The Difference Between a Dreamer and a Quitter:
Featured Artist Dave Dandron

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA
August 2008

I first met Dave Dandron on the beach outside a resort in Florida last summer. Dave is a sand artist working and living on the beautiful beaches of Daytona Beach. Although unassuming by nature, Dave sometimes attacts a flock of observers to his sculptures-in-progress as he spends sometimes days creating them. His sand and wood artworks have been featured in publications regionally and nationally, but his greatest accomplishment is the way he approaches life and his attitude about his circumstances...

Sand Artist Dave Dandron

To a painter such as myself, sand seems such a fickle and unforgiving medium, but Dave has learned to adapt to his medium of choice. "Sometimes I spend the first hour just hiking in sand 50 pounds at a time," he explains. He uses white sand for its texture and appearance, but the white sand has grown more scarce on his home beaches through the years.

Dave's scultping process is similar to creating in other forms. It all begins with laying a foundation by mounding up massive quantities of sand in the general shape of his subject. Dave's sculptures sometimes require nearly 1,000 pounds of sand. What seemed most surprising is the amount of water needed during the creative process. Visitors to the beach might not notice the frequent treks Dave makes to the water to fill up his water jugs. Dave has mastered knowing the exact amoung of moisture needed throughout his layers of sand and always keeps water at his side. Dave doesn't use any fancy tools to create his artwork. His main instruments are his own two hands, but he also uses whatever implements may be at his disposal, including sticks and twigs, palm fronds, and rocks and shells.

The amount of detail Dave creates through his meticulous process is amazing. Some of Dave's recent work includes an enormous Great Dane dog, a large mermaid, and he often creates his specialty, friendly gnomes, when nothing else inspires him. Dave's textural effects accurately capture whatever the subject requires, whether it is hair, scales, or flesh. The most unfortunate part to me, as an artist, is that Dave's sculptures are not permanent. The inevitable storm, wind, weather, or even inconsiderate vandals, can destroy work that Dave took days to create in a matter of minutes.

Dave's philosophy as an artist, and human, help him overcome any negative factors in his art or life. Dave explains, "There will always be negative people and negative forces that will try to knock you down. That's the difference between a dreamer and a quitter. Sometimes people fall down and they just stay down. The key is to get back up and still follow your dream." With this attitude and philosophy, it is no wonder that Dave and his work have become a Daytona Beach tradition. Wherever you are, Dave, I hope you're doing well. Everyone else reading this, if you're ever in Daytona Beach, look for the man carrying gallon jugs from the water and creating stunning sand sculptures for the world to appreciate.

---Written by Member Artist Scott Plaster