Here at the studio, we have a massive soft spot for the Redcar and Cleveland district. We’ve been lucky enough to collaborate with their team many times over the years—most notably working alongside them every winter to bring the festive magic of the Saltburn Ice Trail to life.
But summer belongs to the coast! For the past two years, we’ve been honoured to join them at the annual Redcar Kite Festival, delivering hands-on sand sculpture workshops and live beach carvings. When the council asked us back for another two days of sandy creativity this year, we happily accepted.
Artists Dave and Dan packed up the tools and headed over to Redcar. Little did they know, day one would start with a completely different kind of coastal creature…
A Very Special Guest: The Great Seal Rescue
Right after arriving on the beach to set up, Dave and Dan spotted a tiny, vulnerable pup. A little seal all on its own on the sand.
Dave immediately jumped into action and called the local marine life rescue team. But a rescue takes time, and a busy beach can be a scary place for a lost pup. This is where the Redcar council team proved, once again, why they are so incredible to work with.
They immediately rushed down and set up a secure boundary around the seal, keeping a watchful eye out to ensure curious onlookers and dogs didn’t get close enough to scare it. Thanks to a swift, coordinated effort between Dave, the rescue team, and the fantastic council staff, the little seal was safely collected and brought to a sanctuary. Talk about a memorable start to the weekend!
Rainy Days, Brilliant Imaginations at the sand sculpture workshops
With our flippered friend safe, it was time to get down to the workshops. Dave has run the sessions at Redcar before and always raves about how warm, welcoming, and enthusiastic the local community is. This year was no exception.
We set a loose theme of “Sea Creatures,” but we always encourage people to let their imaginations run wild. The Redcar locals did not disappoint! While we saw plenty of ocean life, the workshops also produced:
- An incredibly detailed elephant
- A pack of roaring dinosaurs
- SpongeBob SquarePants
- And even a “Jellycat” plushie Croissant
The British summer weather decided to give us a classic challenge: the days were blustery with spatterings of rain. But did that stop the people of Redcar? Not a chance! Families showed up with smiles on their faces, ready to pack sand and carve masterpieces.
High-Flying Views
If there is one upside to blustery, windy weather on a beach, it’s that it makes for perfect kite-flying conditions.
Right next to our workshop station, the competitive kite flying was in full swing. Whenever Dave and Dan looked up from the sand, they were treated to the spectacular sight of massive, colorful, and intricate kites dancing and competing in the wind. It provided the ultimate backdrop to a fantastic weekend.
Thank You, Redcar!
We had an absolute blast, and we are already crossing our fingers for an invite to next year’s festival.
A massive, heartfelt thank you goes out to the Redcar and Cleveland Council team. You are always so supportive, organized, and amazing to work with—and your quick action to save that little seal made this trip truly unforgettable.
Until next time, Redcar! Keep carving and keep flying.
