Most of us have had a go at building sandcastles at some point in our lives, but our creations probably amounted to little more than a few stacked buckets of sand. For sculptor Janel Hawkins, however, sandcastle building has become a career. She creates elaborate sculptures in all shapes and sizes, and even hosts sand-building classes and events on beaches across Alabama and Florida. Hawkins began making sand sculptures while in college and, over time, honed her skills and gained enough experience to launch her own company, Sand Castle University, in 2017. Today, the business employs a team of five expert instructors and creates custom sand sculptures for events, from architectural forms to company logos.
