John Gowdy

Sculpting Since:  1990
Location:   Jersey Boy, now living in Italy

John isn’t your average retired Atlantic City firefighter.  In fact, there’s nothing average about John at all.  He’s been fighting fires since 1980 and sculpting sand since 1990.  He retired as a Fire Captain in 2006, moved to Italy and became a full-time (and already internationally acclaimed) artist in several media.  He sculpts in marble, as well as sand.

And he paints the world’s leading personalities in minutes, using a technique he calls “Flying Colors.”

John has helped bring sand sculpting into the public consciousness with appearances on The Discovery Channel, the syndicated Martha Stewart Show, and The Travel Channel’s Sand Wars. He’s a hero in his native Atlantic City, and to sand aficionados everywhere.

Notable Achievements:

• Many first place awards worldwide as both amateur and professional
• Winner of “Sand Wars” on The Travel Channel
• Created and presented a sand replica of the Pontiff’s Argentinian Cathedral to Pope Francis at the Vatican
• Performed his “Flying Colors” for Queen Elizabeth on her Diamond Jubilee

Website: http://www.johngowdy.com