun!
You don't have to compete in Texas SandFest to enjoy all the fun of creating sand sculptures. These artists have sculpted under the Port A sun just for fun. Learn more about these sculptors below.
Emerson Schreiner - Sand Lessons
Emerson is a painter and sand sculptor from West Michigan. He now lives in Galveston, Texas where he runs the Galveston branch of Sandy Feet Sand Castle Services. Emerson has been giving sandcastle lessons and crating sand sculptures for events and competitions for many years and has taken home prizes in several Master's events, including Siesta Key's Crystal Classic, Texas SandFest and South Padre Island's Sand Castle Days. When he's not on a pile of sand, you can find him climbing rocks, playing guitar or trying to make friends with the local cats.
Linda White - Sand Lessons
Bio coming soon
Mitch Guerrero - SWAT Team
Mitch is going on his 9th year as a sand sculptor and his 6th year as a Pro-am sculptor. This will be his third season at his favorite contest ever - Texas SandFest! Mitch has decided to take his passion for art and sand sculpting and make it his full-time career in 2024. In October of 2023, he decided to walk away from a 23-year desk job as a senior website designer to pursue his love for this art form and his love for art in general. When he is not competing, Mitch likes to teach sandcastle lessons to tourists on Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota, Florida. As a 4th generation artist, he also loves to draw, paint and use clay to create sculptures. He is currently learning more about sculpting and art under the tutelage of master clay sculptor Keith M Christopher. Famous artist and painter Norman Rockwell once said, "The essence of art is not perfection, but the expression of the human spirit." No doubt 2024 will be a year of artistic growth and expressing his spirit through sand sculptures and other mediums.
Laura Gowdy - SWAT Team
Bio coming soon
Delayne Corbett - SWAT Team
Bio coming soon
Tyler Morris - SWAT Team
Tyler Morris is a Texas Native. Multi-Medium Artist in Sand sculpting and Pastel Chalk art having 22 pieces on display at University Hospital and Methodist Texsan Hospital in San Antonio. Tyler started Sand Sculpting right here at Texas Sandfest in 2001. Competing as a Team Duo with his wife Lauren and as a Solo, Tyler has won multiple metals at Texas Sandfest. Also competing at multiple other events winning medals in solo and duo categories at Blue Water Sandfest in Port Huron, Michigan. Texas SandFest, Port Aransas, TX. Crossroads Sandfest in Hearne, TX. Fireworks on the 4th Sand Sculpting competition in Austin, TX., and at the American Sand Sculpting Championship at Fort Meyers Beach, FL. Tyler is a Career Veteran Flight Paramedic and Firefighter from the small town of Rio Vista, Tx. Now resides on his farm near Floresville, Tx with his wife Lauren and his twins Jarrett and Macie who all three compete here at Texas Sandfest also winning multiple medals in the Amateur and Youth division. “Every year has been such a journey. I take every competition as an opportunity for me to enjoy the amazing people I meet across the Country in the large but small world of sand sculpting. I would not be here today without the support of my amazing family who shares the same passion in sand sculpting and the selfless opportunities given to me by several of the master and semi pro sculptors, most of them you will see here competing, coordinating, or on the board of directors for Texas Sand Fest. Getting to spend all day the sand over the years soaking up every given opportunity to learn from the best sculptors in the world is a true blessing and has been some of the best times in my life. Thank you to each one of you.”
Andy Hancock - Working Sculptor
Marie-Line Gagne is an artist fueled by boundless creativity and a love for the whimsical wonders of nature. Since 2017, she's been carving her path, quite literally, in ice, snow, wood and sand, transforming dirty logs, frozen landscapes and sandy beach shores into vibrant masterpieces that capture the public imagination. She had been seen surfing her professional waves not only in national and international competitions but also on TV realty shows with her funky participation in Race Against the Tide season 3. With every stroke of her chisel and every grain of sand, she continues to spread joy and wonder with her ephemeral art, proving that sometimes, the best way to leave your mark on the world is to sculpt it with a smile.
Walter McDonald - Working Sculptor
Amazin' Walter By Christy Atkinson (Walters Daughter) Amazin' Walter has competed at almost every Texas SandFest. He has competed as a solo and with several different partners. Mostly with his daughter, Christy, together they have won 9 awards at Texas SandFest. At 82, he is the oldest sand sculptor in captivity. This year, he will be celebrated in the new "Celebrity Corner" inside the gallery alongside the other Master sculptors. Stop by and say Hi and take a pic with him! Walter has popularized and perfected many different techniques for building sand sculptures. He hand-stacks the sand like pancakes to make towers and arches, then carves them into whimsical castles. Folks the world over are amazed by the detail and beauty of his castles. Walter is also known as the archwizard and is famous for including an outhouse in every castle that he builds. Things you may not know about the Amazin' Walter... Originally from Orange, Texas Married to Lucky Laurie Gaudi for 10 years, dated for 19 Built his first sand castle for money in 1985 He writes and plays his own songs on guitar, ukulele and 3-string cigar box guitars Also plays the harmonica (Don't ask him to play the trombone, yes he has one) Is a very good dancer Is an award winning photographer and has worked at several newspapers Had one brother and a half-sister Has one daughter and once son-in-law that he adores Is an excellent pool player and plays one-handed, left or right Vows to have 1000 projects started before he departs this world Likes to play games and is good at them His front porch hammock is his happy place Worked at the Balloon Guy, twisting balloons at Blackbeard's Restaurant on SPI for 25 years Makes jewelry and dabbles in bone/ antler carving as well as pottery Was featured on the first Get Dirty, Play in the Sand T-Shirt (and all the rest, save one) Has participated in Sand Blasters and Race Against the Tide reality TV shows. Built a sandcastle for Oprah in the Bahamas. Has been on Texas Country Reporter with Bob Phillips, twice and is in the book. Tried to run away with the circus, but had to give it back. (Joke) All in all, Amazin' Walter is still dazzling his admirers with all the crazy stuff he does. Who knows what his next adventure might be. Be sure to stop by the celebrity corner and meet the legend. Become amazed and inspired by his talent and smile.
Christy Atkinson - Working Sculptor
Bio coming soon
Fred Mallet - Working Sculptor
Bio coming soon
Wendy Williams - Working Sculptor
Bio coming soon
Suzanne Altamare - Master Sculptor Coordinator
Suzanna Altamare began sculpting sand in 1982 and has created mainly "soft sand sculptures" (no compaction or forms) but works also in compacted sand. She began coordinating sand sculptors at SandFest in 2025. She chooses and invites sculptors, decides the theme for display sculptures, designs and supervises the building of display sculptures, then runs the contest. Suzanne loves gardening and cat rescue. Her (TNR) Trap Neuter Return colony of cats numbered 60 just 20 years ago. After years of "trapping" and "fixing" the colony is down to 15 with no kittens in 7 years. She sees sand sculpting as a means to bring imagination out for everyone to see. Hopefully it inspires viewers to try the impossible. And yes, coordinating sculptors IS like herding cats.