Winter 2024

gular, rustic wood frame containing a palette of finely packed sand on which he carves such things as company logos for events that can be erased and used over and over. Think of it as a vertical Etch A Sketch made of sand. “Sculpting comes naturally to me, and I sculpt with pretty much anything I can get my hands on,” he says with another laugh (as one might expect, he laughs a lot). At present, there are a few of Croft’s sand sculptures in the area. One commemorates the 90th anniversary of Big Sur’s River Inn and two adorn the grounds of Hacienda in Carmel Valley. However, his unique craft has taken him up and down the California coast and to far flung parts of the planet. 2014 saw him in Rio de Janeiro for an attempt at the Guinness Book’s world record for the tallest sand sculpture. His work is whim- sical and, in many cases, seems to defy gravity and credulity. Croft and business partner Kirk Rademaker traveled the world as “Sand Guys” and had a reality show on the Travel Channel called “Sand Masters.” (Left) This realistic and masterful homage to Clint Eastwood is outside the saloon at Carmel Valley’s Hacienda. (Right) Horses are a recurring theme in Croft’s work, whether rendered in sand, steel or ceramic media. 134 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 4 Photo: Courtesy of Rusty Croft Photo: Courtesy of Rusty Croft Photo: Kelli Uldall