Richard G. Mungeam
Lead Sand Sculptor and Instructor
by Anne Bennett
Lovin’ a Sandcastle Lesson @ Lovers Key
In a former life Rick Mungeam was renowned residential architect traveling extensively designing custom resort homes showcased in several architectural publications. But the economic changes of 2008 resulted in Rick and his wife, Capri, selling their home in Colorado to begin traveling.
South Padre Island, Tx, late 2010, under the tutelage of Andy Hancock, Master Sand Sculptor, Rick learned the basics of sand sculpting. By mid 2011 Rick was honing his sand sculpting skills on The Emerald Coast of The Florida Panhandle, near Destin, along Scenic Hwy 30A, when his sandcastle with a romantic heart was used for a wedding, and later for several family portraits, Rick realized his talent might develop into a business.
Nov. 2011, Rick won the Pro-Am Division of The World Championship of Sand Sculpting to further exhort his talents. 2012 watched BeachSandSculptures.com became the reigning Sand Sculpting Champions and a visible and known presence along Florida’s Emerald Coast.
Their boys are grown now, but through home schooling their two sons Rick and Capri learned creative teaching skills that Rick now utilizes as he offers design services in the form of sand sculpting creations. From 30A and Santa Rosa Beach business advertisements in sand to corporate team building at WaterColor or Seaside, a private party on the Dune Allen Beach to corporate events at the ritzy Sandestin resorts, Alys Beach wedding proposal or a Rosemary Beach wedding sculptures, and inspirational sand castle on Grayton Beach or sculpting lessons at Topsail State Park, Beach Sand Sculptures can create a sculpture to meet your needs and exceed your wildest imagination.
Capri Mungeam
AKA Aqua Woman, Sand Sculpting Apprentice, Marketing
They say, “Behind every successful man their is a successful woman”, this is often said to emphasize that a man’s success often depends on the work and support of his wife. That may or may not be the case with The Mungeams, but one thing is for certain, they’ve been a successful business team for nearly 30 year now.
Initially sand sculpting was definitely Rick’s forte, Capri talk with the people on the beach, handed out business cards and promoted Rick’s Sandcastle Lessons. But over the last couple of years she has watched carefully and slowly absorbed many of the finer details of sand carving. She still feel like she has much to learn, but the alligator she sculpted on the Topsail Hill State Park Sand Sculpture caught the eye of many a “Gators” fans as one said, “that’s a good lookin’ gator”.
The design development is Rick’s department. “Rick is really the artist”, Capri is fond of saying, “but I come up with a lot of ideas and sometimes their pretty good”, she said with a smile. Typically when they begin a project Rick shovels and Capri hauls the water from the nearest water source – usually The Gulf of Mexico. They methodically work together to build their sculpture foundation and fill the forms. The couple has worked out their individual roles while they create a sand sculpture in order not to “step on each others toes” if you will.
The other major role that Capri takes is the “behind the sands” marketing. “I’m getting my marketing degree through Social Media. There is much to learn”, . With the ever changing advertising/marketing innovations and technology The Mungeams realize, that today, if you aren’t communicating with your the world via Social Media you are frankly “dead in the sand”. When BeachSandSculptures.com on Facebook received it’s 1000th “Like” in less than 6 months, Capri knew they were onto something very unique. They’ve even incorporated offering media and social media services to help clients to gain the maximum PR out of their Beach Sand Sculptures.
