Apart from being an acclaimed jeweller, Mr Papamanolis was one of the most popular artists in this year’s national competition on the Gold Coast.
His most recent creation, an interpretation of Byzantine iconography for a nativity scene at The Greek Club in Brisbane, is in fact a three-tonne sand sculpture which took three days to create.
The intricate sculpture depicts Mary holding baby Jesus, with a cow and horse looking on through the barn.
“And a mouse. I put that in there for the children,” Papamanolis said, explaining that kids are the ones who spot those sorts of details.
“It’s heartbreaking when you take them [the sculptures] down.”
“You spent all those hours and then, as you pull it down, you see all the good sand under the surface and you just want to sculpt again.
You can see new shapes, new ideas in what is under there. Even here, I can see something else it could be.”
The sculpture will remain in the foyer of The Greek Club in Brisbane until the new year.
Source: West End Magazine, ABC