Sculpture by the Sea returns to Cottesloe Beach for 2013 Sculpture By The Sea at Cottesloe Beach . Ghost Net Crocodile 2011 by GhostNets Australia. Picture: Richard Polden. Happy Floating Dream cloud by Kathy Allam. ARTIST Mikaela Castledine has scooped the Western Australian Sculptor Scholarship of $10,000 at the 9th annual Sculpture by the Sea exhibition at Cottesloe Beach. Castledine's win for her sculptural work Tokyo Crows was made today at the beach by Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop. The sculpture is crafted from crocheted polypropylene and steel and took Castledine about six months to make. She said she thought the intelligent birds had a "beautiful and interesting shape" and although many people are frightened of them, she believes humans may be contributing to their undesirable traits. "When I'm crocheting them, I'm growing them one stitch at a time," she said. Castledine, who is the niece of respected painter Cedrix Baxter, said she next "has a hankering" to create a crocheted rhinoceros and she may consider using some of the scholarship money to travel and see a rhinoceros up close. David Handley, the founding director of Scupture by the Sea, said he was delighted to see what the artists had created for this year's exhibition. "It's extraordinary to see, when you give artists a place like this to play with, what they come up with," Handley said. He said seeing the multitude of people enjoying the free exhibition, particularly young children, made all the hard work involved worthwhile. Over 220,000 people are expected to visit the exhibition. Over 70 sculptures by local and international artists will transform one of Perth's favourite beaches into an outdoor gallery surrounded by sun, sea and sand for 18 days. This year's sculptures range from a giant copper and stainless steel kangaroo by Victorian artist Geoffrey Ricardo, oversize licorice allsorts made of steel, formply and automotive paint by WA artist Michael Grau to Chinese artist Chen Wenling's majestic statue, Games. Castledine's sculptures will be available to buy individually. Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe continues until March 24. Visitors are invited to give a gold coin donation.