Castaways draws beach crowd

A plethora of talented artists packed Rockingham foreshore with their unique sculptures on the weekend for the annual Castaways sculpture awards.

Now in its fifth year, the exhibition offers artists the opportunity to create a sculpture out of recycled and aluminium components and display their works on the beach.

Curator Lyn DiCiero said artist selection was a strict process.

‘‘We look at aesthetics, the structure and how stable it is going to be, because it has to be strong enough for the structure to stay on the beach the whole weekend,’’ she said. ‘‘We narrow it down to the very best to ensure we always have a really good exhibition.’’

More than 90 artists entered this year’s event with only 52 successful applicants.

Bertram artist Jacq Chorlton was accepted in to the exhibition for the fourth consecutive year, with her sculpture A Snail with Tales.

Mrs Chorlton said she was inspired to make a snail sculpture by one of her children’s favourite books, the Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson.

The $5000 prize went to Lewis Horne for his DIY Rocket. Other winners were Jayden Bestal for Progression, Carmel Warner for Rapid Growth and Carol Clitheroe for Displaced.