Joe Maize

Strange

Shooting waterballoons to people in Zeebrugge, chasing "mols" in the sand in Holland, teaching your Joe-slaves, making cocktails and jello's, saying loudly what other people were thinking (including myself), carrying your trashcans to every possible place, allways your own vision on the job and advice,... it will be so strange when I will have my first project without a Joe walking somewhere, no more "bad boy" jokes... On every project we never said goodbye, just because we knew we would meet next time... I still haven't given you the promised cd with all the Lommel pictures, but I'm very glad that I have been able to offer you the promised Casino visit, that also took me three years... Thanks Joe, for the hundreds of stories everybody experienced with you, and they will allways be told on every sandevent, just because there's allways something that reminds us to you. Thanks for sharing everything. Nine beers!

Ludo Baekeland (Friend) September 5, 2006

Moose's won't be the same without you bro

Sandman,you were such a pain in the ass some times,no well usually most of the time! But you really were a lot of fun you always made me crack up.
I can't believe I'm not gonna see you anymore....You made so many cool things ,and that was just at work,which you were there about one month every 3 months.Anyways you had A Heart of Gold,Lots of fun talking to you talk stink about everybody,and always helping me out and everybody else...You were a good man Joe Maize it's obvious with anybody that spent time with you.Gods gotta be shakin his head now.

Kenny (co-worker) September 5, 2006

took too long

Joe-
I had heard many Joe Maize stories before we finally met in Harrison earlier this year- you were every bit the character I'd heard about and more.
Rest in Peace


John

John May (fellow sand man) September 5, 2006

I'll always remember...

Smokin! Joe Maize the 'Ambassador of Sandsculpture'
An indeliable memory for me associated with sandsculpting since the mid 80's in Parksville, Harrison Hot Springs, Imperial Beach, and the many projects in Australia.
Giggles and grins as I recall the man behind the lazer lights on the hotel balcony in Hawaii, the welcoming bouquet of Bananas, and the hangover from an evening of Hawaiin Punches and the image of a guy fast asleep, an arms lenght away from a blaring TV at 3am, remote in hand.
I'm left with sadness at the loss of a friend who I've come to admire as a sculptor, entertainer, prankster and social convenor.
Thanks for the memories Joe.
ps. I probably should have let you talk me into that crop circle prank at Harrison, that would have been cool.

Freddie Dobbs (Friend) September 5, 2006

even from Hawaii

Joe,
You worked on many festivals for me and whenn I had to speak to the press, I had a fixed line :
we are working with many artists from all over the world, even from Hawaii.I will find another line but we will not find another Joe,
Thanx for everything !

Thomas Van Den Dungen (sandsculpturefestivals) September 5, 2006

Dear Joe,

Thank you for the beautiful things you made for us, thank you for teaching me a small bit about carving, thank you for the parties, thank you for annoying me but most of all just thank you for just being Joe. I will miss you.

Huib Joor (Friend) September 4, 2006

Hai Buddeeeee!

Joe, we will be missing you. 'Cause you were the only one who represented Hawaii. You teached us Hawaii is more than flowers and volcanoes. Hawaii also is jellies, waterballoon shooting, pokermachines, fake parking lots tickets, a garbage canister full of tools and espacially those cracking jokes. Hé Buddy, will you keep those for us later on?

Stanley Ng (sand) September 4, 2006

He Helped With My Engagement

Joe will be apart of our lives forever. He built a sandcastle for Tara saying "Tara Will You Marry Me" last year 08/15/2005 at the Royal Hawaiian in Waikiki. We will always have Joe in hearts and minds.

Scott (Friend) September 4, 2006

report abuse!

When I first opened up this web site I looked at the menu bar and saw on the selection list "report abuse" my first thought was wow, whoever set up this site really knew Joe! I think everyone at one time or another, in one way or another caught it from Joe. I met him for the first time last year in China like so many others I had heard stories about him for years prior. One night he gather a load of us up and dragged us through the "lesser" side of Sanya so we could see the Snake Woman. Another jouney took us down a narrow street lined on both sides with live and dead poultry.(Mind you this was at the height of the bird flu scare)in search of sneakers and DVD's. I never had one of his jello shooters but he did run the hotel chef out of the kitchen one morning so he could make pancakes. There was always energy in the air when Joe was around and I'm sure all of you who see him on a more regular basis will miss him terribly but his antics and the stories they generated will carry his memory on for many many years.
Peace

Damian Hoffman (Friend) September 4, 2006

Dear Joe,

If somebody has to go, it's always too soon ...
But I know that you are building castles with the clouds, and whenever I look up, I will see an artwork of you, thank you for being with us in Lommel for the lost 2 years!

My condolacions to all family and friends !

Patrice (Sandsculpture festival Lommel) September 3, 2006