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ABOUT:
SANDTOPIA is the brain child of Rich Varano
SANDTOPIA is a subsidiary of Varano Sand Sculpture Company LLC (VSS)
VSS was established in the early 1980's and since that time, Varano has traveled the world over continuously, working in the industry and competing in the sport, making friends and acquaintances in the business along the way. Today he is networked with hundreds of people in the business around the globe and has numerous associates on six continents.
SANDTOPIA Sand Sculpture Parks
are gated admission entertainment and cultural events that utilize the captivating
medium of world class sand sculpture as the main draw. These parks are generally
temporary, but we are seeking locations and funding for permanent installations
worldwide as well. Franchises are available. SANDTOPIA is the brain child of Rich Varano
SANDTOPIA is a subsidiary of Varano Sand Sculpture Company LLC (VSS)
VSS was established in the early 1980's and since that time, Varano has traveled the world over continuously, working in the industry and competing in the sport, making friends and acquaintances in the business along the way. Today he is networked with hundreds of people in the business around the globe and has numerous associates on six continents.
As of this writing, the core product of VSS has been sand sculpture displays as and for entertainment at special events of all sorts, all over the world. Mostly private functions such as theme parties conventions and trade shows. Work has also been provided for public functions such as fairs, festivals and sand sculpture contests.
Sand sculpture displays are created for many different occasions and promotions. Publicity stunts, and media hooks, print ads (photo shoots) production work in films and TV spots, and marketing & promotions, grand openings, etc. as well as for educational purposes.
Sand sculpture "props" ( permanent and lightweight faux sand sculptures) are fabricated in a studio setting and can be shipped for use in situations where a real sand sculpture cannot be implemented.
The Sultans Of Sand Worldwide is also another subsidiary of VSS. This brand is geared towards the larger sand jobs that utilizes the talents of numerous artisans and technicians working under contract on an as needed basis, to put on larger scale works that could not be accomplished by a single person in the available time.
Additionally there have been sand event production and directing services provided to clients worldwide as well. Designing and implementing larger scale shows of amazing sand sculpture works, often of a central theme, as a gated entertainment draw for a community or private business. Sometimes major pro and also amateur competitions are setup and run too. This is the area SANDTOPIA is currently moving into. Producing and directing stand alone sand parks and major international sand competitions will be the core function of the SANDTOPIA brand. These sand parks will have ancillary activities and food & beverage operations as well as retail sales of merchandise.
The sandtopia franchise is the next generation level, and the natural progression and evolution of all the VSS brands as well as the parent company.
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Rich Varano age 6 |
Rich Varano began sand sculpting at age six on New Smyrna Beach, on the central east coast of Florida, in Volusia County. When his father Frank, and avid amateur sand sculpture enthusiast himself, showed the boy how a big pile of sand one could shovel up in just ten minutes or so could quickly and easily be rendered into fun and amazing sand sculptures, he went home and threw away his play-doh. Varano practiced the craft as a hobby periodically, ever since. Until one day as a young man in his mid twenties, he discovered people would pay him to do it. Within a year, that was the only thing he did for a living ever since. |
Varano - March 2010 |
That was over two decades ago. At that time, he established Varano Sand Sculpture Co. Shortly after that, he was employed at Sea World in Orlando where he was the full time sand sculptor creating captivating sand art displays 40 hours per week as entertainment for the thousands of guest visiting the park each day. There, he honed his sand sculpting (and people) skills even more. |
|
After eight
years of doing both his full time sand sculpting job at Sea World and running
his burgeoning sand sculpture business, which was providing sand sculpture
entertainment for the special events industry worldwide, he became too busy
to do both. So, although Sea World was a great company to work for
and provided good benefits, he let that go to dedicate himself full time
to his growing global sand sculpture company. He immediately was on tour
and has spent much of the time since then living in various hotels around
the world. He now has over 100 associate worldwide who work for him on an as needed basis. The group is collectively known as the Sultans Of Sand Worldwide. Varano is now in his second decade of spending a portion of each year abroad as a touring professional sand sculptor. He spends two months each year in Jesolo (Venice) Italy, where he directs the International Sand Sculpture Festival each spring, and the Sand Nativity just before christmas. He is currently producing the United States Sand Sculpting Championships and the Italian National Championships, both expected to come online in 2011. |