Karen Fralich
Karen Fralich | |
|---|---|
.jpg) in 2016 | |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Known for | sand sculpture |
| Website | sandqube |
Karen Fralich is a Canadian artist known for sand sculpting. Based in Guelph, Ontario, she is a five-time sand sculpting world champion and has been a judge on the reality television show Race Against the Tide since 2021.
Life
Fralich began sculpting as a teenager after being enrolled in a seven-week pottery course by her mother.[1] She was introduced to sand sculpting in 1994 while working in a pottery studio.[2][3] Fralich spent four years training in the filed while working as a manager of a McDonald's restaurant.[4] She has been sand sculpting full-time since 2000.[5] One of her first commissioned pieces was a 500-tonne recreation of the Emerald City from the The Wizard of Oz.[2]
Fralich is a five-time world champion sand sculptor.[1][6] She participated in an international sand sculpting competition for the first time in 1998, competing in Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia.[1] In 2004 she was named the First Place Solo World Champion at the same competition for a Haida-inspired entry that included recreations of First Nations elders.[5]
In addition to sand sculpting competitions and commissions, Fralich has created numerous pieces for the Canadian National Exhibition. In 2014 she was made a 100-tonne of a scene from The Empire Strikes Back.[7] Five years later she created a piece in honour of the Toronto Raptors following their NBA championship win.[1]
Fralich has been a judge on the Canadian reality television show Race Against the Tide since 2021.[2] She was initially hired as a consultant on the show, but she was moved to an on-camera role.[6]
References
- ^ a b c d Pare, Mark (6 August 2022). "Guelph woman, world champion sand sculpture, goes with the grain". GuelphToday.com. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- ^ a b c Nickerson, Cara (28 July 2022). "This former Burlington resident is a sand sculpting champ. She's also a judge in a Race Against the Tide". CBC News. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- ^ Kim, Peter (18 August 2014). "Sand sculptor paying tribute to Star Wars at the CNE". Global News. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- ^ Kipling, Kay (30 October 2019). "Sand Sculptor Karen Fralich Returns to This Year's Siesta Key Crystal Classic". Sarasota Magazine. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- ^ a b Nanton, Katie (2011). "Sand Sculptures by Karen Fralich". NUVO. Summer. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- ^ a b Yanchus, Kathy (16 July 2022). "Burlington world sand sculpting champion turns judge on new CBC show". thestar.com. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- ^ Warren, May (17 August 2014). "Burlington woman turns building sandcastles into full-time job". thestar.com. Retrieved 1 September 2022.