92 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: MIKE JAMES Beach Boy With a deep tan from countless beach days and eyes a coastal blue, it’s not surprising to learn that Brighton grew up a stone’s throw from the Pacific. He spent a spirited childhood running along the Santa Cruz bluffs, splashing in the surf and watching his dad work the sand. “In the ‘90s, I was always hanging out with Pops,” says Brighton, explaining that his father, Jim Denevan, is also a land artist. In those early years, while Jim dragged a big stick or rake across the shoreline for hours on end, young Brighton would make his own miniature versions. “I’d be trying to entertain myself. I’d be making little sand sculptures, little worlds in the sand,” Brighton recalls. “It taught me patience,” he laughs. Watching a sand master at work seems to have been an education by osmosis for Brighton— though at first, he didn’t consider sand art an option because he didn’t want to simply follow in someone else’s footsteps. For years, Brighton told himself, “That’s dad’s thing. I can’t do that.” He adds, “I hadn’t broken out of the box I’d put myself in.” That changed during the pandemic. “It led to me wanting to break through all the barriers and do some experiments,” he shares. The practice quickly became a passion, developing into 20 to 40 designs each month. These days, father and son often collaborate on projects. “We both have our ideas and bounce them off each other, which makes both of our stuff gone t ide WITH THE
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